Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-09-08
The Three Crimes.
AN EASTERN TALE.

! Hamet Abdah was an lnnaDltanC
of grotto on one Of the slopes Of
Mount Olympus. When ne stood at
the entrance of his humble dwelling
he could embrace at one glance all the
territory originally possessed by Os-
man, the founder of the Ottoman En-
pire; and, as he five times a day Of
fered up his prayers to Alleh, he in
vOked blessings upon the head OF Soly-
man the Magnificent, the reigning
Sultan in whose time he lived In
deed. Abdallah was renowned for his
sanctity; and the inhabitants Of the
vicinity of his dwelling treated him
with the most marked respect.
He was not, however, entitled to
this excessive vencration by his age !;
for he had scarcely attained his for
tieth year when the incident of this
tale took place. His venerable faith
er, who was himself dervise of great
sanctity, and whose years amounted
to four-score, resided with him in the
same grotto; and fortunate was deem
ed the individual W ho, on his way
along the slopes of Olympus, was al,
lowed to join in the prayer Of the two
dervises, kneeling upon the ground at
the entrance Of the cave, and turning
their countenances towards the holy
cities Of Mecca and Medina.
Hamet Abdallah was one morning
rowing among the groves and woods
which extended up the mountain far
above his grOtto, and pondering upon
the passage in the Koran which he
had been perusing but a short time
previously, when his foot suddenly
struck against something hard upon
the ground. He looked downward
and saw an iron ring fastened to a
small brass plate, which was set into
a square Of stone-wOrk. and seemed
to cover hollow place or we'll
Obeying a sudden impulse of curiosi-
ty, Hamet applied his hand to the
ring and pulled it with all his force.
After many vain eXertious the brass
plate yielded to his efforts, and he fell
backward with the sudden Shock. Be
fore he had time to rise and examine
the aperture thus laid bare. a dense
volume OF smoke issued from the hole,
and ascended in the air to the height
Of several thousand feet
Hamet gazed with astonishment
upon this dense appariljoa, but how
much more was his wonder excited
when he saw the smoke gradually be-
come more and more palpable and
shapely. and at Ieu-th assume the form
d of an immense giant, with a LONG and
0 BnaEs' 2fewlit4l lhs frgnt ndasaIa.. e ."""4"7a"-
r Hamct fell upon his knees and was
o about to put up prayer to heaven
" when the terrible apparitiou address
j cd him in voice of thunder:
D Nay, mention not the name Of the
Is Deity. or | will cut thee into ten thou
e sand pieces =
Is Who art thou?" demanded Ham.
q ct, rising from his suppiiant posture.
II Il am Kara, an evil geI ic, whom d
d victorious power shut up in that ac
+ cursed hole, where | have languisheG
}j for two thousand years. 1t an evi
F. day for thee that brought thee hith
at er
d And wherefore proud genie ?" de
iy mauded Hamet.
'r Because l am about to kill thee
g in order 10 avenge myself upon some
70 one for this long captivity"
Ill At these words Hamct tremblcC
II very much, and besought the genie t.
c. spare his life. For a long time tn,
a genie was inexorabIe, and ordered
AZ him to prepare for immediate death
er but at length he suffered himself to be
to moved by the prayers and entreatie
'k Of the virtuouS dervis.
es "Hark ye," said the genie, '' | an
tn willing to spare your life upon on
d. condition.
IS Name it, said Hamet, his hear
at Ieaping with joy.
d. Il will grant your request, | say,
ld proceeded the genie. con condition
m that you perpetrate some crime whic
ld may diminish your overweening prid
lg Of conscious virtue. Do not interrup
~ me or | will kill you upon the spot
N but listen. | give You your choice Of
he three of the most heinOuS crimes
Of can imagine. You shall either vic
ut late the law Of the Prophet and drin
lis your fill Of good wine, or you Sha
ly murder your venerable old father, 0
re, you shall curse the name Of that Deit
he whom you worship. Choose betwee
ed these three crimes"
10 The Hamet was very sOrrOwful, an
- he endeavored to melt the heart of tn
ay evil genie, but all his prayers and Ell
d. treaties were unavailing. He accOrC
d. ingly went to reason within himself
'Iy IT," said he, assassinate my fl
eu ther, no cOntritiOn can wipe away N
ne crime, and moreover, the law will owe
eu take me with its vengeance. If ours
lie, the name of the great Allah, 1 ma
eu sigh in vain for future happiness in tt
oh- gardens Of Paradise. Buff becom
TO inebriate with the juice Of the crap
ay, I can expiato that fault by severe mo
eG tifcatiou, penitence and renewed pra
al er."
ng- Then turning his countenance u
ward toward the genie, he said, q
fountain of all evil have made n
re- choice, since thou art determined upC
the this injury"
be- "Name the object of that choice