The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-08-11
An Exquisite Story.

An exquisite Story
Lamaratine, the great French
poet, somewhere in his miscella-
neous writings, relates fine story
with noble moral, in his amiable
way. As we give the little scene
from memory, we cannot impart to
it the idiomatic beauty of the orig
inal, but our readers will admire it
nevertheless Somewhere near the
desert plateau of Media, in Arabia,
there was u tribe of Bedouins,
known as the tribe of Neggedeh,
and not far away another tribe was
located of rival interests. In the
former was chief named Naber,
who possessed a horse OF such
fame and beauty, such grace of ac-
ton and such power of endurance,
that his equal had never bes n known
among the Arabs. Daher, a chief
of the rival tribe, tried in vain to
purchase this horse, even at the
cost of half his worldly goods: his
master would not sell him. Finally
the rival chief determined to ac-
complish by strategy what he could
not do by fair and open bargain.
Daher therefore disguised him.
self He stained his face and put
false lines of age upon his brow,
and his clothing was ragged and
torn. He bound his leg and neck
together, SO as 10 appear like a
wretched lame beggar, and in this
condition his own family would not
have recognized the usually dash.
ing Bedouin chief With crutehes
he bore himself to q certain spot in
the desert, where he knew Naber
must pass, and there he patiently
awaited there appearance of the
lucky possessor of that superb al
imal. Presently he came in sight,
and then the disguised chief cried
out in piteous voice:
Il am q poor stranger. For three
days L have been unable to move
from this spot to seek food. I per-
ish Of want
''Good cheer" answered Naber.
in kind voice.
"Help me, and heaven will reward
YOU
'Come hither. I will help thee
upon my horse, and will take thee
to my tent and care for thee
"Alas! / cannot rise, said the as
sumed beggar. 81 have no strength
left" "a
4 'Naber, touched with pity at
such suffering, dismounted, and
quickly led his horse to the spot
where the beggar lay. With great
difficulty he at last succeeded in
lifting him in the saddle. But what
now 50 astonishes the generous
chief Why stands he SO aghast7
He appears like one who has been
struck dumb.
The trick was exposed.
No sooner was the seeming beg>
gar fairly seated in the saddle than
he gathered up the reins, and press
ing his heels into the horses side.
the high spirited animal sprang
away with his new rider. As he did
so the thief shouted:
cit is [, Daher I have got the
horse at iast.' -
Naber called after him to stop
and listen. Certain of not being
successfully pursued, Daher halted
and turned out of reach of Naber's
spear.
You have taken my horse,'' said
the chief s'Since Heaven has writ
ten it, 1 wish you joy of him, but I
do conjure you never to tell any
one how you obtained him"
'sAnd why note' said Daher.
''Because,' said the generous
Arab, another man might be really
i'll, and men would fear to help
him. You would be the cause Of
many refusing to perform an act of
charity, for fear of being duped as
] have been.
Struck with shame of these words,
Daher was silent for moment,
then springing from the horse, he
returned it to its owner, embracing
him.
The two rival chiefs were ever
after fast friends.