The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-07-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Lancaster Gazette.
AZEM THE FORTUNATE
AN ARABIAN TALE

> Ato oWCAiuS was SeCOUQ only 10 tina
OF the Sultan: his gardens We'd with those
OF Paradise ; birds of all kinds, and of &
thousand varied plumages, warbled forth
tneir morning song to charm his ear; anC
Circassia's fairest daughters warmed his
heart, whilst he himself in form and beauty
was a Prince among Princes, the first Of
men amongst men. 70 crown all, he had a
u generous heart, and his bounties were well
known to the followers of the Prophet.
There Is nothing perfect. Azem, ever
fortunate, attributed his successes to pru-
dence, and, when he relieved the unfortu-
nate, in the folly of his heart he believed
their sufferings the result of folly or of
crime. This opinion, united with his pros
perity, filed his heart with pride. One
night, after day of success, with heart
swelling with vanity, he retired with his
beauteous Zoe to the bowers of rest. His
powers were hardly lost in sleep, before the
! shrlll cry of fire awoke him, and his aching
eyes saw one grand blaze surround him,
and before morning, his lordly palace, whose
domes the night before seemed to nestle in
the clouds, presented nothing but a black
smoking ruin. "One misfortune" saws the
proverb, " is but the mother of another -
and, as Azem mourned his dwelling, he
heard that an earthquake had swallowed
the city, in which most of his wealth was
deposited; and this proud man began to
tremble for the future.
At this period he had determined on
/ pilgrimage to Mecca. This duty the pious
AZem would not neglect. Collecting suf-
ficiency for his absence, his wives and chill
dren were left to the care of good broth
err; and taking with him two slaves to whom
ne had been as kind as parent, he babe
adieu to all his heart held dear. Have you
ever bade farewell, long farewell, to all
you love, by parting made ten times lowell
er-telt the warm quick breath of wife's
affection tremble on your cheek, whilst your
unconscious babe-sweet link that binds
you more closely together-twines his lit
tie hands in yours, as if clinging for p1otec-
ton? If you have ever felt that heart rend-
ing, that sickening of the soul that such
moment gives, you can conceive the PARTING
OF Azem from his loved Zoe. The farewell
trembled on his lips, and with a convulsive
effort he fled.
Azem had joined large caravan to pass
the desert Many days, all went on well.
On the twentieth, after leaving Balsora, the
sun rose as red as blood. AS the day adj
vanced the heat grew intense, the sky was
brassy over their heads, and the sands were
as heated Goals under their feet. About the
henr of noon n faint flush of red tinped the
horizon This awful harbinger 81 Tie Wind nj
of death struck all with horror. The Cap
Aga, or leader, ordered all to PROSTATE
themselves until the Simeon, or blast of
Azzael was past. The camels hid their
mouths in the sand: for instinct warns
them of their danger. The burning wind
soon passed by, and all suffered by its ma
this time, day after day, the way grew more
and more tedious. Many of the camels
died, and from a fall from one of the over
loaded beasts the Cap Aga was killed. All
then became confusion. In the caravan a
thousand different opinions were given, and
none steadily followed. Water grew scarce,
and famine threatened them. On the thir-
tieth day of their pilgrimage, wild band
of the desert appeared. In the moment of
danger great minds ever take the lead.
Azem instinctively seized the command.
His voice was heard giving orders and
cheering all around. Forming into square
they waited the attack. The battle was
bloody. The leader of the band, savage
Cur6, signalized Azem for his prey. With
almost irresistible fury he strove to transfx
I him with his lance. Azem nimbly parted
the blow, and with one deadly stroke
Azem's yatagan drank his hearts blood,
and the giant form of the Curd lay black
and CORY on the sand. The children OF
the desert seeing their leader fall, retired
Night coming on, prudence suggested
speedy and separate flight.
One of Azem's slaves had passed the
great desert before, and with his master
and felow-slave boldly pushed on for life
and after ten days intense suffering they
arrived at small town not far from Mecca
Azem's tolls brought on sickness, and he
soon expected summons from the ange
Azzael to. Join the hodris of Paradise. Ii
was differently written in the book of fate
. Az he was laying speechless on his couch
he heard his slaves in low yet earnest con
verse. "Come, let us be going" said Alb
, dallah, he cannot live, death has set his
, seal on him, and if we wait his decease the
Cadee will help us in taking an inventory
, of what he leaves behind. hate to leave
/ him, for he has been good master he can
not, no he cannot, survive:-
"True, sadly true" said the. other sigh
ing, "he cannot recover, and if we admin
lister on his effects just before, it will bt
,, just as we'll as after death. All, Abdallal
) ) we must even be going" So, piously com
mending their good master to the care o
Mohammed, they gathered together all hi
! effects and fled.
5 Azem soon after this began to recover
. and he found himself weak, deserted, and
: burden on poor widow whose dwelling
was his residence. His ring, the only val
liable left, he gave her: and as soon MS HI
=, was able to crawl she let him know he
poverty would not let her support him, ant
that another guest was expected to fill tn
room he then occupied.
Thus thrown on the world, the once ricl
: and happy Azem had to depend on the aim