Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-02-19

When it was night again the woman
reused me to put between my lips
sweet strong cordial that gave me
strength. With her arm still under me
i staggered to my feet, and thus we set
out, guided by star that hung high |
in the west.
All night we journeyed. ! was like
one walking in sleep, or like a child |
Weakened unwillingly, crying with |
WEAKNESS and anger that she would
not let me lie down on the sand. My
shroud was around me still. and il
trailed on the sand. but / needed not.
Far away now was the trail Of the car
avian, like a scar on the bosom Of the
desert, and our own track pitiful,
wavering line that bent to the west.
! cursed the woman that she would
not let me alone, but my weak rebel
lion was as nothing to her will, so |
stumbled on and the daughter of the
Wahhabis held me up till it was dawn.
Then we rested.
All day she sat by me, while the air
quivered with heat and the light daz-
zled the eye. All day she sat between
me and the sun, holding her garment
as an awning over my face, and moist
ening my lips with water from the zem-
zimiyah. Dates, too, she compelled
me TO eat; yet herself tasted neither
date nor so much as a drop of water,
lest there should not be enough.
! saw her face; Lustrous eyes, black
as midnight, and a moueh that the Ii
sam would not hide Beneath the linen
! could see the tenderness of its SMILE
almost forgot that she was the
daughter of my enemies. Slowly my
strength returned as if il flowed
from her life into mine, tin al the
evening hour Of prayer / was able to
kneel unaided and repeat the words
that the prophet teaches.
She had the courage and strength
that her people never lack She was
bred in the mountains, used to climb
ing the sleeps with the water Jar on
her head, or herding her fathers
focks, yet she was comely and pleas
ant to look upon, one in thousand for
grace.
Still 1 spoke not TO her, for was she
not OF the Wahabis2 1t would be sin
to bless her, and curse her could not.
Again night, and we iourneyed west.
Still ! stumbled, and still the woman
held me up Yet her step il seemed,
was less strong, and saw in the moon
light that her face had grown drawn
/ and weary.
In the dawn heard her whisper:
Courage. / smell the lime trees
Then / felt that she tottered, and
together we sank upon the sand; yet
even then she tried to lift my head,
and poured between my lips the last
/ drop of water. / erawled on, alone.
and reached the Wady Laymum, and
I heard the tinlle Of the water and smelt
I the fragrance of the lines.
But in the green Wady there was no
soul but me. The woman lay out there
in The desert, and the Wady was lone
I lier than the desert. Icursed the fever
and the greed OF thirst that had made
me push on unmindful that was alone.
Like the rush Of the wind my man
hood came back 10 me. Gathering my
hands full of lines. ! went back to
where she lay. Her lips could utter no
worn, but her eyes Allah! did ever
eyes show such a wonder of JOY?
/ laid her in the shade of the lines,
by the pool. She drank Of the water,
and the cool sour Of the fruit revived
l her.
There were roses blooming by the
water. and Wild melon that climbed
/ about the trunk of a pomegranate
made a screen like a curtain where the
woman rested. Her name was that of
the prophets daughter, our lady Fat
/ imah.
! ! strayed down by the stream, seeing
/ the birds flee from me. and stopping to
1 gather the dates that had fallen in the
grove The cry Of the bittern sounded
so sorrowful that it made my heart
ache, and crept back TO where Fati-
nah lay.
Her face lit gloriously when / spoke
to her.
] y :.
mine? Why did you, of all the cara
van. take pity to help me?" ] asked.
give years ago" she answered,
smiling. yet speaking slowly and
barely above a whisper, five years ago
I / came with my father, a child, 10 Alex.
andria. Five years ago-and you were
/ there, though you remember me not.
1 How could you remember the Wahhabi
girl YOU saved from the stick of the
camel driver? You forgot in an hour,
Y hut / never forgot. Till saw your face
I in the caravan four days ago l had not
hoped ever to see it again, yet never
/ for a moment had forgotten it"
She stopped, too weak for further
speech. but her eyes frightened with a
smile that was the dawn that breaks
over the holy city. She did not try
even 20 veil her secret.
o. wonderful heart Of woman! Who
that lives can fathom its depths Of
tenderness, or measure its heights OF