Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-03-20

JsTIN, MOWER COUr
Mehemet Ali:Pasha. The ruler work.
ed through fear; the impostor attached
the people by enslaving their credulity
--the very worst form of slavery,
Money, slaves, jewels, and gifts of oil
kinds poured iuto tho possession o.
Abbas; and even l, your two-carat
brilliant, was made present to tht
holy Abbas by lovely young Arme
Man lady, who was married to a ricf
old pasha, and on whom the sain
practised his devotional intercessior
for an heir-an intercesslon blessed
with the desired result. Abbas was a.
that time man about fifty years o.
age, powerfully built, in vigorous
health, satisfied with his thirty years
adventures, and determined to enjoy
oil the pleasures of life that offered
excitement and opulence without dan
gers.
And nov for my stort; story" In tn.
month of October, 1887, we'll ap:
pointed retinue halted before Ab5as'a
magnificent house, and the Sheik Alb
dallah ben Nawayes was announced.
In a. spacious room,. on a sort o1
t6ane 81 rich Persian etuG, recliped
the handsome Abbas dressed in pure
white. A white turban, adorned with
valuable diamonds, rubies, pearls, and
sapphires, was on his head. His slip.
pers were perfect work of art, richly
studded with gems. In his mouth was
the amber mouthpiece of the inevita.
BILE narghile, studded with diamonds.
In short, no Eastern Prince could show
more luxury than did Abbas Sail, the
saint and worker of miricles. Before
him stood his visitor, Sheik Abdallal1
ben Nawayes, a man of truly princely
appearance, very old and perfectly
blind. The four sons of the Sheik,
men already in years, stood two on
each side of their sire, and two lovely
youths. OF about thirteen years old
the old Sheik's grandsons- firmly
held by the hands of the old man.
Am I before Allah's favorite, the
holy Abbas Sali9' inquired the old
man in. pure Arabic.
Thou art. What is thy desire e.
inquired Abbas.F
Favorite of Allah," began the old
man, "1 want thy intercession for a
miracle. Grant my request. Oh, Saint;
let me not implore in vain"
BE seated; . said Abbas, "and let
me hear thy request" =
The servants Immediately brought
divans, and the four sons tenderly
seated their father on them, the old
man still holding the hands of his two
grandsons. "Holy Saint" said the
old Sheik, ~ am ninety-five years o1
age. L am, as my name and lineage
denotes, the chief of the BENZ Nawayes,
who, for forty centuries, have obeyed
the commands of my ancestors. Allah
has blessed me from early age with
peace and plenty. I saw my numer.
GUS family like olive branches grow
round me. Loving and beloved
passed my years until / was eighty,
when it pleased Allah to aflict
me with total blindness I mur.
INJURED not against his DEGREES.
could see my household in my
minds eye, and felt as happy AZ before.
Two years after my affliction my two
grandsons were born within a week of
each other, and I named them Benai
Enai, or the sons of mine eyes. From
that day until this they were to me the
eyes of which Allah has deprived me.
Hardly weaned from 't1eir mothers
breast took them to my room, and
inseparably by night or day have been
from my two beloved grandsons. And
1 may truly say that whatever happi-
ness tasted during tho eighty years
OF my life, when I could see Allah's
glorious sun, was surpassed in that of
the last thirteen years / spent in the
society of my beloved Benai Enai. 1t
most ardent desire has taken
hold of my soul to see, with eyes
that can see, the features of my be-
loved grandsons. This desire I tried
at: first to repress but it only returned
with greater force, until I feel that it
has become mania. I have heard of
thee, O Saint, and of thy wondrous
works: Grant me, O holy man, my
eyesight, if only for a brief few min
utes, that I can behold the features of
those I love SO we'll. Have pity on my
age; remember my request is pure,
unalloyed Of seldshness. OF favorite
of Allah, let me not die without seeing
my grandsons..
!: The old man now ceased to speak.
A short, quiet breathing followed, and
his pale face assumed hectic dush..
The sons bowed their heads to Abbas
in deep reverence, as if snpplicatng
for their father, and the two Young
Benz Enai. with; tears in their eyes,
looked in the old Sheik's face.
Abbas Sal', rascal and imposter as he
was, felt for the first time an unusual
pang: Gladly, indeed, would he have
given at least one of his own eyes to
bestow it on the old Sheik. OF course
1 need not say he was powerless to
grant the old mans prayer. This was
no case of intercession for an heir; it
was simply to put eyes in a mans head
who had the sockets, and no more.
Emotion does not last long in impos-
tors, and Abbas had to make some sort
of show TO get out of his dilemma.
As I said, Abbas was a very fair doc
tor. His QUARTER Latin education had
done wonders for him before. He no.
ticed short breathing and hectic flush
on the old mans face, and rightly I'M
agined the old man was subject to dis
easeof the heart. i He rose from his
seat, and going to the old Sheik, he
said: "Let me put mine ear to thy
heart and hear how it is disposed to.
wards Allah"
,Abbas listened few moments to the
palpitations, and was confirmed in his
belief that the old Sheik would 20 off
suddenly in one of his fits of longing.
He returned to his divan and after COM
muning in silence with himself he said:
Return, most venerable Sheik, to
thine house and home. Wait: patient
ly for the first day of tho Ramadan, and
then send thy two grandsons to the
mosque. When they return lift thy
hands TO bless them and-trust to the
mercy of Allah"
You see, Doctor, in this advice Alb
bas did not commit himself. The
Sheik might die before the Ramadan,
and as the whole affair was showed
from Abbas's shoulders to that of AL
lah's mercy, Abbas could not be blamed
if Allah chose to be unmerciful.
"Let me kiss the hem of thy gar
ment," said the Sheik, rising from his
seat and performing his devotion. He
further said: ''I have ordered some
presents to be left thee to bestow in
charity as thou thinkest most fit. :"
With this he left. Patiently waiting
for the Ramadan, which is in the
month of December, the o.d Sheik
became hopeful and happy. At last
the day drew near. The two boys were
sent to the mosque and the old man
became fearfully agitated. Seated in a