Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-03
MUSTAPHA, THE LUCKY.
AN APOLOGIZE,

AN APOLOGIZE.
Mustapha began the world with little of
its goods; but having health, strength, a
clear intellect, and indomitable will, he grad
ually attained wealth and respectability.-
At the same time he was fortunate in bis
domestic circumstances for his wife, be-
ing handsome and accomplished, was gentle
and atfectionate and his children being
endowed with sound constitutions, and
reared in healthy circumstances, throve con-
tinually, and gave no trouble. Every body
said that Mustapha was prodigy of pros
perity in all respects, for nothing ever went
wrong with him. He himself acknowledged
the goodness Of Providence with grateful
heart; and being Of benevolent DISPOSE
ton, he dealt largely of the fruits of his in
dustry to the many less fortunate people
who came under his notice, particularly to
those whom he had known in his early days
At the same time he maintained, under all
his prosperity, a humble mind; and his
manners, which had originally been unas-
suming, never underwent the least change.
The world concluded that Mustapha was
a happy man, but where is happiness be-
low? He had to confess to himself, though
he never spoke Of such subjects to others,
that the many external blessings which he
enjoyed had failed to give him true ease
and peace Of mind. Always, as these bles-
sings had increased, he had found himself
more and more removed, as it were, from
the sympathies of his fellow creatures. 1t
was not that he was not courted and fatter-
ed as rich men generally are, or that the
world generally failed to acknowledge his
merits and virtues. 1t was that no one now
seemed to enter into his feelings on a foot
ing of brotherly equality. 1t appeared to
be felt that man such as he is all sufficient
to himself. No one was much concerned
about him. Those who were nearest to an
equality with him, and with whom he came
most in contact, were the most jealous of
him and the coolest in their demeanor.-
Even the affections of his nearest relatives
withered under the shadow of his growing
Importance. They thought him proud,
merely because he had been raised above
them and when any great man gave him
his friendship, they would says he was am
bilious of the notice of his superiors, though
that was thing which he never made the
least effort to obtain. He would try, by
putting on a manner more familiar than
would otherwise have been necessary, and
which accordingly was Of forced character
to assure them that he was unchanged in
heart, and this went some little way in
convincing them; but he found no great
satisfaction in SO partial a success, and one
which was to be gained only by sacrifice
of sincerity.
At length the tide Of fortune turned with
Mustapha. Some barks Of his were lost at
sea, and his bazaar was about the same time
broken into and robbed of goods to large
amount. The plague coming at that time
to Constantinople, his wife and three of his
children were swept off by it in the course
Of a few days. Mustapha regarded his
calamities with firm and collected mind
but he could not conceal from himself that
he was now too old to repair the loss of his