ment of them gradually devolved on the fair Sol
as she grew up.

In the earlier years of the young Jewess's life, she submitted passively
enough to the restraint imposed upon her by her mother, and was almost
always to be found busied in the toils suited to her sex; but as she
advanced towards womanhood, the tastes and passions natural to her age
began to develope themselves, and the lovely Sol, becoming conscious of
the many charms with which Nature had endowed her, chafed at the rigor
of her seclusion. Her mother, hitherto her chief and only friend, now
deemed it prudent to assume towards the young maiden a severity of
demeanor, which so exasperated her, that, not finding within her home
those innocent recreations suitable to her age, and which her heart so
greatly desired, she was tempted to seek abroad for sympathy and
participation in her griefs.

Near the dwelling of Hachuel lived a Moorish woman, by name Tahra
Mesmudi. With this person the young Jewess formed an acquaintance,
which soon grew into friendship. Her mother occasionally gave her
permission to visit her; and on these occasions she would spend the time
in relating domestic occurrences,--and at other times, eluding her
mother's vigilant eye, she would slip out of the house to impart her
sorrows to Tahra, and receive her sympathy. Simla endeavored on more
than one occasion to check the growing intimacy of the young girl with
their Mahometan neighbor; but, little able to foresee its deplorable
results, and secure in her daughter's confidence, she was unwilling to
deprive her altogether of this slight indulgence. In this state,
therefore, things remained for awhile, Sol taking a reluctant part in
the labors allotted to her by her mother, and but rarely appearing in
the streets, though when she did so, her surpassing charms gained her
the homage of crowds of admirers, who thought themselves happy in
obtaining even a passing sight of this prodigy of Nature's work, usually
secluded from all eyes but those of the proud and happy authors of her
existence. But, however the high spirit of the enchanting Sol rebelled
against her fate, deeply and violently as she resented her bondage, no
murmur ever escaped her lips, and her false neighbor was the only
confidant of her sorrow; and already (so various are the disguises of
seeming friendship) even now did Tahra meditate a project destined to be
the ruin of the fair Jewess.

Amongst the Arabs, the conversion of an i