The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-06-21

q o o o O O o
The Fountain i'm the
Desert.
An Arabian Legend Adapted from the
Russian.
BY LIZZIE 3. CORN.
O O O O O O o


burning hot and the hillocks of gold
en- sand were lost in the binding gilt
ter of tho distance. The sky seemed
to be enveloped in a shimmering opal
haze. Before them lay the white line
of the winding road-if it could be
called a road, this long, endless stretch
marked by the crumbling bones of
man and beast. The pilgrims left the
last halting-place with its wells far
behind and carried enough water to
last them two days., at the end OF
which they hoped to reach an oasis
with it's scanty growth. Only that
morning their eyes had been Toasted
by the witching sight of shady, green
groves, and deep blue lakes. Now
even this mirage had vanished.
Everything had become deadened I'M
der the stern gaze of the merciless
sun. The travellers swayed to and fro
upon their over-tired camels and
sleepily followed their guide.
Some one began to sing, but in the
desert even a song fills the soul with
sadness, and the singer soon grew
silent. Quiet-only the monotonous
crunching of the sand, made by the
tread of the slender feet of the cam
els and the silken curtains under
which the tawny-skinned Bedouin
beauties were hidden from the parch-
ing rays of the sur Everything was
d~eadened, even the human heart! At
least so it seemed.
A dying Arab lay close to the road
by which the caravan was passing;
near him lay his faithful horse, which
had been ridden to death, a white
spot on the golden sand; the horse
man wrapped his head in his white
burnoose and laid it upon the dead
body of his friend. The camels pass
ed by alphabetically. Not one of the
travellers even looked in the place
where the black eyes of the man who
was perishing in the desert followed
them keenly and longingly from under
the white silk cover. The whole car
AVIAN had already passed when an old
man who was riding in the rear of 1t
suddenly stopped and dismounting
bent wei the dying Arab.
What ails thce?"
Drink" was all the sufferer could
utter.
Tho old man gazed after the cara
van. 1t wendell it's way slowly into
The cleaning distance. None of the
travellers looked back. The old man
lifted his head, and it seemed to him
as If something was waited to him
from on high and penetrated to his
very soul. He took down his skins of
water. First he washed the face and
mouth Of the sufferer, then he let him
swallow once, twice-and the face of
the dying man became animated with
life.
Thou art of the tribe of Ommia-
d.e":'
Yes replied the old man.
81 saw it by the mark on thy arm.
+. am OF the tribe of Elkomiades; we
are deadly foes"
an the desert. before the face of
Allah, VIC arc brothers. Drink! l am
I'D. ;hol art young. Drink and live"
The sufferer drank grecdily. The
cd neal lifted him up and seated,
him upon his camel.
90 home" he said, "and tell your
tri9esmen OF the way We Of the tribe
~ Ommiades revenge ourselves upon
our e2emies."
And thou?"
81 am old and my days are nrm-
bercd. l would not be long for this
world. anyway"
'Tet us go together"
Impossible! The camel is too
small. 1t will not be able to carry
the two of u.s."
The Arab hesitated. But he was
young, life had not lost it's sweetness,
fame and love were awaiting him. He
silently prepared to depart. Sudden
ly he stopped.
"Thou hast kindred, children?" he
asked.
mo one!" replied the old man.
FAREWELL"
The one left behind looked after the
departing one until he was lost in the
g~littering, binding distance. He had
spoken falsely to his foe. He had
children-but they were all grown and
famous warriors. They needed him
NO longer.
The caravan and the Arab were No