The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-07-21
EBENsBURG, PA, THURSDAY, JULY 2l, 1870

man being new storekeeper who had
Jnst commenced business in the next vii
lage.
Of course life seemed to Ali Hassan a
hollow mockery. The sun was obscured
to him with sort of haze, and for the
first time in his life he neglected his back
hair and teeth. After he passed Sleep
less night, he hied himself to the noun
talns, debating on the way, which was
the most pleasant method of Terminating
an existence which was hateful to him.
and at the same time covered the faithIess
tair one with the renorse of the most terS
rible character Three methods suggest
ed themselves, to wit: jumping off a
precipice, lying down on railroad track,
or drinking pint of Cincinnati whisky.
ReJectlng the latter as death too fingers
ing and horrible, the second as one which
would not effect his purpose, as the papers
would, ten to one, call 1t an accident, and
as such it wouldn't wiring Zobeide's bosom
very much that being what he was deter
mined to do in one way or another1, he
decided on the former. Accordingly he
sought precipice, and getting upon the
brink thereof, he set himself down, COM
posing soul narrowing note to her, which
he proposed to put in his breeches pocket.
where it would be found, it being the Gus
tom of people finding dead bodies to al
ways examine the pockets, and the letters
which are found always made public.
While composing this note, and debating
in his mind whether 'scruel'' should be
Ok1k I.
old man with white beard, such as are
seen in family Bibles which are sold only
by subscription, stood before him. Start
ing up, Ali Hassan exclaimed
"Who art thou ?''
'Thy good genius" said the presence.
"My genius. Ha ha. Lend me half
a dollar" said Ali, becoming normal in
an instant.
"My son, good geniuses never lend half
dollars. That isn't their mission-it isn't,
if | may use the expression, their best holt.
They give freely, however, what is more
plenty than half dollars-advice.
"What wantest thou 90 said Ali.
''To save you from making an ass of
yourself" said the presence
y
said Ali bitterly. '.Oh venerable man,
if the profession pays take me in partner
ship. You'll never run out of opportuni-
ties to show your skill But proceed
go ON with your show"
81 see mist" said Ali.
''Look again. said the genius.
''The mist clears away. [ see a CAV
and festive scene. There is light and
music, and fair women and brave men,
and all goes merry as a marriage bell.-
There is preacher--I know him by his
black clothes and white ncckerchief and
the hungry look he ever and anon slings
through the door which opens in the dining
room where the refreshments are.
ga pair enter-it is-it is--take it
away. 1t sears my eyeballs and freezes
my young BLOOD" and uttering Fenian
war cry the unfortunate youth sank to the
earth in spasms.
''It's terrible medicine" muttered the
good genius to himself. "but he must take
it. Quinine is bitter-calomel isn't as
pleasant 10 the taste as the peaches of
Jersey, but when child in Indiana has
the ague they force it down him or her as
the case may be. Arise, Ali Hassan,''
said he, raising him up tenderly by the
hair, '"arise and continue your investiga-
tions."
With shudder Ali opened his optics.
ga pair enter. Zobeide and-the
storekeeper. The preacher steps up-he
repeats the ceremony-Allah il Allah,
Abonkir ben Hamet-it's over and the
young man, overcome with emotion,
swooned again.
The venerable genius applied pint
bottle to his lips, at which the youth re-
vived. Turning over upon his back and
pointing wistfully at the bottle he gasped
Zone more draught-only oDe.'
"Nary," said the good genius holding
it up to the light. "There's but little left,
and it is four miles to the nearest grocery.
But look some more"
"I see house in town. It's furnished
gorgeous and regardless of expense. The
carpet is tapestry, the sofa cost no less
than 800 and there too is a Chickering
piano. Around it is garden, in which
the orange tree and the pine mingle their
aromatic boughs, and the bulbul answers
the nightingale's song of love. An an
tique fountain squirts cologne continually,
diffusing delicious fragrance through the
atmosphere It's gorgeous. l see into
The bay window. zobeide is sitting at
the piano, shouting the ''Battle Cry of
Freedom accompanying herself on the
instrument deformed dwarf of great
price is lowering around her, tanning her
with one hand and turning over the music
with the other, and 1t keeps him mighty
busy. Her husband enters, but heavens
what change. He don't hold his head
up. Company enters-she smiles on him.
They depart--she frowns. They inter
change few unpleasant paragraphs-she
flies at him--she seizes him by the nap of