The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-09-06

''N''NN hiAil tiiN l'liN Siihiilltl VI lllt
Of the dawn. 1t has upon the sight the
effect ola section ofthc sky when beauty
is filling it to ovcrIlowing. But in the
estimation Of the dervish, the lovelness
it had received from the hand of the
great Archetype was nothing com
pared with the charm of the great
Archctype's nainc composed of four
letters thc-tetragrammaton of the
western worldly pronoucing which,
with suitable rites, man may command
the services of all spirits. The dervish,
as might be supposed, was snoconnoisseur
in precious stones, but being possessed
by Il strong sense Of beauty, his adni-
ration Increased as he placed the opal
in various lights, and held it up be-
tween his finger and thumb towards the
sun. Sparks of crimson, purple, and
violent appeared TO flash from it as he
gazcd, till they were concentrated and
lost in ruby-cclored flame, which
glanced and corcuscated into all the
hucs of the rainbow rs he changed the
position Of the stone.
Quitting the Mcdresi, the dervish
proceeded to the house of an honest
jCwcllcr with whom he had long been
acquainted, and showing him the opal,
demanded TO know its value.
at is worth the revenues of Il pacha-
lie" replied the lapidary "but there is
no jeweller in Cairo sufficiently wealthy
to purchase it."
Supposing it were shown the Gov
ernOr,' inquired the dcrvish, "might
he not, since he is extremely rich, be
inclined to buy it at its full value ?"
81 would not be the man." whisper
cd the lapidary, "to manage the negotia-
tiDn-hc would certainly seize upon the
gem, and bastinado me to death"
"What, then, is to be donc?" said the
dcrvish in perplcXlty.
Tho icwcller muscd awhile, and then
exclaimed:
"Thcrc is here in Cairo rich mer-
chant from India, who leaves tonight
with the caravan for Syria; he will buy
the opal, and enrich its owner with fifty
thousand dinars Of gold.n
would endow a college, >" eXcaim-
cd the dcrvish.
d" 1t would purchase a pachalic," re-
joined the lapidary.
These suggestions were merely paren-
thetical. The jewclIer carried the opal
to the merchant, who gave for it still
larger sum than had been named. The
dervish when he had received the money
offered to reward the jewcllcr for his
trouble but unless he could purchase
the Office Of Il pacha, he was already
sufficiently opulcnt to be regardless OF
gain: he therefore refused the dcrvish's
offer. The latter, causing the gold to be
tied up in two leathern bags, had il
borne before him by slaves to his apart
. ment in the college, where he carefully
locked IL up. He then proceeded to tn,
house Of the wall, who was asleep, anC
his slaves, apprchcnsivc ofhis severity
refused to wake him. Being question
ed, however, they informed him tina
their master had left with his lieuten
ant orders respecting the Arab, who
according to the best of their belief, wa
to be stranglcd in the morning. IIavin!
received this cheering information, tn
house, and found him surrounded b,
spies and cXccutiOncrS, and iuriOusl,
intoxicated with beng. With such ma
he perceived there was nothing to b
done; 50 he repaired to the prison, an
through the influence of his sacred char
, actcr, easily obtained admittance. Hay
ing consulted with Sibbi, it was agree,
that escape from injustice should b
purchased with money. The jailor
were bribed and the Arab found him
: self at liberty with Il fortune larger tha
that of any other man in Cairo. Leavin
the bulk Of his property in the hands c
the dcrvish, he proceeded to Constant
noplc, where he purchased from tn
sultan the Office Of cadi, and rcturnc,
, to reform the manners of his nutiv
country. He received his reward
, Having pronounced righteous judg
, mcnt in difficult causc, he was stabbe
by the unsuccessful sultOr, and was sool
, followed to the grave by the old dervish
She bags OF linars bcacamc the proper
ty orthc Mosque ot Flowers, and wer
employed in building that beautiful
oratory mt the door of which two hun
drcd poor persons still! receive II loa
daily by the posthumous charity c
f Sibbi.
What became of the opal : The mcr
chant who had purchased it was killc,
near Alexandria, among the ruins c
which the gem was lost; some year
later Il was picked up by Il iel!ah, VIII
sold it for two or three pisaStcrs t
RobolT, the dragoman Of the Frenc
Consulate. This man, who understoo
nothing OF its value, asked llassclguist
,hc Swedish traveller, how much
might he worth, but received no salts
, factory answer. II afterwards passc
into the hands of LirancOurt, Frenc
Consul at Cairo, who carried it to Con
stantinople, where 1t seems to hav
been bought by the French Embassadol
Lastly, some time before the grea
Revolution, it became the property {
the famous Due de Nivernois, VIII
used to exhibit it to admiring visitor
at his gorgeous soirees in London. AZ
cording to some, it aiterward passe
into Russia but we are altogether III
able TO trace its fortunes beyond tn
troubles which broke out in France IA
ter the storming of the Bastile.
Az unmitigated wretch complies tn
following memoranda for young ladies
"lIaVc good piano or none. BE sur
10 have "dreadful coldn when aslle
to "fvor the company" Cry at
; wedding, but don't faint. Away