Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-28

deal of wealth and much gold. And on
ms death-bed the old man brought him
INTO my presence, and committed his
affairs to me, and said: This is in your
keeping for your brother; take it. and
guard 1t zealously,' And upon that made
choice OF spot for burying it, and plac.
eel it there. And no one knows of it ex
cept myself; and, if you order nv i'm.
mediate execution, the gold will be lost
ana you will have been the cause, and the
child will demand his reckoning from
you on the day when God shall Judge be-
tween his creatures But, if Won will,
grant me a delay of three days, l shall
have nominated some one to take CHARGE
OF the boys affairs, and will retuTn
obedient to the rein And I know one
who will guarantee these my wordsu
Then Omar lowered his ewes. and VOC
silent. Presently he looked at those who
were near, and asked:
who will stand surety for him and
Tor his return to this place? '
linen the young man studied the counte-
nances or the spectators of the Council
ana pointed toward Abu-Zarr, Zone of the
chief of the Associates of the Pronbet !
among those who were present, and said
This one will answer for me, and will
become my surety
Said Omar:
| 80 Abu Zarr! wilt thou become SURETY
for these wOrds?"
He replied:
yes, | will be answerable for him for
three days"
| And the two young men, the accusers,
were satisfied with the suretyshlp of
| AbuZarr, and granted the delay deter
mined upon.
But when the time had expired, and the
hour was at hand, if not already past, they
again presented themselves at the Council
| OF Omar, who was seated, with the Asso-
clates around him, like stars around the
moon. Abu-Zarr was also present, and
| the accused alone was absent
Then said the two young men:
where is the culprit, O AbuZarr ?
How shall he who las fled return? Thou
shalt not quit this place without redeem
ing thy pledge"
Then said Abu-Zarr:
by the truth of the Omniscient King!
when the whole of the three DAYS shall
have elapsed, if the young man does not
appear, | will redeem my pledge and re-
sign myself, so bel me Godn'
Then said Omar:
by Allah! II the young man delays, |
will surely execute upon Abu-Zarr what
| the law of el-Isam ordains"
At these words tears fell from the ewes
of the spectators, and sighs for Abu-Zarr
broke from all who were present; and
great was the sorrow, and deep the re
greet
Then some of the chief of the Associates
suggested to the two young men to take
the price Of blood, and 50 obtain the
praise bestowed upon those who are mer
ciful. But they would none of it, and re-
fused everything excepting vengeance for
him who had been slain.
And while the people were swayng to
and fro with grief at what was passing,
and commissioning Abu-Zarr, 10! the
young man approached, and stood before
the Imam, whom he saluted with a per
feet salutation. And his countenance was
radiant as the rising sun, and shone with
sweat. And he cried:
"Behold! | made over the boy to the
care of his mothers brethren, and ac-
quaintcd them with the secret of his con
dition, AMI discovered to them the place
of his property. Then | fastened here, in
the heat of the sun, to fulfill the obligation
Of a true-b born man"
And the people marveled at his honesty
and fidelity, and at his ntrepidity in
meeting death. But he said: "He who
acted perfidiously was not pardoned by
the man who had him in his power But
upon the one who was faithful the avenger
had pity, and pardoned him. And | was
also certain that, when death presented
itself, there was no guarding against it by
flight. And let it not be said, Fidelity
has gone from among men"
Then said Abu-Zarr: "By Allah, 0
Amirel Mamanin. Of a truth l stood sure
ty for this young man, though | neither
knew to what people he belonged, nor had
seen him before that day. But he looked
toward me only, among those who were
present, and turned toward me, and said,
This one will be surety for me- And it
did not seem right to refuse him; and hui
mainly forbade that his hopes should be
frustrated when there was no harm in
conserving to his wish, lest it should be
said, Goodness has gone from among
men"
Thereupon said the two young men:
90 Amir-el- Mumanin! verify we give our
fathers blood to this young man, that his
trouble be changed into gladness-lest it
should be said, Benevolence has gone
from among men,
Then the Imam reioiced that the young
man had received pardon, and at his
truth and fidelity. And he declared the
humanity of Abu-Zarr to be greater than
that of any of the Associates seated with
him. And he approved the benevolent
intention Of the two young men, and
praised them in the warmest terms. And
he quoted this couplet:
He who doth good shall not want for his
wards
That which he hath done will be forgotten by
neither God nor men"
Then he proposed to them that he
should pay the price of their fathers
blood out of the treasury. But they said:
Surely we have pardoned, desiring to
please God the Mercitul; and he who
proposes this to himself must carry out
his benevolence neither dishonorably or
iniuriously."
The historian adds: $50 I inscribed
this in the collection of Marvellous Tales,
and inserted it in the Accounts of Won
ders'"
The Battle of the Bullfr0gs.
MANY of the citizens of Vermont will