Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-24
Jacob and his Donkey.

Jacob was the name of an Arab boy in the
Oriental city of Cairo. lie was poor and,
like most of the poor boys of that city, his
chief ambition was TO own donkey and
hire him out to the travellers to 90 to the pyra-
mids and other places Of interest in the
neighborhood of Cairo. As it was, he was
only the driver of another mans donkey
Ihat is, when the animal was mounted 10y
the traveller, he ran behind, poking the quad
ruped with sharp stick to keep him in
brisk trot
One day, while Jacob was standing in
front Of Shepherds Hotel, in Cairo wishing
he had donkey of his own, an English
traveller on the veranda bcckoned to him and
asked him why he looked wistful. aud Jacob
answered that he was unhappy because he
had no donkey,
And when the Englishman heard his
story, he called his servant, aud told him to
bring up Mafsh, which was an old, sleepy
donkey. Then he SAID to Jacob
Would you be happy if you owned that
donkey, my lad 2"
ooh, master, would be happy with any
Donkey said Jacob.
Then" said the Englishman, he is
yours--l make him a present to you"
When he said this, the other travellers
gathered around, with smiles on their faces
for it appeared that the Englishman was a
man much given to making fun. He told
Jacob to get on the donkey and ride him up
and down in front of the hotel few times
to show his gait. Jacob got astride of him
and found that he was stiff in the legs and
moved slowly, notwithstanding the sharp
pokes he gave him with his stick
" ! shall give the donkey a name that will
draw custom for you" said the Englishman
as the lad rode up TO the veranda.
Jacob was much pleased that his benefac-
tor should give the donkey name, for he
had seen some of his companions who hired
their donkeys more easily than others, on
account of fortunate names given to them
by travellers.
." shall be much glad to call him what M
master pleases," said Jacob
Then his name shall be Lightning" said
the Englishman, aud the other travellers
laughed.
Jacob did not know what Lightning meant,
and he continued to call his donkey by that
name after the Englishman went away, lie
did not have much difficulty in hiring his
donkey but when the travellers started on
their journey, they told Jacob he was a
humbug, and that he had imposed on them
with his animal So that they only kept
Lightning for few moments, and the same
people never hired twice.
One day, as he led his old donkey toward
the hotel veranda, after being called a little
humbug by an angry traveller, who refused
to pay him for hire Of half an hour, he was
spoken to by fat man in long black coat,
who told him he ought TO call his donkey
Slow-coach.
After that Jacob called him Slowcoach,
not knowing any more about that name than
he did about Lightning. But this change
of name, instead of mending matters, made
them worse. In short, no one would hire
his donkey any more on any condition,
and Jacob and Slow-coach were rueful
pair as they stood idly before the hotel.
One day, as he stood thus, the Prince of
Wales came out from the yeranda Ohe Prince
was then on his way to the East Indies),
mounted Slow-coach, and rode him two OF
three yards and then got off and took another
donkey. Thereupon Jacob bemoaned his
bad luck in hearing of an American sitting
on tilted chair on the veranda.
IS Jacob, said the American, your donkey
shall be hired AS much as any other but
hereafter his name must be the Prince of
Wales"
The American had certificate drawn up
and sworn to before the American Consul in
Cairo, to show that the Prince of Wales had
without any doubt, mounted Jacobs donkey
and when the lad wanted to hire the animal
TO any man, woman or child from England
all he had TO do was to show this certificate
and they straightaway engaged him, not
outstanding his moping gait and stiff leg
They engaged him for whole days, fondled
him, and begged Jacob not to poke him up
too sharp from behind. They fed him with
whatever he would eat, and the only draw
back to the donkey's pleasant life was that
his tail was plucked a good deal for me
mentoes.
Jacob said, and says still, that the luckest
day of his life was when he was spoken tc
! by the American gentleman on titled chair
ST Nicholas.