The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-01-16

house of woman. who had been long
widow. and lived in extreme poverty in the
suburbs of Balsora. lie was so touched
with The care and zeal with which she had as
sisted him. that at his departure. he said to
her, 1" have remarked that YOU have here
with to subsst alone. bnt that you have not
substance enough ,o share it with your son,
the young Abdaah. fyou will trust him
to nv care, | will endeavor, in his person, 10
acknowledges the obligations | have to you
for the care you have taken of me-" The
gnni woman received this proposal with
iny, and the dcrvisc departed with the young
man. advertising her, that they must perform
a Journey which would last near two years.
As they travelled. he KEEP, him in affluence,
gave h IN excellent Instructions. cured hum
of dangerous disease with which he was
attacked: in 6nc. took the same care ot him
as if he had been his own son. Abdallah
hundred times testified his gratitude to him
for his boun,ies; but the old man always an.
swe,cd, "Mv son, it is by actions that gra-
,tudc is proved; we shall see in proper
time aud place, whether you are so CRATE:
lnl IS you pretend"
One day. as thcv continued their travels,
thew found themselves in solitary place.
and the drrvise said to Abdalah, "My son.
we are now at the end Of our Journey; shall
employ nv prayers to obtain from heaven.
that the earth may open wide enough to per-
nit you TO descend into place where you
will see the greatest treasure that the earth
contains in her bowels. Have you courage to
descend into this subtcrrancous Vault" con
tinucd he. AbdaIIah swnrc to him he might
depend upon his obedience and zeal. Then
the dervlse lighted a small fire into which
he cast perfume; he read and prayed for
some moments; after which the earth open.
cd, and the dcrvise said to him, "vou may
now enter, my dear Abtlallah, remember
that il is in Your power to do me grea:
service, and that this is, perhaps. the only
opportunity you can ever have oftcstllying
to me that you arc not ungrateful. do not
let yourself be dazzIcd bv all the riches you
will! find there; think only of scizing upon An
iron candlcsick willetwelvc branches, which
YOU will find close by dor: that is abso-
lutelv necessary for me-" Abdallah PROM
iscd every thing, and descended boldly into
tho vault; but forgetting every thing that
ha been expressly recommended TO him,
whilst he was filling his vest and bosom with
gold and Jewels, which this subtcrrancous
vault enclosed in prodgious heaps, the opc-
ming by which he entered closed of ITSELF
lie had however. presence Of mind enough
tn seize upon the iron candlesick. which the
tlcrvice had 50 strongly recommended to
him; and though his situation was terrible,
he did not abandon himself to despair; and,
thinking only in what manner he should get
out nf place which might become his grave,
he apprchended that the vault had closed
onIv because he had not followed the order
Of the dervSc: he called to his memory the
care and gonIncss he had loaded him with.
rcproachcd himself with his ingrat,tudc, and
finished his meditation bv humbIing himself
before heaven. AT length, after much pains
and inquietudc, he was fortunate enough to
find narrow passage which led him ont of
this obscure cave: though 1t was not until
ne had followed it considerable way that he
discovered small opening covered with
brers and thornS. through which he return
ed to the light of The sun. fIc Ionked on i'll
sides. to sec whether he could perceive the
the dcrvi>c. but in vain; he designed to de-
liver him the iron candesiick he so much
wished for, and formed dcs'gn of quitting
him, being rich enough with what hr had ia
ken out of The cavern, to live in afflucnce
without his assistance.
Not pcrccving the dcrvisc. nor rcmcm-
ing any Of the places through which he had
passed, he went on as fortune directed him.
and was extremely aslonished to find him
self Opposite his mothers house, from which
he ilnns;ncd he was at great distance
She Immediately enquircd for the holy dcr-
wise. Abdaah told her frankly what had
happened to him, and The danger he had run
to satisfy his unreasonable desires; he after.
wards showed her the riches with which he
was loaded. His mother concluded, upon
the sight of them, that the dervise had only
designed TO make test of his courage and
obedience and that they ought to make use
of The happiness which fortune had presen
ted to them; adding, that such doubtless
was the intention of the holy dcrvise.-
Whilst they contemplated upon these treas
ures with avidity, whilst they were dazzled
with the u>tre of them. and formed thou.
sand projects in consequence of them. they
all vanished away before their eyes. /, was
then that Abdallah sincerely reproachcd
T. 4 II, 4 -