Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-08-01
THE AMERICAN ALADDIN.

When we 60 out on Saturday after
moons to moralize and see new houses,
we usually take our young ones by Alad-
din's palace. Aladdin was Yankee.
He started life by swapping jack knives,
then putting the halves of broken mar
bles together, and passing them off as
whole ones. When he had gathered some
brass he went to school all the summer,
to learn the golden rule Of arithmetic
addition for himself and substraction for
his neighbor.
AT an early age Aladdin was consid-
cred good at a bargain-which meant he
could always succeed in changing worse
for better-always keeping the blind
side of horse to the wall when he had
to sell it; and the village said that eer-
tainly Aladdin would succeed. When he
left, che will be rich," said the village,
with more approval than they would say
she will be generous and true" To
Aladdin the world was but market in
which to buy cheap p and sell dear. For
him there was no beanty, no history, no
piety, no heroism. Vainly the stars shone
over him-vainly the south wind blew.
In the wake Of the great ship Argo, in
which Jason and his companions sailed
for the Golden Fleece, over the cleaning
Mediterranean-where the ships of Tyre.
Rome, and of the Crusaders had been be-
fore him-through the pillars of Her
cules, through which Columbus sailed to
find fame in a new world-now sails
Aladdin to and fortune. To him all lands
are alike. No Homer sung for him in
the Egean he only curses the wind
that will not blow him into Odessa. No
syrens sing for him, but he loves the huge
oath of the lively boatswain. With the
Bible in his hand, and quid of tobacco
in his mouth, he goes about the holy
places in Jerusalem, and Calculates"
their exact site. He sees the land of the
Bamases and the Ptolemies and the rev
erend records of the Lybian desert, whose
echoes have slumbered since they were
trampled over by Alexander's army, are
now awakened by the shriIl whistle Of
Old Dan Tucker. He insults the Grand
Lama, hobnobs with the Grand Mogul.
turns his back upon Emperors, and takes
pinch out of the Pope's snuff-box. He
chews with the Arabs, smokes opium
with the Turks, and rides for bribe
with the Calmuck Tartars. Aladdin
comes home again, and the admiring vii
lage points him out to the younger gen
erations as a successful man "My son,
look at him; he began with nothing
now see" my son" does see, and be-
holds him owning million Of dollars--oi
all societies of which he is not president
"a director. His name is as good as
gold; he has bought pictures and statues
he has also bought ATrs. Aladdin, and
housed her in luxury; but he picks his
mouth with a silver fork. lie has home
for poets but he makes il his boast that
he reads nothing but bis newspaper. lie
goes 10 church twice on Sundays. and
only wakes up when the preacher de-
nounces the sinners Of Sodom and Co
morrah, and those slough Old jews Of
Jerusalem. His head is bald and shiny
with the sermons which hh and glance
off. He clasps his hands IN prayer, bat
forgots 10 open them when lie poor boz
is passed around and he goes home Ike
a successful man. thanking God that b.
is not as other men are. After dinner IL
sits before the fire nhis easy chair, light
large cigar, and looks lAngaidly Al Mr.
! Aladdin through ths tlliek ssneke