The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-11-06
The slippers...AN ARABIAN TALE.

There formerly lived in Bagdad an old shop
keeper, Abon Cassam by name, much celebrated
Tor his avarice. Though he was exceedingly rich,
his clothes was composed Of shreds and patches
his tqrban of the Coarsest linen, SO filthy, dirty
and greasy, that its original color could no longer
be distinguished but of all his wardrobe, (the
whole OF lich he carried him. his slippers
{ merited t., particular attention of the curious.
The sOf j, we're OTnamented with immense hob
nails, 'Ha,the uppers were apparently nothing but
patche< Il, The tar-iamed ship ArgO ITSELF was not
comp n of as many pieces; and during the ten
years2 IL they had been slippers, the most skillful
CObb4os ofthe country had exhausted all the inge
nuity. II their art, in collecting, and drawing togeh
er tb ruins. They had even become 80 weghty,
to be pfoverb; and when his townsmen wished
TO speak of any thing peculiarly burthensome,
the slippers Of Cassam were always the objects Of
comparison.
One day as the merchant was walking in the
grand bazaar OF the city, some one offered to sell
him considerable quantity Of chrystal he quick
ly concluded the bargain, as it was a very advan-
tageons one. Having learned some days after,
that a ruined fertumer being compelled as last
resource, to sell quantity Of the finest rose wa
teTs, the merchant profited by the misforiunes of
this poor man, and purchased the rose water at less
than t1atifts EGfue. FMS guud fortune put him In
good hnm0r in place Of giving great feast as
was the custom of the Eastern merchants, when
they made good bargain, he found it more expe-
dent TO venture the expense of going to the bath,
where he had not been ior long time.
As be was taking oil his garments, one OF his
friends, at least person he took to be SUCH (lor
misers very rarely have friends) told him that his
slippers made him the laughing stock of the whole
city, aud that he ought to purchase others
" have been ,,uhkiug OF that for long time, y
replied Cassam, but indeed these are not so much
worn out but that can wear them some time yet
During this conversation he had entered the bath
room While he was bathing, the Cadi of Bagdad
came in also. Cassam having finished before the
judge, passed into the outer room he dressed, but
sought in vain for his slippers but in the place OF
them he found beautiful new pair. Our miser
persuaded himself-because he wished-that he
who had spoken so well, had left them as present,
aud put them on, and left the bath IN very good
spirits because he had been saved the modification
- Of purchasing pair of slippers.
When the Cadi had finished bathing, his slaves
hunted every where for his slippers, but they found
none but a vile pair of leather ones, which were
discovered TO be those of Cassam. The eunuchs
pursued the supposed cheat and brought him back
accused of theft. The Cadi, after having again
changed slippers, sent him to prison. Money was
necessary to get out OF the claws Of justice; and
as Cassam reputed to be at least avaricious,
they did not let him escape without paying pretty
I large sum.
On his return home, the afflicted Cassam, in
spite, threw his slippers into the Tigrs, which
H floated under his window. A few days after, some
h fishermen drawing a net more heavy than usual,
found in it the slippers of Cassam. The nails with
which they were covered, had broken the meshes
OF the net. The fishermen angry, both at Cassam
and the slippers, took it into their heads to throw
them into his house through the window which he
had left open-the slippers being thrown with some
force struck the vials which were IN the window,
and knocked them down; the bottles were broken,
and all the fine rosewater was lost. Imagine to
yourself gentle reader, you cam the grief OF Cas-
sam, at these accumulated disasters.
"Cursed slippers" cried he, tearing his beard
''you have caused me great losses" He sighed
and taking a shovel made hole in his garden to
bury his ruined, though still beloved slippers.
One of the neighbors who for a long time had a
spite against him, him replacing the earth
he Immediately ran to tell the governor that Cas-
sam had dug up treasure in the garden; he only
kshed to excite the cupidty of the commander
Il was useless for mser to say that he had moi
found treasure, and that he had only buried his
old shoes the governor hal calculated on getting
the money, and poor Cassam was not set at liberty
until he had paid another large sum- Our mar
was desperate, and wishing his slippers to the
deuce with all his heart, went to throw them into
an aqueduct some distance from the city he be
lieved for once he would hear nothing of his
slippers; but the devil! who was not yet tired o
PLAYING tricks, ve lsty directed the slippers L
the small opening dqueduct, and they stop
ped he flow of water. The overseers of the foun
" fastened to repair the damage; they found
N. lrried the governor, the shoes Of Cassam, de
q. Ig that they had done all the mischief
tne unfortunate master of the slippers was sen
1D n.Ison, and condemned TO pay fine far heavie
tnr the two first ones. The governor who ha
I punished the crime, pretending TO be very liberia
returned the precious slippers to the owner. Gas
. sam, in order TO prevent any further evils whcI
they might cause, determined to burn them, and a
. they were perfectly soaked with water he place
/, them in the sun on the terrace of his house.
- But fortune had not yet exhausted all her arrow
against him, and the last which she had reserve
Tor him was cruel than all the rest. do
belonging to one of the neighbOrs perceived tn
slippers, and jumped from the terrace of his masts
TO that of our miser; he took one of the slipper
in his mouth, and while playing with it, let il ia
into the street, This unlucky old shoe fell drectl
! on the head of lady who was passing at thi
moment The terror and violence of the bio
Z Occasioued a long and dangerous illness. The hu
band complained to the Cad and Cassam w9
condemned TO pay fine proportionate to the MAJ
nitude of the injury of which he was the cause
He returned home, and taking his two slippe
in his hands returned 10 the Cadi:
u "Seigneur," said he to the Cadi-wth so dol
rOus visage, that the Judge could not restrain h
N laughter" here are the fatal instruments of a
my troubles, these cursed slippers have at leng
reduced me TO poverty; condescend to have the
arrested, in order that the misfOrtunes which the
will undoubtedly occasion, may not be imputt
TO me-"
The Cadi could not refuse his request, and Ca
sam learned, to his cost, the great damages of n
frequently changing his slippers.
A Romance in Real LIfe... BY LAURIE TODD
In NewYork, in 1896, my store was in Maid
Lane, within three doors of the store of Jol
NOWatt an extensive dealer in shoes, His for