Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-21
HOW HE FOUND THEM OUT.


proved of more utility than the best con
certed plans; hence it happens that
fools often prosper when men of talent
fail. Here is an illustration
A poor simple peasant, of the name
Of Benhassen, being tired of his daily
fare of brown bread and water, resolved,
whatever might be the consequence, to
procure for himself, by hook or by
crook, even at the expense of broken
head, three sumptuous meals. Having
taken the courageous and noble resolu
ton, the next thing was to devise plan
to put it into execution; and here his
good fortune befriended him. The wife
Of rich ivory merchant in the neigh
borhood of his cottage, had, during the
absence of her husband, lost valuable
diamond ring. She offered great rewards
to any person who could recover it, or
give any tidings of the jewel; but no
one was likely to do either, for three
eunuchs, of whose fidelity she had not
the smallest doubt, had stolen it The
loss soon reached our glutton's ears.
"Tll 60" cries he "Tll say | am a
conjurer, and that / will discover where
the gem is hidden, on condition of first
receiving three splendid meals. | shall
fail, It's true. What then? shall be
treated as an impostor; my back and
sides may say How dye do ? to the bas-
tinado, but my hungry stomach will be
filled |"
To concoct his scheme and put it in
practice was but the work of moments.
The merchant was still absent. The lady,
anxious for the recovery of her ring, &C.
cepted the offered terms. A sumptuous
dinner was prepared expensive plates
of every sort were placed upon the side
board. Allah how he ate An atten-
tive footman, one of the secret thieves,
filled him sherbert; our conjurer gorged,
exclaimed:
Tis well have the first
The servant trembled at the ambiguous
words, and ran to his companions.
He has found US out, dear friends"
he cried. He is cunning man. He
said he had the first. What could he
mean but me p
:" 1t looks like it." replied the second
thief. "Tll wait on him tonight; as
yet, you may have mistaken his mean
INK. DkOulu ne opcdk III luC odAc
we must decamp."
At night supper fit for the caliph
was set before the greedy BenhassaR,
who filled until he could eat no more.
The second footman watched him all the
while. When satisfied, he rose, exclaim
ing:
"The seconds in my sack, and can
not escape me"
Away few the affrighted robber
1--WE are lost 1" he cried. '' Our heels
alone can save US, vr
"Not so" answered the third. ''If we
fly and are caught, we lose our heads.
I'll tend him at to-morrow's meal; and
should he then speak as before, I'll own
the theft to him and offer some great re-
ward to screen us from punishment, and
that he may deliver the jewel to the lady
without betrsying US.
They all agreed. On the morrow Ben
hassan's appetite was still the same At
last quite full, he exclaimed:
" MY task is done; the third, thank
Allan, is here I"
"0h," said the culprit, behold the
ring; but hide our shame, and you shall
never want good fare again"
"Be silent ~ exclaimed the astonished
Benhassan, who little thought that what
he had spoken Of his meal could have
made the plunderers betray themselves
g Be silent | have it.
Some geese were feeding before the
window as be went out, and having seized
the largest, forced the ring down its gull
let then declared that the largest goose
had swallowed the jewel. The goose was
killed, the diamond was found. In the
meantime, the ivory merchant returned,
and was incredulous. @
"Some crafty knsve, o wife, said he;
" either the thief himself, or his abettor,
has, with a we'll concerted scheme,
wrought on your easy faith. But I'll
soon provide him with meal like-way."
No sooner said than done; between
two dishes the mysterious fare was hid
den. The false conjurer was told to de-
clare what was the concealed cheer on
pain of being well beaten should be fail. |
"Alas p be muttered out, Benhas-
san, thou art pig; thou art dead, re.
ferring to himself, and calling himself |
names. .rr. .rnu- ."r.
6Hss right the merchant cried.
" Give him a purse of gold; honor tai |
euts such as his.
IL was pork in the dish. Thus our |
glutton, in three random speeches,
gained three hearty meals, a heavy purse,
comfort for life and most brilliant repu-
tation as a cunning man.
The Bullies at the South.