The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-03-24
Would you take the boy p

'Then you shall have the boy. Many
of your questions answered falsely, on
purpose. The true history of the child
1 will recount to you, and produce such
proofs as 1 have in my possession. 1
vowed to God and to the Prophet that
would never sell the child, and have
kept my word. 1t will be bitter grief
to me to part with him but for his own
sake, will endure it,
'Usuf Coddeen was my elder brother.
He kept shop in the bazaar at Caubul
This child was brought to him by a wo-
man of Hindostan, who not emily depos-
tied with him the child, but a sum OF
money in gold mohurs and rupees; like
wise quantity of English jewelry, and
her own gold and silver bangles. She
represented to my brother that the
child's parents had been killed. and that
she was afraid every European in Aft
ghanistan would share their fate. Ny
brother knew the woma1, that is to say,
she had been customer at his shop,
and had purchased from him sundry ar
ticles of warm clothing for her employ.
ers and herself After leaving the child,
and the money, and the jewelry, in all
to the value of about thousand rupees,
she went her way and never returned. It
is most likely that she died suddenly of
cold, like very many of the native ser
wants of Hinostan, both male and female.
The frost settled about their hearts, and
they slept their lives away: or if they
escaped death, they lost their toes, fin
gers, ears or noses.
when the British army was vic.ori-
Gus, and affairs were in somewhat set
tied state, my brother was most anxious
to deliver up the child, the money and
the jewels, to the British authorities
but "a number of his friends dissuaded
him from SO doing.on the ground that
the bare possession of the child, would
place my brothers. life in jeopardy, by
inducing that he was the affrighted &C
eomplice of the murderers, assassins and
thieYes.- I confess that I was one who
entertained this opinion, an d shook my
head whenever my brother Eepeatea= =his
desire. -Four or five years ago, my
brother died, and I, a wandering dealer,
became the guardian of this boy, (for
whom 1 have great Affection and the
holder of his money. for which care
not, and which I have no desire to re-
tain. He has travelled thousands of
miles with me-wherever the English
have settled themselves in India; and
have done all in my power to expose
hlm, in quiet way, to the gaze of Ia
dies and gentlemen, in the hope that
some day he would be recognized and
restored to his proper position in life
Never, until now, has any one been
struck with his countenance beyond
casually remarking to me that he was
very pretty boy; certainly, no ono ever
seemed to have the slightest idea that
he was born Of European parents, and is
q Christian for he is not Mussulman.
Though be thinks he is aMussulmau, and
says his prayers, and is very constant
to all the obse rvances of the Mussulman
faith. Gentlemen, I am wandering
dealer from Affghanistan, but am not
destitute of good feeling and integrity,
little as you may credit my assertions in
this respect. Give me a proof that you
know whe were the boys parents, and
I am willing to restore him, and all
that rightfully belongs to him to your
custody.
But are you not satisfied with my
word Never mind the money and the
as should like to see the
require is.the boy, said the
Major.
'Of course, the Sahib would not speak
an untruth knowingly returned the
afghan. But I require some proof
that the boy is the child of certain Eu-
ropean parents.'
well there is the likeness, the nm
mistakable likeness that he bears to his
father and his mother
'That will not de- said the afghan,
interrupting the Major. Gan you write
in the Persian character: Sahib'?'
Yes 81
Then write the name of this boys
father in the Persian character and let
me see it, VI
The Major did this, and handed it to
the afghan, who looked at the writing,
smiled and said:
sWhat else ? What was the Sahifs
ninshan, forestry
This said the Major, holding out
the little finger of his right hand, upon
which was a signet ring. This was his
nishan. We are of the same family,
and the nishan is the same
The Afghan, having examined the
crest, again smiled and said:
"What else p
sWhat more do you wantf' said the
Major.
do not be impatient, Sahib,' said the
afghan. Did you know the child's
mother p
yes said the Major. She was also
relation of mine