The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-06-25

not consider his prospects brilliant, and
rejected his proposals with contempt.
Rehecca, however, sent her old nurse ID
him. Gust as lady in the Arabian
Nights might have sent similar mes
senger, 10 let him know that the family
contempt was not shared by her
lbrahm was more than ever deter
mined to obtain her. lie went to mn
Eiclan, who bade him return to Algers,
and declared thai if he accepted the
first offer of any kind which he should
receive after entering the city, lie would
become rich and obtain the desire of his
heart
lbrahim sold his asses and departed
for Algiers He walked up and Gown
the streets till nighlfill, in expectation Of
the mysterious offer which had been fore
lold-but no one came.
Tie had, however, been observed by a
rich widow, somewhat advanced in years,
la French woman, and the widow of an
officer Of engineers She dispatched an
attendant to discover who he was, and
where he lived and the next day sent
for him 10 her house. His graceful adj
dress fascinated her even more than his
good looks, and she made him overlures
|
Of marriage; offering at the same time
to settle upon him handsome portion OF
her wealth.
This was not precisely the mode in
which lbrahim had intended to make his
fortune; but he recollected the prediction
Of the magician, and accepted the pro>
posa.
They were married, and for twelve
months lbrahim lived with his wife in
great splendor and apparent happiness.
AT the end Of that time he profcsscd t.
be called to Tunis by indispensable bus
mess, which would require his presence
for some time. His wife made no OPP
position, though she was sorry to lose
him, and wished 20 accompany him but
that he prohibited, and departed alone,
taking with him a good supply Of mon,
ey.
lie sgain presented himself to the
French Consul at 'unis, who was sur>
pri,ed at the change in his appearance.
His vest of lowered silk, brocaded with
gold, was eirded around the waist by
Barbary sash of the richest silk his am
pie trousers Of fne cloth were met by red |
morocco boots Cashmere shawl, of the
most radiant colors, was twisted round !
his head ; his beard, carefully trimmed,
fell half way down his breast leweled
dagger hung at his girdle aud an ample
Bournooz worn over all, gave an addi-
tlonal grace to his appearance, while II
5 ryed to conceal ms rich attire, which
far exceeded the license Of the sad-col>
ored garments prescribed by law to the
Jews
lie lost no time in repairing to the
house of Rebecca. She was still unmar-
ried and again he mace his proposals
his time II was with more success. lie
had all the appearance of a man of high
consideration; and The riches which he
hali-neglgenlly displayed, took their due
effect. lie had enjoyed a good character
when he lived al Tunis before, and they
took ii for granted that he had done
nothing to forfeit it, They asked no
questions how his riches had been OBJ
tanned, but gave him Rebecca in mars
rage.
At the end Of six months, the French
Consul received inquiries from Alglers
about ibrahim his wife, i, was said, had
become alarmed at his prolonged alb
sence.
The Consul sent for Ibrahim, and told
him what he had heard. lbrahlm at first
appeared disturbed, and afterwards in
dignant. lie denied in the strongest
terms that he had any other wife than
Rebecca, but owned that the woman in
question had fallen in love with him. lie
also denied that he had given her any
sort Of legal claim upon him. The
French Consul was perplexed Ibrahim's
papers were all regular he had always
led an exemplary life in Tunis, he denied
his marriage, and there was no proof
of it.
Had lbrahim retained the smallest pre-
sence of mind, no harm could have be-
fallen him. In that polgamy, his two
wives (eyen though one were European)
would have caused little scandal His
domestic position was somewhat compl-
Gated, but hy no means desperate On
departing from the Consul's house, how.
ever. he would seem TO have come pos>
sessed by strange panic, not to be ex-
planned by any rules of logic, and to
have gone mad slraightway His own
idea was that he was hurried on by des-
tiny to-murder Rebecca