Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-03-01

LII UtS iStHGtC ~ OUotS COUbO 3" y
seph Arthur de G0bincGu has reto7d
for the western world an old Persian
and Afghan story which IS str'kingy
like Shahespeore's "Ron7eo and
Juliet" uhich is being so much dis
cussed nor as part Of the Shake
spearean tercentenary.
His mother had named him MOhsen,
meaning "The Beautiful and he did
/ justice to his name. There was no
Afghan in all Kandahar who could
match him when he rode through the
| narrow streets with his black hair
turban. With deep, soft eyes that
were quick to fame, he looked scorn-
fully down on the lOW-bOrn who had
neither dignity nor self-respect. He
knew proudly that his own honor was
so dear to him that his days would not
be long
He carried death, and watched for
death. Between his family Of the All
medzyys and the equally powerful
! MuradZyys there was an age-long feud.
There was another younger feud be-
tween his father MOhammed-Beg and
uncle, OSman-Beg.
Therefore MOhsen never went I'M
armed. Always he bore his shield,
over his back hung the long Afghan
rifle&an(: in the gay sash was knife
sharp as acid and of such weight that
a single blow would amputate limb.
One evening he stole into Osman-
Beg's house, meaning to kill the young
est son, Elem. He grieved to do it, for
Elem and he had been boyhOod COM
panions; but honor is dearer to the
Afghan than aught else. He put men,
cries behind him and went in.
Hail to thee, son of my uncle!' said
soft voice. 1t was his cousin,
| Dschemyleh, who had watched him en-
ter. She advanced and stood before
him lovely as the dusk, in a red, gold
embroidered robe OF gauze, her shining
eyes and hair splendid behind a trans
parent veil of silver and blue. '"Thou
hast come to kill Elem!'' she said. Gle
is best beloved [ love him. I love
thee, too. Oh, Mohsen, take me as ran
som. Take me, son Of my uncle. l
will be thy wife. I Will follow thee"
| He kneeled and kissed the hem Of
her robe. DscheWyleh lifted her little
naked foot and set it on his neck. I'm
der that touch his pride broke like
glass.
Three days later Osman-Beg and his
sons tore boards and hair, and walled
in their house for shame. Their be-
loved, their star, their Dschemyleh had
| fled with the son Of their hated kins-
man, their enemy.
Kandahar was no place where the
two could hide. Before another sun
had passed the avengers of blood had
driven them from house to house and
surrounded them in their last retreat
a ruined part of the city.
Mohsen lay behind avail and let
them approach. Dschemyleh sat by
his side with his rifle. Posing the
great knife, Mohsen leaped out sud-
denly and struck down the leader of
his pursuers. The red knife swung
again and hacked through turban and
skull of a cousin.
| Then he prepared to die, for they
were all at him. Dschemyleh lifted the
gun. At that moment q band of riders
charged into the fight. They drove be-
tween him and his foes. "Osman-Beg,"
reared the leader, "give way. Run!
Let loose thy prey. or I swear by the
graves of all the holy ones that thou
shalt not liver
Sullenly Osman-Beg's band retired.
| The newcomer was Akbar-Khan, son
| Of Abdullah-Khan, who governed the
city for the sultan. His horsemen took
the two between them and hurried
them to the citadel. But Mohsen was
little pleased. Abdullah and Akbar
were of the stock Of the Muradzyys.
Mohsen's life had been saved from one
foe only to fall into that of another,
still more bitter.
But he was an Afghan, and his mind
was crafty. Scarcely had they en-
tered the citadel before he tore him
self loose and ran like a deer into the
harem, where he threw himself down
before the wife Of Abdullah. Snatching
the hem of her robe, he demanded pro-
lection.
Abdullah-Khan and his son were
close on his heels, with daggers drawn.
Il am an Ahmedzyy!" said Mohsen.
'Kill M if you willr'
Abdullah-Khan lifted his dagger.
'Hold !" said his wife. "These children
have gained my protection. If thou
TOUGHEST them, thou losest thine honor,
and thy fame that is shining as silver
will be blackened in the sight of men,"
Abdullah-Khan's eyes cleaned like
those OF a tiger. He stood still, trem-
bling with rage. Then he stopped and
said: "Rise! Ye are my children
Half an hour later the sultan,
stormed at by the wailing family Of Os-
man-Rap who was hic honchman sent