The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-21

OF admtring the almost universal knowledge of
palace to converse with him for houFa upon
| the secrets and marvefs of nature. SuddeBsy q
terrible plague broke ont in the city, and
Ha-Zetah compounded . wonderful lotion
which cured six times in seven. He contended
! that in nothing could evil be conquered in q
| was minimum Of disorder, Of sorrows Of vice,
! in the imperfect organization Of this world.
and that when tho proportion Of eyil in the
| had been reduced to q seventh, al the progress
possible in this world had been made.
However that may be. he was summoned one
night In great haste to tho palace; the wife
and SON of the caliph were stricken down by
| the pestilence. Ben Ha- Zelah applied tho
miraculous lotion apd the son was restored to
| health-but tho vito died.
The caliph Aohmet Reschid was overcome
with gratitude for 80 signal Q service, and
throwing himself into the arms Of the old
to thee I owe the life of my son and my hap
thee Grand vizierm
ground before his generous benefactor.
| Yes" continued the caliph, who had truly
noble heart; yes, need a friend in whom I
headed all those whom 1 lad in o moment of
impulse honored with that title"
'Tharks, o mighty caliph' hunbly replied
Ben-Ha-Zelah. How shall find fitting words
TO thank my gracious prince for spoh unme.ited
condescenson! Surely never did kindness Ike
this rejoice the EARTH! .
Thou sayest well and truly, child of jacob
answered the puissant cs'iPh
! Time, far from Diminishing tue love of the
/ caliph for B-n-Ha-Zelah, only Increased it.
| The aiousy of the conrtgIs pad always
| ceeded in poisoning the mind of the caliph
! against any one on whom he bad conferred the
dignity of Grand Vizier; but the prudence of
! the old Jew batii I'd all Their schemes and
Achmet Resch!d had learned how to guard
against calumniators. at the first word
breathed against the new favorite that benevo-
lent prince and faithful friend ordered the
rash slanderer to be bell aded, aud very soon
| the coartiefs Wed with each other in their
praises of the Grand Vizier. The good caliph
seeing the harmony of feeling among his people
himself on his firmness.
al knew very WELL" said he, "that the
| whole court would at last do him justice.
talk of him with every one and no man says
aught against him."
As for Ben Hs- Zelah, he seemed to be per-
| fectiy Indifferent to the immense power which
his favor with the caliph gave him in tho
him in the intrigues of the court. In vain did
| the noblemen of the kingdom, in hopes of
gaining his protection, lay costly gifts at his
| feet. He gently refused them all. Devoid of
ambition, and prudent to excess, the old Jew
withdrew as much as possible from public
affairs. He even begged the caliph to excuse
hours of the day, that he might devote himself
more uninterruptedly to Scientific pursuits
The love of the csliph grow day by day, aud
seen@ tbs Sn ms we o as t9s people,
the Grand Vizier, acknowledged him to be
indeed sage.
At court, as every where else, he was clad in
| a coarse brown robe, and was in way dis
tiGg1shable from the crowd, had not the in
tellectual expression of his face aud the
strange briliiancy of his eyes, revealed at a
seen in the streets of Cairo, carrying in his
own hands the metals, stones or medicinal
plants, which he bought in the bazaars, or
gathered in his solitary rambles. Wherever
he went he heard his own praise; but never
did he in any way be;Tay that it was agreeable
to him.
"No one is SO poor and humble" said the.
common people to each other, " as the Grand
Eizier of our high and mighty caliph."
The truth was, Eowever, that with the ex-
ception of Achmet Reschid, no one in Cairo
Possessed such vast riches as the poor"
Vizier; but after the manner of the Jews he
carefully concealed them, and lived in a very
the city. This humble dwelling was COM
pletely hidden by the palm and cedar trees
which snrrou nded it, and for still greater
security WAS enclosed by high wall.
In this quiet and my sterious retreat, where
he admitted no guests, be had conferred all
that made his life; there d welt his child, the
yonng Rachel, just budding into womanhood.
When, after passing weary hours in the
unmeahing ceremonial of the court, he reached
his garden gate, and stealthily opened it, his
usually impassive face was suddenly illnmined
from death INTO life
His daughter, clad like queen of tre east
ran to meet him, and embraced him so t,nderIy
, that it seemed as if portion of her yong life
= was breathed into the worn and exhausted
frame Of the aged father. Ben Ha-Zaah forgot
bis soTro%s aud his cares, aud seemed to revive
= with the breath of spring. ~ gave thee life,
a my daughter; thoI dosJ restore it to me -
murmeIed the old man.
I Rachel was just entering ber sixteenth year.
: her hair was of the beautiful golden color
E which poets love. Her eyes, her voice, her
smile her hearing, carried with them an
irresistible charm. She looked, it was q ray
, of light; she spoke, it was q strain of music
i she smiled. it was the opening of gate OF
! Paradise. Her heart was pure aud innocent as
a was that of the Rachel of old, whom jacob
I loved. Can We wonder that the heart of her
father was bound up to herr Who, indeed
could help loving being SO pure aud br light
I ".
: Ben .Ha-Zelah was old, but his was vigor
9 Gus old age-and the young daughter and
aged father, thew DDdar 4 ha oraod