Southern shield., 1850-05-04
The Three Sharpers.
AN ARABIAN TALE.

A peasant was COuu uuCllUB goat tO Dag dad; he was mounted on a mule, and the goat following him with bell hung to his neck. Three young bucks observing him. one of them proposed an even bet that he would take the goat without the country mans knowledge, notwithstanding the tink- ling of the bell.
 "Done," said the second, "and at the same time will lay you wager that will steal from the fellow the mule he rides upon without exciting his suspicion"
 | "That must be a difficult task, indeed,' observed the third; "but if you will double the stakes, will engage to take from him all the clothes upon his back, and he will not dare to hinder me"'
 These proposals being mutually agreed to, the first tcommenced his task. which was 10 steal the goat. Having dexterously loos- ened the fastenings to the bell, he slipt ii from the goats neck, tied it to the mules tail, and made off with the goat undiscover- ed. The peasant, hearing the tinkling oi the bell, never doubted but that the goat followed. However, happening to look behind him some time after, he was strange ly surprised at missing the little animal which was to sell at market. He now made inquiry of every passenger, in hopes ot hearing of his strayed goat; at last, the se- cond sharper accosted him, and told him he had just seen a man make down the next lane preciptately, dragging along goat by the hind legs. The peasant, thinking that he could run faster than his old mule could carry him, instantly dismounted, and requested the young fellow to hold his mule while he set off in pursuit of the thief. Ali ter exhausting himself in running without getting sight of the man or goat, he return ed quite spent and almost breathless, to thank the stranger for taking care of his mule, when, to add to his misfortune, be- hold, his mule and keeper were vanished.
 The two successful rogues had gained a secure retreat, and were triumphing over their associate, while he waited for the countryman at the side of a well, in the part of the road he knew he must pass. Here he sent forth iamentable cries, and made such bitter wailings, that the peasant was touched with commisseration as he ap- proached him, and refecting on his own msfortunes, found himself disposed to listen to the aflictions of others. As heappeared to be overwhelmed with grief he thus ad- dressed him:
 "How can you take on so pteousIy? surely your misfortunes are not so great as mine; have just lost two animals, the value of which is more than one half of my sub- stance; my mule and my goat might, in time, have made my fortune"
 "A fine loss, truly" said the man at the well, to be compared with mine You have not, like me, let fall, into this well, a casket of diamonds delivered into my hands, and entrusted to my care and discretion, to be carried to the Caliph of Bagdad; no doubt 1 shall be hanged for my negligence, which will be called an excuse for having clandes- timely sold them"
 "Why don't you dive to the bottom of the well, and fetch up your treasure" said the peasant, "I know it is not deep.'
 "Alas," replied the sharper, "I am quite awkward at diving, and had rather run the risk of being hanged, than meet inevitable death by drowning; but if any one, who knows the well better than me, would un- dertake the kind office, upon recovering the jewels, would give him ten pieces of gold.'
 The unWary dupe poured out his pous ejaculations in gratitude to Mahomet for having thrown in his way the means for repairing the loss of his mule and goat.
 "Promise me-" said he, in ecstacy, "the ten pieces, and will recover your casket'
 The sharper agreed, and the country man stripped himself and jumped with such alacrity into the well, that the sharper saw he had no time 60 lose, and immediately took to his heels with the clothes. The poor peasant felt all around to the bottom ot the well 10 no purpose, and then raising himself to the brink to take breath, and re- cover strength for second attempt, he found that the stranger had decampec with his apparel. Grown wise too late by woful experience, he returned home by 8 lonel y path to conceal his shame; and rela. ting his tale to his affectionate wife, the only consolation he received from her was: "thal from the king upon the throne to the shep- herd on the plains, two-thirds of the human race owed the greater part of the vexations ot life to imprudent conGdences"
 The next day he not only received back his animals and his clothes, but in one o the pockets he found the full sum he SC much coveted, to wit: ten pieces of gold.
 A Hint from Rea2 Life.-"Your fathel would not have punished you, my child, i you had not used prolane language anC