Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-11
By W. D. WALLACE.
THE FORTUNE OF ABDALLAH.
A PerSiau Stary.


Persian Stsry.
Abdallah was a prosperous barber of Shiraz.
lie married woman OF surprising beauty, but
excessively vain, 50 that his whole subsistence
was consumed in providing her with dresses,
trlnkets, and the luxuries Of a miniature ha-
rem.
Above all other women the wife of Hassen.
the hlngs astrologer, was envied by the wife
o. Abdsllah, the unOstentatious barber for
sue Affected great grandeur, and could afford
IL, on account OF the large salary and hand
some presents bestowed upon her husband
One day the discontented beauty announced
TO Abdallah that she would no longer continue
70 i've with him unless he gave up the miser-
aoIe business OF barber, and adopt that of as
troingy. In vain did he represent to her that
trimming boards was his habit while of astro-
llgleal predictions he knew nothing; she in
sisted, and the unfortunate man. infatuated by
affection, resolved to obey.
DO, observing the eccentric PRACTICES of the
astrOlogers, ho took brass basin and n pestIe
OF steel into the bazaar, and shifting his basin.
cried aloud that he would calculate natiyities
predict the events of the future detect thieves
and recover lost property. His neighbors were
astonished and one and all said "Abdallah.
the barber, is certainly mad" But it chanced
that certain lady, returning from the bath.
walked through the Bazaar with her vail torn:
she appeared in great distress, and upon hear
ing the cry of Abdallah, sent one of her slavs,
to him with this message: ''If YOU are an i'm
Postor my husband shall cause you to be bas-
tlnadoed; if you are really an astrologer, in
form me where shall End necklace of pearIs
which have lost this day" Poor AbdalIab.
bewildered, gazed upon the lady, and gaining
time to invent an answer, said 'sShe can will
the pearls, when thoy arc near. for the veil is
torn These words were reported to her by
the slave, and she uttered cry of 10Y, "Admi-
raole prophet" she exclaimed, Il placed nv
nv ~ a. =.
the bath; - and she ordered AbdalIsh to be-
presented with forty gold pieces Now. il
should be known that In the Persian baths
there are screens, the name of which is the
same as the native word veiI'' So AbdaIlah
by lucky accident of speech, had not only
forty pieces Of gold.
Atlength, another lady, the wife of the kings
treasurer, made her appearance and lust at
tnat moment messenger from the treasurer
came up to Abdallah. 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; if thou hast the
wisdom OF the stars thou canst find it; if not
thou art pretender," " and will assuredIy
cause thee to be bastinadoed." This time the
unfortunate barber was at his wits end. "Oh,
woman, he exclaimed, . thou art the author
OF this He meant his own wife, but the wife
OF the treasurer, who stood by, imagined he re-
ferred to her. Guilt is always pale the poet
says She herself had stolen the kings ruby.
and believed that the astrolocer was aware OF
her crime. So when the messenger had de-
parted, leaving the barber petriied with per-
plexlty, she approached him, and said in soft
tone-'.O astrOloger! confess that in an hour
oil avarIce took the jewel. Restore it, with
out sending me to condemnation - AbialIah
sternly replied Woman, knew thy guilt.
Where is thy jewel2' She answered t.Under
the fourth cushion from the door in the apart
ahnu. Il ~
Aodallah hastened to the palace, was rewarded
with a robe of honor, thousand gold pieces
and a costly ornament.
Urged by his wife, Abdallah essayed once
more. The Kings treasure had been broken
open, and forty chests of money had been car
rled away. Not trace Of the thieves had been
discovered The royal astrologer had tried
every sort of devinatisn and failed and was,
therefore, In disgrace. But in all ShIraz had
reached the ear Of the king, who sent for him,
and gave him audience in the Hall of Kalnot
Serpenchldeh. 'Abdallah," he said, with
severe expression in his face, art thou truly
able to read the stars?'' Put me 70 the
proof % answered the barber, who was now
prepared for the worst I" Then discover the
forty chests Of gold. which have been stolen, ns
well as the criminal Succeed, and then thou
shalt marry princess, and become my minis
ter fail, and I will hang thee ?''
There must have been forty thievesr' said
Aodallah, making fortunate and not yery
difficult guess Grant me FORTY dav. i
Forty days thou shalt have" said the king.
and thou shalt then die, or live for honor and
riches" ~
80 the barber went home and told his wife,
anu said " have forty days to live; I will sit
upon my prayer mat and mediate upon the
evils OF life, and the blessings of death. Give
me, beg thee, forty beans. At the hour Of
evening prayer, daily will give thee one, that
oy counting the remainder, l may know how
many days have to live" She complied
and every day, at the exact hour of sunset
Aodallah gave her bean, and said with great
them W =.
And on the last day, be said, in an excited
manner, There are forty of them" What
was MS sstonishment when, at the instant a
violent knocking was heard at the door, A
crowd OF men were admitted and one of them
eyidsntiy the chief, said 90 Abdallah, wise
astrologer, thou shalt receive the forty chests
oil gold untoushed, but spare our lives," In
supreme beEilderment he answered:
fnis night l should have seized thee and
thy Wretched com panion,; tell me- on thy head
how knowest thou that possessed this kuovl-
edge We heard" said the chief of the
robbers, THAT the king had sent for thee,
Iheretore, one Of us came at the hour of sun
set, to listen at the door, and heard thee say.
inere is one OF them. We would not believe
ms story, and sent two to ascertain ii. AMI
thou vast heard to say, There ars two of
them aud this night o wonderful thou didst
e1ciaim, There are the whole forty but re-
store the kings money, and do not deliver US
unto the exscutiOner"
Aodallah promised to do what he could
Being admitted to the palace, be declared that
owing to some mystery of the stars il was
given 10 him to discover either the thieves orr
the treasure, but not both. The monarch, at
length consented to take the forty chests, and
fulfilled his promise to Abdallah
The LOST RRoSAUr.-Since the commence