Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-04-25
The Fortune of AbdaIlah.
A PERSIAN STORY.

ohlraZ. he married woman OF surpas-
sing beauty, but excessively vain, SO that
his whole substance was consumed in
providing her with dresses, trinkets and
the luxuries of miniature Harem.
Above all other women the wife of
Hassan the kings astrologer, was envied
by the wife of AbdaIlah, the unostenta-
tious barber; for this lady affected great
grandeur, and could afford it, on occount
Of the large salary and handsome pre-.
sents bestowed upon her husband.
One day the disconnected beauty an.
nounced to Abdallah that she would no
longer continue to live with him, unless
he gave up the miserable business of bar
Der and adopted that of astrology. In
vain did he represent to her that trimming
boards was his habit, while of astrologi-
cal predictions he knew nothing; she in
sisted, and the unfortunate man, infatua-
ted by affection, resolved to obey.
So, observing the accentric practices of
the astrologers, he took brass basin and
pestle of steel into the bazaar, and, smi-
ting his basin, cried aloud that he would
calculate nativities, predict the events Of
the future, detect thieves, and recover lost
property. His neighbors were astonish-
ed, and one and all said "AbdalIah, the
barber, is certainly madr' But it chan
ced that certain lady, returning from
the bath, walked through the bazaar with
her veil torn; she appeared il great dis
tress, and upon hearing the cry of Abdal-
lah, sent one of her slaves to him with
this message: If you are an impostor my
husband shall cause you to be bastinado-
ed; if you are really an astrologer, inform
me where shall find necklace of pearls
which ] have lost this day" Poor Abb
dalIab, bewildered, gazed upon the lady,
and in gaining time to invent an answer
said, 'She can will the pearls, when they
are near, for the veil is torn!' These
words were reported to her by the slave
and she uttered cry of joy. 'Admira-
BILE prophet she exclaimed, 1 placed my
pearls, for safety, in a rent that is in the
veil of the bath, and she ordered Abdal-
lah to be presented with forty gold peices.
Now, it should be known that in the Per
sian baths are screens. the name of which
is the same as the native word for veil
So .Abdallah, by lucky accident of
speech, had not only saved himself from
the bastinado, but had gained forty pei
ces of gold.
At length, another lady, the wife of
the kings treasurer, made her appear"
ance, and just at that moment messen-
ger from the treasurer came up to Abdal-
Iah, in the bazaar, and spoke to him.
The lady stood close by and listened.-
'Abdallah,' said the slave, my master
has lost the kings great ruby; ifthou hast
the wisdom of the stars, thou canst find
it; if not, thou art pretender, and | will
assuredly cause thee to be bastinadoed.'
This time the unfortunate barber was at
his wits end. %, wonanp he exclaimed,
'thou art the author of this lie meant
his own wife, but the wife of the treasurer
who stood by, imagined he referred to her.
Guilt is always pale, the poet says. She
herself had stolen the kings ruby, and be-
lieved that the astroioger was aware of
her crime. So when the messenger had
departed, leaving the barber petrifed with
she approached him, and said,
in soft tone-'O, astrologer! | confess
that, in an hour Of avarice, l took the
jewel. Restore it without sending me to
condemnation" Abdallah sternly repli-
ed, Woman / knew thy guilt. Where is
the jewell She answered, Under the |
fourth cushion from the door, in the apart |
ment of Kashem, my lords Georgian
slaves AbdalIah hastened to the palace,
was rewarded with robe of honor, a
gold peices and a costly orna-
ment.
Urged by his wife, Abdallah essayed
once more. The kings treasury had
been broken open, and forty chests of
money had been carried away. Not
trace of the thieves had been discovered.
The royal astrologer had tried every sort
Of divination and failed, and was therefore
in disgrace. But the fame of Abdallah, |
which was now spoken ofin all Shirez |
had reached the ear of the king, who sent
for him and gave him audience in the
Hall Of Kalnet serponchideh. 'Abdal-
lab, he said, with severe expression in
his face, art thou truly able to read the
stars? 'Put me to the proof answered |
the barber, who was now prepared for the |
worst. Then discover the forty chests
efmoney which have been stolen, as we'll |
IS the criminals. Succeed, and thou
shall marry princess, and become my
n