Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-20
THE THREE CRIMES.
An Eastern Tale.

Hamet Abdallah was an inhabitant OF
grotto on one of the slopes of Mount
Olympus. When he stood at the en-
trance of his humble dwelling, he could
embrace at Que glance, all the territory
originally possessed by Osman, the
founder Of the Ottoman Empire, and, as
he five times day offered up his pray
ers to Allah, he invoked blessings upon
the head of Solyman the Magnificent,
the reigning Sultan in whose time he
lived. Indeed, Abdallah was renowned
for his sanetity; and the inhabitants of
the vicinity treated him with the most
marked respect.
he was not, however, entitled to this
excessive venerstion by his age, for he
had scarcely attained his fortieth year
when the incident of this tale took place.
His venerable father, who was himself a
deryise of great sanctity, and whose years
amounted to four-scere, resided with him
in the same grotto; and fortunate was
deemed the individual who on his way
along the slopes of Olympus, was al
lowed to join the prayers of the two der
vises, kneeling upon the ground at the
entrance of the cave, and turning their
countenances toward the holy cities OF
Mecca and Medina.
Hamet Abdallah was one morning
reving among the groves and woods
which extended up the mountain far
above his grotto and pondering upon the
passage in the Koran which he had been
perusing but a short time previously,
when his foot suddenly struck against
something hard upon the ground. He
looked downward, and saw an iron ring
fastened to a small brass plate which
was let into square Of stone work, and
seemed to cover hollow place or we'll
Obeying a sudden impulse Of curiosity,
Hamet applied his hand to the ring, aud
pulled it with all his force. After many
vain exertions, the brass plate yielded
20 his efforts, and he fell backwards with
the sudden shock
Before he had time to arise and exam
inc the aperture thus laid bare, dense
volume OF smoke issued from the hole,
and ascended in the air to the height OF
several thousand feet.
i Hamet gazed With astonishment upon
this strange apparation; but how much
more was his wonder excited when he
saw the smoke gradually become more
and more palpable and shapely, and at
,.,npth assume the form of an immense
g;ant with long, flowing, white beard,
and a tremendous pine in his right
hand. -H .f.f- aLf.s., -,
1 Hamet fell UPON his knees. and was
about to put up prayer 10 heaN Nen
when the terrible apparitiou addressed
him in a voice of thunder:
Nay; mention not the name OF the
deity, or | will cut thee into ten thou
sand piecesl #l
"Who art tbou?" demanded Hamet,
rising from his suppliant posture,
81 am Kera, an evil Genie, whom a
victorious power shut up in that accursed
hole, where / have languished for two
thousand years. 1t is an evil day for
thee that brought thee hither"
."And wherefore, proud Genie1 de-
maDded Hamet
Because | am about to kill thee, in
order 10 svenge myself upon some one
for this long captivity. :. fLrH .!a.firf.
At these words Hamet trembled very
much and besought the Genie to spare
his life. For a long time the Genie was
inexorable, and ordered hin to prepare
Tor immediate death; but at length be
suffered himself to be moved by the
prayers and entreaties Of this virtuous
%Hsrk ye, said the Genie, ] am