Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-11-23


Our thoughts awake; we dream lof spring
And press for room.
-Watclman and Reflector.
THE GREAT CROWN-JEWEL OF
RUSSIA.
AS three pothers named Schafras were
one day walking through the principal
street of Bagdad, the eldest of them stop
ped suddenly, and pointing to stranger
on the other side of the way, cried:
sSee, there is the Afghan we have
looked for SO long!"
Don't let us lose sight of him again."
said the others, and all three went toward
the stranger, who seemed astonished.
"God is God! fear not" began the eld-
est OF the brothers :" / am Schafras, of
Bassora, to whom you once came to sell a
large diamond, called the Moon of the
Mountains and other precious stones.
These are my brothers, who, like myself,
are pleased that we have found you, as
We hope now to be able to make a bar
gain"
=" Oh! woe is me, good sirs, I am no
longer the possessor of those treasures"
replied the Afghan.
What have you done with them?''
"Allah be praised! I have Just sold
them to the Jew Mardocha, of this city"
For what price?"
For 65,O 900 piasters and two handsome
horses"
You were fool and Mardocha a
thief p cried Schafras, angrily. "Iwould
have given you twice that sum for the
stones"
"God is great! They were offered to
you for half the sum; why were you such
fool as not to take them?"
Because thought you a thief, and
my conscience would not allow me to
buy stolen goods. But what can not be
cured must be endured. Where does Mar
ocha, the Jew ive?"
will show you, good sirs, that there
may be no ill-feeling between u.s."
The Afghan led the way to the house
of the Jew, which was on the bank of the
river Tigris. The brothers then thanked
him kindly, and the eldest went to see if
he could make a bargain with Mardocha.
Son of Israel, " said he, ''you have
diamond called the Moon of the Noun
tains, a sapphire called the Eye of Allah,
and other precious stones, which you have
lately bought of wandering Afghan,
who did not come in possession of them
honestly I will give you handsome
sum for your bargain"
~
the air of a man who knows his business
and the value of his goods.
You gave 5000 piasters and pair of
horses for them. will give you $4,000
piasters and take the risk
: should be sorry to see you a loser, "
replied the Jew, with an ironical smile
''I will double the sum you gave for
them" said Schafras.
Not for million would 1 give them
to you. Go your way you know not the
value of what you would purchase"
The Armenian took his leave, inwardly
cursing the Jew
He knows too much for us-I could
make no bargain with the Jewish dog !"
said Schafras to his brothers
Then we must take them without
bargain" said the youngest, in a signifi-
cant tone. His companions assented.
They now withdrew in order to decide
upon the plan they should pursue. That
night the three Williams murdered Mar
docha, and threw his body out of his win
dow into the Tigris. Then they took all
his money and Jewels and hurried away
The danger they ran of being detected was
far less than it would have been in most
other countries. Who in Bagdad troubles
himself about lonely Jew
The next morning the three brothers ac-
cidentally met the Afghan
: Well, sirs, what success ?" he asked.
"God is God, and Mahomet is his
Prophet" answered the eldest. "The
jewels are ours, and to celebrate our good
fortune, you must sup with us this even
ing In o ur tent beyond the city,
The unsuspecting Afghan went with
them to their tent, which was pitched in
an out-of-the-way place on the bank of the
nriC ay,d fInrn I,< co., IL. L.
time. Schafras was always supplied with
fatal poison, some of which they mixed
in the Afghan's food When he was dead
they threw his body into the Tigris, say
ing;
Go hence, fool, and be company for
the Jew. Thus we destroy all knowledge
of the precious stones"
Then they struck their tent, mounted
their camels, and fastened to solitary
spot in order to examine and divide their
treasures. They had no trouble with the
money. Not so, however, with the jew
els, for the large diamond alone was of
9 greater value than all the rest. Each one
wanted it for his share Their dispute
seemed likely to lead to serious alterca-
ton, when the eldest brother made the
following proposal:
s'By rights, the large diamond should
recognized the Afghan. But for me you
would not have found him in Bagdad In
order, however, that there may be har-
mony among the sons of my mother, we
will contend no longer, but leave the
matter to the decision of the Prophet
Tomorrow morning each one shall narrate
the dream he has tonight, and he who
can adduce the clearest proof of the favol
of the Prophet shall have the Moon O
the Mountains This we swear by thu
boards of our fathers.
The younger brothers were content will
this proposition, for each one thought h
Il could surpass the others in imagining
dream that would appear to come from tn
= Prophet But the eldest brother mixe'
: some of the poison he always carrie'
about his person in the evening meal Q
the other two, and saw them die wit
0sfendish delight.
He now gathered together all his treas
ures, mounted his camel, and rode away
=S sfhe other camels he left to their fate, an
the bodies of his murdered brothers to til
vultures. His plan was to leave the cour
@ try as speedily as possible, and to max
his way to some European court, where
could dispose of the "Moon of the Mou1
tains'' for high price. On the road b
sold his camel dressed himself as bes
! II gar and so, after many adventures an
~ great fatigue, he reached Constantinoplt
where he took passage in a Dutch ship fe
Amsterdam. Here, feeling himself saf,
he no longer made any secret of his DO
sessions, but, giving himself out to be
! 2 - jeweler, he offered his most valuab
stones for sale to the Ambassadors of IL
principal European courts.
i,nf 3 The1ss Moon of the Mountains and IL
eye of Allah" were not wholly unknoN
in Europe. They had for many yea