The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-08-28

was available. CdlDeC eNluSuhy |
loved the girl, and it was natural
that she should prefer him for her
master. Yet the old jewel merchant
seemed honest, and was earnest in
his claim.
81 must take time to consider up
on this" said the Mollah. And he
made the girl sit near him, while the
two claimants stepped back.
The next case was disputed pos
session of a saddle. A middle-aged
Armenian, named Saladeen, laid
claim to saddle that was in possess
sion Of mountain guide named
About Muzzafar. The saddle, which
had been held by an officer during
the morning, was produced in court.
It was very valuable one, made OF
the finest leather, and elaborately Or
namented.t ttns ..
"The saddle is mine,' said Sala-
deem. "I bought it of a Jew at
Nigdeh for three hundred piasters. 80
This villain stole it while | slept by
tie roadside on the other side of the
mountain"
"Belieye him not" said About
Muzzafar. "The saddle is mine.-
My brother, in Konich made it for
me. This fellow saw it, and wished
to buy it, but when / refused to sell
it he tried to take it from me by
force. I overcome him, and he was
angry and swore vengeance; and he
resorted to this trial in hopes of OBJ
taing it."
In this case, as in the other, there
were no witnesses, Both men
seemed very earnest, and both main
tanned an honest exterior.
The old Mollah took the saddle
and examined it.
''It is a valuable saddle, said he,
as he passed his hand over the plain
surface. 81 am at a loss which one
of you to believe"
''Me, me-" cried About, SIT is
mine"
oJustice, exclaimed Saladeen, 81
only ask justice"
6Ah" muttered the Mollah, pass
ing his finger over the embossed
leather near the bow of saddle
''What have we hereP Give me q
knife"
The attendant tshawooska handed
up knife, and the judge proceeded
to rip open a seam in the saddle bow,
and with an exclamation of surprise
he took therefrom four pieces of
gold.
"Ahal And you make this your
treasury, my good About Muzzatar "
eyes, most excellent Judge" re-
Piled About, with a bow, "I hid it
there SO that 1 might not be robbed
of it,"
"Saladeen, said the Mollah. turn
ing to the elderly claimant, ''what
have you to say to this? Did your
saddle have money concealed in it?'
"No, sir, not that I know of" the
man replied; with a crestfallen ex-
preston. "The Jew Of whom
bought it might have had money
concealed in it, but l did not know
it.
every WE'LL" pronounced Ben
Ahmed rising to his feet. ''Sala-
deem, the saddle is yours. AS fol
you, About Muzzafar, you shall pay
to Saladeen ten piasters for the
trouble to which you have put him
and this evening you shall receive
one hundred lashes of the bastinado
I caused the gold to be sewed up il
the saddle this morning"
About was led away by two officers
while Saladeen took his ten plaster
and his saddle, and went his way re
ioicing,
Two cases of simple award wer'
next disposed of, and following thes'
came the case of man who hat
purchased for Jewels what had proyet
to be only bits of glass. The NAL
who had purchased was present, an'
the man who had sold, was ais
present. The first claimed that h
had bought the baubles for rubie
and emeralds, and paid good price
The merchant could not deny tina
he had sold them. He bought ther
for pure stones, and had SO suppose
| them.
The Mollah took the jewels in hi
hand, and then took something fror
his vest pocket which he compare
the with.
"Why," said he, smiling, "this
only glass, as any one can tel
Here1this simple peasant girl woul
know better than to purchase thes
for true stones. What say you.?"
As he spoke he handed the glitter
ing trinket to the Circassian girl VIII
j., had been claimed by the two men
J He smiled encouragingly, and sh
took the jewel. She weighed it upo
: the end Of her finger, and the
5 touched it to her tongue.
r sis it not glass?" asked the Mollal
"No, sir, the girl confidently rt
piled ~ should say it was a pun
I ruby and of great pricep
"Ah! say you so? And these-al
/. these also stoneY
And he handed her the jewels
a dispute. She took them, touche
4 them each to her tongue in turi
t and then said:
!. "The first, sir, was a true ston
j but these are all glass"
r "It is as thought, returned Il
d Mollah. "The first was ruby Of n
Il own. These others are but worthle
limitations" !"
: And he decreed that the merchal
/ should pay back the full price
! had received, and that the baubl
r should be destroyed. And as.
n pleading, the culprit still persist'
l in declaring that he sold the stOn
a in GOOD faith, the Judge further d