American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-22
Aladdin /; or the Wonderful Lamp.
By THE "FAr Contributor"


but the son Of q poor tailor originally.
Now, a man may carry on the tailoring
business and get rich, and yet be a
mighty poor tailor; but we are assured
that Aladdin's family were really in re-
duced circumstances.
Aladdin was one Of the most careless,
good -for-nothing boys ever knew. He
.wOaldn't learn a trade, unless it was &c
trade jack-knives, but lOitered away the
most of his time on the streets. His
father worked himself up so because he
coulin't make his son work, that he died
in q fit-thes only fit, as his customers
said, that ever came out of his shop.
Then Aladdin became more indolent than
ever Yet, as showing the enduring love
of a mother, although he nearly bored the
life out Of her, she continued to board
him.
One day q travelling magician came
along and showed" in their town. He
saw Aladdin, took a liking to him as
suited to his purpose, and offered to take
him a travelling with him, and if he
wanted to become magician he would
learn him to "magish-" This Just suited
Aladdin, who always wanted to go with
circus so he went.
; They left town that night on foot (as
magicians are often compelled to do when
business is bad), and proceeded in the
direction of the next town, where, as the
magician said, they were holding the
county fair, and show would pay. He
had worked the fairs" and knew.
But, instead of going there he led Alad-
din into deep valley. Arrived at GER
tain rock, the magician, by some magic
spell flor he was capital speller), opened
a great hole in the ground as readily as
though he had been an earthquake, much
to the surprise and alarm of Aladdin.
Then the magician, facetiously remarking
that it was fine opening for q young
man, ordered Aladdin to descend and
bring him q certain lamp he would find
there, threatening the direst penalties if
"Now, see here, old man," said Alad
din, ''fun is fun, and like fun as well as
anybody; but amt this running it into
the ground?"
There being no help for it, he descend
ed, first receiving the magician's magic
ring, together with instructions. But
wasn't it cruel to take Aladdin sos
filled with fruits and vegetables, of the
finest gold, as they always are. He saw
more gold ''turnips" than a watch factory
could turn out in ten wears; carrots two
hundred and fifty carats fine; gold cab
bages equal to any CABBAGEs that have
been made on the National Treasury, and
diamond squashes worth money enough
our united grand juries. When he saw
an orchard hanging full of golden apples
he exclaimed, "Here's just old fruit" and
filed his pockets with them.
Finding the lamp, he returned to the
entrance of the cavern, and asked the
magician to help him out.
mot until you give me the lamp" was
the reply.
"Then you won't get it." retorted
Aladdin. who feared some trick, which so
enraged the man of magic that he threw
down the stone which closed the cavern,
shutting the poor boy in. He took on, of
course, as any boy naturally would under
the circumstances, weeping and rubbing
his hands, but in doing so he rubbed the
magic ring, when an immense Genie ap-
peared.
"Who are you ?" said Aladdin.
Il am slave of the ring" replied the
Genie.
"what ring, Whisky ring
This rather offended the Genie, who
was prohibitiOnist, and one of the most
reputable Genie under ground. But he
explained that he was compelled to do
whatever the possessor OF the ring re-
quired, subject only to the Constitution
Of the United States.
Then get me out of this" said Alad-
din. "and take me home" which the
Genie did in less time than it takes to
write these lines, set up the type, print
the paper, and put NY the mails. He was
hungry, and his mother had nothing in
the house to eat. "But here is the lamp
you brought home" said she. ~ will
clean it, and perhaps it will bring some
thing" 1t did. 1t brought another men,
Der of the Genie family, as she rubbed it,
who announced himself as "Slave of the
Lamp" and said he followed the business
of waiting on anybody who possessed it.
What did they wish
though he was in cheap restaurant,
with unbounded credit. "And, mind you
give us plenty of fresh vegetables-green
corn if you have it."
In an instant banquet was spread be-
fore them of the richest description, and
on plates of gold. From that time they
boarded entirely in this manner, Aladdin
disposing of the gold plate at a pawn
brokers' and playing in the money at
keno.
He just kept that Genie humping.
Probably no Genie that ever lived was SO
OverwOrked as this one was. He wouldn't
be home in his cavern an hour any time
. day before Aladdin would rub the lamp
for something, when Mr.. Genie had to
GIT, muttering as he did, cay, there's
the rub !" Besides bringing his meals to
the privilege of charging him extra) he
had to fetch his morning cocktail and
black his boots. What a degradation for
q born Genie-us.
At length Aladdin aspired to marry the
Sultan's daughter, who was very beauti-
ful. His mother endeavored to dissuade
him from it. She reminded him that he
was only the son of poor tailor, and ad-
vised him to be content with some re-
spectacle seamstress. But be insisted,
and actually induced the old lady TO go to
the Sultan and demand his daughters
hand in marriage for her son, which was
p very insulting to the Sultan.
Gold and diamonds did the business,
however, as they do yet and always will
until there is a radical change in valua.
tons; and Aladdin married the princess
He built her . magnificent palace in one
night-Or his Genie did on a vacant lot
owned by her father, that had q frontage
of 100 feet on the principal street, and
was $50 feet deep. CThe Sultan had re.
fused $500 a front foot for the lot, repeat
edly.) And then they proceeded to live
happily.
But one day a circus came to town, and
connected with one of the side-shows
was the wicked magician. He saw the
palace, heard that it was put up in one
night by Aladdin, and OWNED the truth
at once. The Genie, Slave of the Lamp,
must have been a boss carpenter! He de
vised plan for obtaining the lamp. He
got some bran new ones and went to the
palace when Aladdin was away, crying
odd lamps for new when one of the
kind girls traded off the magic lamp, ig
norant of its value as of everything else