The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-11-10
616e ScOurge
ofDAmAScuS
A Story q
the EAst...
SYLVANUS
COBB. JR.
Copyrighted 1901 BY Robert Eonner's Sons

Oiu uudu, WHO lVeu apart from INC
world, gave me my first lessons Of
life, and led me up till l could protect
myself. A fathers fostering care I
never knew. A mothers love l never
realized. The cruel blow which shat
tered the cup Of my joys, killed my
poor mother ere my tongue could lisp
her name. AS l grew to manhood l
knew that I was an orphan, and that
my misfortune was the work Of the
King OF Damascus. o! how the iron
settled into my soul. l had grown
strong and resolute, as though heaven
would enable me to work retribution
upon the tyrant. Do you ask me ii
enjoy the life l have led. I answer
have made enjoyments for myself. l
have felt a peculiar satisfaction in
knowing that the king feared me.
When | have heard my name spoken
by the rich and powerful with fear
and trembling, / have liked It; and
when l have known that Horam dread
ed my approach, 7 have felt that my
labors were not without their result.
But these have not been my joys. In
Damascus the name of Julian is a ter
ror; but there are other places where
that name is spoken with love n
gratitude. Upon the plains of Abilene,
and in the mountain passes of Laban-
on, where the busy craftsmen prepare
timber for Jerusalem-there Julian is
hailed as a friend and benefactor. The
grim satisfaction of torturing the
cruel King of Damascus is tempered
and softened by the calmer atmos-
phere of these friendly regions"
Why did Ulin sit so still and listen
with such rapt attention to the words
Of the speaker? She bent her head as
though soft music were stealing DER
her senses; and she gazed upon the
man before her as though a grand, in
spring picture had been unfolded to
her vision. His words carried truth in
their very sound, and all her sympa-
] thies had been aroused. She was a
woman whose nature had not been
warped by art; and the ven to her
soul were guarded only by the pure
instincts of virtue and humanity. Not
always the safest guard; but still the
%happiest when surrounding influences
are not evil.
"And now, lady," pursued Julian, Il
must tell you why / am here; and in
doing this / speak only those words
necessary to the truth. On my way
from the plains I met a messenger,
who informed me that a fair maiden
had been shut up in the Palace Of the
Valley. ! could not believe that a beau
tiful young virgin had willingly given
herself to the desires of Koran. I
thought she had been shut up thus
against her own pleasure. With this
belief I resolved to release her. The
result o know. T have heard your
story from the lips of the black slave
who attends upon you, and she in
forms me that you are afianced to the
king by your own consent, and without
any desires on your part to the on
trary. Is it so?"
"The slave told you truly, sir" re-
piled Ulin, bowling her head, and
speaking in a very low tone.
And you came here to this place OF
your own free will?"
Yes, sir. My period of mourning
was not passed, and the king brought
tired"
"And but for the death of your
mother o. would have been the
kings wife ere this"
Ulin replied in the Affirmative; but
her voice trembled, and she seemed t.
shudder at the thought thus presented
Lady" said Julian, showing SOM
emotion. which he evidently did MOI
mean to show, "for my seeming wront
I most humbly beg your pardon. ! hai
thought to wrest from the grasp of thu
king n who was an unwilling cap.
tive; but since I find myself mistaken
I will do all I can to make amends. A
And" said the robber, rising to his
feet, ut Is better that / should leave
you at once"
He stopped, and swept his hand
across his brow, and when he resumed
his speech was very low, and his voice
tremulous:
"This has been a most strange ad-
venture; and as l now look upon It
it seems as though some mischievous
sprite had planned it. AS I live
thought when I came hither but such
as I have told you of. l have met you
lady, and for the first time in my life
I have felt my heart drawn warmly
towards my native city. Henceforth
there will be something in Damascus
towards which my thoughts will turr
with other sentiments than those Of
bitterness. Lady Ulin, we may never
meet again. In this moment OF oul
strange com~panionship, may I not take
you by the hand?"
She could not have refused had she
wished; but that she had no wish sc
to do was evident from the free ant
friendly manner In which she arose Il
meet him. She gave him her hand
and suffcred him to raise Il to his lips