Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-06-16

er saw 1t and wondered. She had nc
idea that her daughter had ever met
any young man to whom she had given
her heart and could only attribute her
daughters emotion to the fact of
changing her state from m~aidenhood
to wifehood.
But from the day of the announce
ment Ahesha grew thin and lost the
lovely color in her cheeks for which
she had been distinguished. In vain
her mother tried to discover what was
the matter with her. Doctors were
called upon to diagnose her case, but
could not find any organic disease.
And still the girl pinned, and as her
wedding day approached there was a
blighted look upon her that greatly
troubled those who loved her.
Shortly before her wedding some
thing happened which threw a gloom
yer the Moors of Constantinople. A
young bride who had gone to her hus-
band in the box used for the purpose
was found on its being opened before
the door of the groom's house dead
with a dagger in her heart. She had
committed suicide. The cause was
unknown, but it was assumed that she
had loved and preferred death to be-
ing married to n not the man who
possessed Der heart.
Ahesha's parents endeavored to keep
this tragedy from her, but it was i'm
possible. From the time she heard it
she was changed. Her gloom settled
into a look of resolve. Only her moth
er feared the cause. She dreaded lest
her daughter had some intention by
which to escape the marriage arranged
for her. Indeed, SO great was the wo-
mans solicitude that she begged her
daughter to tell her If there was any
reason why marriage was repulsive to
her and If so what it was. Then
Ahesha confessed her love for the
young man she had met by the sweet
waters of Asia.
The mother at once went to her hus-
band and told him the secret, propos-
ing to abrogate the marriage contract
for their daughter.
"What!" said the Infatuated Moor.
go back on the word of a follower of
Mohammed! Allah forbid!"
The poor woman, realizing that 1t
would be impossible to move her bigot-
ed husband, gave up the struggle and
prepared her daughter for her bridal.
At last the wedding day arrived.
Ahesha stood like a statue while her
mother and her nurse arrayed her for
the bridal The box stood ready, and
she stepped into it. Her mother kissed
her, then closed the door of her cramp-
ed conveyance. The nurse took up her
load, carried it to the street and, plac-
ing 1t on the back of the mule, fasten-
ed it with thongs Then the conceal
ed bride, the beast bearing her led by
her nurse, passed down the street be-
tween the lines Of spectators convened
to e a wedding pr ,cession. Those
who had an acquaintance with the
bride waved to her and shouted mes
sages. Slowly the hidden burden
moved from m~aidenhood to wifehood-
or to death? The few who feared a
repetition of the recent tragedy held
their breaths till the box should be
opened.
But there was one who knew. The
nurse, who loved Ahesha as well as If
she had been her own daughter, could
have told them whether the box con-
tained a living being or a corpse. But
ASiatfcs have great self control. The
features of the bronzed face were rigid
nnd 4novpracoSuo No a1A norIl ~1o1
them.
Perhaps 1t was because this was the
first wedding since the tragedy; per
haps a rumor had been circulated that
the bride in the box had a lover other
than her betrothed. Whatever the
cause, as the little procession approach
ed the groom's house a hush came over
the spectators standing neal. The
waving ceased. the congratulatory
shouts died down. The mule was led
up before the house, the nurse opened
the door. For a moment no descending
bride was visible. A chill came over
the onlookers.
Then the bride appeared, moving
slowly as If scarcely able to drag her
self from her hiding place. Her fea-
lures were concealed by her veil Sup
ported by her nurse, she entered the
house, the door was closed behind her
and a sigh of relief came from the
spectators.
Ahesha found a wedding party with
In. They rose as she entered, but
spoke no word. Passing through the
room she came to a door, which was
opened, and in another moment she
was alone with her husband. Advanc-
ing, he raised her veil, she looked into
the face of the young man she had met
on the bank of the sweet waters of
Asia.
Abdul Aekbar, the groom, having
learned the home Of the girl he had
met, and being his own master, made
an application for her hand. He said
nothing of having seen her. fearing