The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-05-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE THREE CRIMES.
an EASTERN rALg

llamci Abdallah was an inhahiisnt .! gfoitu
on one Of the slopes OF the Mount Olympus. When
he stood At the entrance vi his humble dwelling
he could embrace with one glanc, all tie territory
originally Possessed by Oaman the fuundcr Oi
the Ottoman empire aud. rs he five times n dAy
offered up his pfal lers 10 Allah, he invoked tiles
sings upon the head OF Sol yman the Magnificent
/ the rcigning Sultan 10 whose time hr lived. Ia.
deed Abdallah was rcnON ned Tor his sanciiiy
and the inhabitants Of the vicinity Of hi. dwell
| ling treated him with the most marked respect
| lie was not, however entitled To this excessive
vsneraiiUn D., his age Tor he had scarcely at
tanned his oTiivih year whtn the incident Of ihi.
tale took place. Ills venerable father, Who Wa.
himself n dtrvise u great sanciiy, aud whose
| years amounted 10 iout-scOrc. resided With him
10 the same grOitO aud fortunate was dccmt i
the individual who, on his way along the slopes
OF Olympus, was allowed to join the prayers oi
the two dervisrs, kneeling upon the ground AT
the entrance OF the cave, and turning their coduie-
nances towards the holy ciiirs OF Mecca and
Medina.
| tlamet Abdallah was one morning rowing
! amidst the groves and woods which extended
/ up the mountain far above his grotiO and pon-
dering upon the lAssage in the Koran which h.
had been pcrusng but short time previously y
when his foot suddenly struck against something
hard upon the ground. lie looked downward.
| huu saw an iron ring lhstueu 10 n stliuil brass
plate, which was let into n square Of stone work,
aud seemed 10 cover = hollow place or we'll.
0beying n sudden impulse Of curiosity, llame,
applied his hAnd 10 the ring, and pulled il with
all his force Afler many vain exefiioHs. "a,
brass plate irlded TO his strength, ahd be- h!
back wards with the sudden shoe
| Before he had time 10 fi.r aud vx,min ihr
aperture thus laid bare demo volume 90 .'.Uh,
| issued from the hole anI Ascrnled in the ar ii
1 the haiwht of al a
with astonishmcni uI,Ou hi. strange ariariiiun
but how much more ~ss his wonder excited VIII, u
1 he saw the smoke gradually i,econ, more aud
more palpaLlc and shai'cly, and nj length nssun-
| the form OF ah inneIiSc giant; With long How
| ing white beard, and tremendous pine tf-r ia
| his right hand.
fiamet fell upon hi. Knees, and was aboni i0
| put up prayer 20 heaven. when the terrible NJ.
partition addressed him in VOICE OF ihunI,r
"Nay-meniion not the maine OF the betty, ~
| will cut thee into ten ihousanl pieces q"
"Who art thou p demanded llsmci rising
| fIuIn hi. Suppliant pasture,
~ am kara. an evil Gene, whom u victorious
power shu, up in that cursed hole, here | have
| langushed for two thousand years II Is an evil
lay for thee 'ha, brought ,hrc hiiher.'
"And wherefore, proud Genie - demanded
IIan.ei.
because am about 20 kill thee. IN order 10
| avenge myself upon some one for this long cap
tivity, replied the giant.
Al these words llamet ,remblcd very much
aud besought the Genie TO spare his life. For n
long time the Genie was inexorable, and ordered
him to prepare for immediate death but a,
length he suffered himself 10 be moved by the
prayers and cnireaiies OF the vir,uous dcrvi.e.
"Ilark ye," said the Genie II am willing 10
| spare your life upon one condition
Name il, cried llamei, his heart leaping
with Joy
81 will gran, your request. | say, proceeded
the Genie, ION condition that you perpetrate
some crime which may diminish your overweeu-
ing pride Of conscious virtue. DO not interrupt
me or will kill you upon the spot but listen. I
give you your choice oi the three mos; heinious
crimes can imagine You shall either violate
the law Of the prophet aud drink your Gil Of good
wine or you shall murder your venerable old
father OF you shall curse the name OF that Deity
whom you worship Choose between these three
| crimes
Then lIamei was very sorrowfui, aud he en-
deavored 10 melt the heart Of the evil Genie
but Nil his prayers and euircaiies were unavAil.
ing. lie accordingly began TO reason within
himself.
III said he, Il assassinale my father nO con-
triton eau wipe away my crime, aud moreover
the law will ovcItake me- with its vengeance. II
! curse the name ofihe great Allah, may sigh
in vain for future happiness in the gardens Of
thIAulst. Duk " OtCOut lueUtthtC WIN tue
juice Of the grape eau expiaie that fault by Sc
we're modification, penitence, and renewed pray
| er."
Then, turning his counienance upwards to-
wards the Genie, he said, 80 fountain of all evil
] have made my choice since thou art determined
upon this injury
"Namc the objec, Of that choice said the
Genie
II will get drunken with wine, rs the least OF
1 tho rffrnaa al htrh - II
dcryise.
"Be IL So" cried the Genie this evening
after the hour Of prayer, thou wilt End jar OF
| Cyprus wine upon thy table, when thy father has
retired 10 rest In his own cell. Thou mayesi
fulfill thy promise then but woe unto thee II
/ thou dcceivest me.
The Genie gradually became less palpable, as
he spoke these words and, by the time the con.
cludlng menace Issued from his lips, he bad
vanished altogether. Ilamct rc,raeed his steps
towards the grotio, with . soFrowful heart bu,
he wonld not conhde his anticipated disgrace to
the ahee,ionate parent who welcomed bis return.
The day passed rapidly away aud IN the even.
ing, liamet and bis sire knelt down as usual at
the door OF the gTotto, with their faces towards
the south, 10 raise their voices In prayer. When
/ their vespefs were concluded, the old man eul-
braeed bic son ienderiy, and retired TO the inner
part OF the .roiiO.
As soon as Iamei knew that his father slept.
be lighted lamp aud ~ the Genie had told
him, he saw q large measure Of wine standing
upon the table The unhappy dervise raised Il
TO his lips, and drank deeply Of the intoxicating
dFaught. A glow Of fire seemed 10 elecirify biz
frame, aud belaughed as be set the weasel down
upon the table Again he drank and he felt
reckless aud careless Of the consequences IL
drank = third time and when he bad emplied
the measure, he out 10 the door OF the grolto,
and threw u down the slope u the mountain
then, ~ be heard u bounding along, he laughed
with ndescrbable mirih. As be turned 10 enter
the grot,o, he saw his father standing behind
him.
''Son. said the old man. ''ihs noIse Of rcvsl.
~ Awoke mo from ms sumbers, and rise 10 end
my well.beloved Hams, drunken with wine
Alas is this merely QUE Of many nights orgies
thine implsty, for the fret time Alas thou
hast cast ASHES upon the gray head Of thy father
Hamel could not brook this accusation, aud
the implied suspicion that he was accustomed ic
indulge 10 wine whilst his father slept. lie fell
suddenly indignant Ai the language Of his sire
and cried, 'Iaeturn 10 your couch, old dotard
Thou knowest not what thou Sayest r.
And, a. he uttered these words he pushed his
father violently into the grolio. The old mar
rrsis.ed. and again demonstrated with lIamet
The brain 0f the son was confused with liquor
and a sudden dread Of exposure 10 the world en-
tered bis mind. With the rage Of demon h
rushed upon bis hoary headed sire, and dashed
him furiously against The stone walls Of the grot
10. The old man fell with bis temple against I
sharp fnt--one groan emanated frOm his bosom
and bis spirit Aed forever.
Suddenly conscious VI the horrible crime o.
which he had been guilty, lIAmet t0rr bis hair
heat his breast aud TAved like . maniac. Aud
In the midst of his rawlings, be lited up hia volc