Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-08-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
TIE JEW OF HAMAu

I Once upon time there lived in Ia.
nah q certain Turk called Mustspha,
who, having accumulated some wealth,
by carrying on a trade in goats hair.
determined TO make a pilgrimage to
Mecca. His family consisted Of his
wife and two slaves; and as the lady
insisted on not being left behind, the
good man resolved to sell oil his stock
OF goats hair, To take oil his household
with him, and shut up his house till
his return. The only difficulty that
presented itself was what to do with
his money. lie did not like to run the
risk Of being robbed Of il in his Journey
through the desert, he did not like to
leave il in an empty house, and there
was not any Of his friends 10 whom he
wished to trust the secret Of his wealth.
After much elaboration, he placed it
IN separate parcels at the bottom Of
live large earthen jars, which he then
filled up with butter, and. on his de-
parturo, sent them 10 the house Of his
neishbor. Jew, named Mousa, to
keep till his return, telling him il vas
stock which he had laid in for winter
consumption. The Jew, however, from
the weight Of the jars and other cir
cumstaDces, suspected that they con-
tanned something more valuable; and
"a soon as Mustapha was fairly on his
way to Damascus to join the caravan.
he ventured TO open them; when find.
ing his expectations realized. he took
out the gold and filled them up again
with butter so carefully that nobody
could tell that they had been disturb
ed. The poor Turk Oh his return from
the pilgrimage soon found out the trick
his neighbor had practised upon him !;
but as the jars were exactly in the same
apparent state as when he left them,
and as there was no evidence as to
their contents, it was plain that no le-
gal process could give him any redress.
he therefore oct about To devise some
other way Of Furnishing the Jew, and Of
recovering, il possible, his property;
and III the mean time he did. not com
municate his loss to any person but his
wife, and cnjoined on her the strictcst
secrecy.
After long consideration, plan sug-
gested itself. In one of his visits TO the
neiShboring town Of HONS, where nc
was in the habit Of going to sell his
goats hair TO the manufacturers Of
masblakhs. Tor which that place is IA
nous, he fell in with Il troop Of -yp-
sizes, who had with them an ape of ex-
traordinary sagacity. lie prevailed on
them TO sell him this animal aud con-
veying II privately to his house. at Ha-
nah, shut II up in room. to which no
one but himself had access. lie then
went to the bazaar aud bought one of
the dark scanty robes and small caps
or kafpacks. with a speckied handker.
chief tied closely round il. which is the
prescribed costume Of the Jews ,hro'-
out the Turkish empire. This dress
he took care invariably TO put on when.
ever lac went Ia visit his ape; and as
he always carried him his meals, and
indeed never allowed any other person
to see him, the animal in the course of
lew weeks becam: extremely attach
ed to him jumping OH his neck and
hugs'nS and caressins him as soon as
he entered the room. About this time.
as he was walking along the streets NJ. q
day. he met a lad, the son Of the Jew
Mouss, and having enticed hlm into
his house by the promise Of some figs.
he shut him up close prisoner in de.
tached apartment Ia his garden, at sue b
distance from the street and from IN.
other houses Of the town, that the boy
could not discover TO any one the place
OF his confinement.
The Jew, after several days search,
not being able TO obtain any tidings oil
him, concluded that he had either been
drowned, or had strayed out Of the
town and fallen into the hands Of som
wandering Bedouins; and rs lie wa,
an only child. fell into a state Of the
greatest despair, till al length he heard
by accident, that just about the tim,
that the boy vas missing, be had beer
seen walking ia company with IIadg
Musispha. Tue truth instantly fash
ed on his mind, and he recognized il
the loss Of his son some straisgem
which the Turk had planned IN &c
venge for the affair of the butter lars
lie immediately summoned him befor,
the cadi. ccused him of having the DO,
va his possession, and insisted on hi
Immediately restoring him.
Mustapha at FIRST strcuuously deni
ed the fact; but when one VI the vi.
nesses positively DECLARED that he sas
the boy 60 into his house, aud when th
csdi IVES about 10 pronounce h.s de
~ cree, that lac should bring him int
court dead or alive Yah Woh, .
.giIoh ~ he exclaimed. "lhsre - "
Tod bat Allah. and his power is inf
mite; lac can work miracles when
sesmelh good IN HE sight II is true
eHendi," continued he, addressing him
self 20 tie cadi, "thai saw the j.,