The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-04-27
THE FORTY THIEVES.
BY eR1s, TIE EAT coNrRIRrroR.


years ago when thieves were scarce, hence
they are embalmed in stery. Had they
lived IN our day, when thieves are SO nu>
merous, they would have been totally dis
regarded on account Of the i1sighificance
of their number.
The story is simple Cassim and Ali
Baba are brothers. Cassim is rich and
Ali is poor. While the former leads a life
ot luxury and ease, the latter hauls wood
for a living. and often bemoans his fate,
forgetful of the fact that Grant once fol>
lowed that honorable occupation. Wood>
haulers should not despair, for they may
become president for what they know, or
for what they don't know its hard to tell
which now~a>dsys
One day when Ali Baba went to the
forest TO get jag of wood, he saw horse
men approaching Fearing evil he climb
ed into tree and concealed bimself The
troop halted under that identical tree, dis
mounted and took from their horses seve
raj heavily-loaded carpet bags, which led
him to infer that they were carpet-baggers
returned from the South, gorged with the
spoils of office. He found, however, they
were regular professional thieves, and then
he had m"re respect for them.
The captain of the band-there were
just forty of them approached a rock
hard by and uttered the words. 'Open
Sesame!' when, as Ali aferward ex-
pressed ii TO his wife, "you'd orter see
Sammy OPEN Instantly on the word,
a door concealed in the rock opened as if
by magic, and the captain entered, fol-
lowed by his band, who marched in open
order by the left flank double rat>tail file,
centeriag on the left wing, the extreme
right resting on the door sill, and shoul
Ger-arms, muskets reversed Military
readers may understand this, don't.-
f. c.
When they were all in the captain
shouted, "Shut, Sesame :" when Sammy
Immediately shut, that being apparently
what Sammy was for. Shortly after the
robbers, having stored away their plunder,
reappeared the door closed after them at
the word of command. and mounting their
horses rode away. When they were gone,
Ali Baba, getting down from the tree,
tried the magic word himself, when open
flew the door, and after little hesitation
uo ebteIeU Tue TOU6cIS cave
Great was his astonis hment ut what he
beheld. He found splenGiI apartments,
suitable for married or single gentlemen,
handsomely furnished, and lighted with
gas, with or without board, and within
five minutes walk of the Post-office. On
every hand were heaps of diamonds, bags
of gold, and dead loads of greenbacks
Here, then, was where the rebbors lived
when they were at home, and stored tIier
plumber. He determined to have his
whack at it So loading his mule with
all the gold it could carry, he started for
home.
Imagine the delight of Mrs Baba when
her husband arrived, (She had been very
much concerned over his prolonged absence
because he was Ali Baba she had). She
helped him unload the gold and store it
away in the cellar with an alacrity she
seldom displayed in doing her Homework
She was anxious to know Just how
much there was of it, so as TO make out
a correct income return to the government.
Accordingly, while her husband was gone
to put up the mule, she tried to count it
Naturally wearying of this employment
| after she had got up among the millions,
she concluded to measure ii, and for that
purpose across the street to her sister
in laws, Mrs Cassim's, and borrowed
her half bushel measure, pretending that
she wanted TO measure some potatoes
As il was SO unusual thing for Ali
Baba's family to have half a bushel Of
potatoes at one time, Mrs. Cassim's curi-
osity was excited, 30 she put Spauldins's
glue on the bottom of the measure to see
what kind of potatoes they were, which
was mighty small potatoes on the part of
Mrs. Cassim.
When the measure was returned Mrs
G.. found five cent nickle adhering TO the
bottom. This was very suspicious cir
cumstance, indeed. "When," said she 10
Cassim, in relating the circumstance and
showing the nickle, "wh hen did your broth
er ever have Eve cents in the house all at
oncei Of sudden he seems to have bush
els of money Cassim walked over to
his brothers house and questioned him on
the subject, when Ali, being generous
hearted fellow, told him all about the
cavern Next day Cassim went up there
TO get scme of it himself, but after / adirg
himself down with wealth he forgot the
magic words which opened the door. and
so couldn't get out, He tried various
words: cried. s'Open See Tommy Open
See Billy. AMI Open See Polly Ann s.
but all TO no purpose, because his mems-
~ couldn't come and see Sammy. The
result was the robbers came and killed
him, and being always ready to make
quarter when they could, they quartered
him-he was the only gentleman who had
ever been quartered there before except
themselvss-and hung up inside of the
door as warning to any other rash in
truder who might seek to enter without
suitable recommendation from his last
place.
The result was as might have been an