Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-07-07

Yacob and Ills Donkey.
Yacob was tho name of an Arab boy in
the oriental city of Cairo. He was poor,
and like most OF the poor boys of that city,
his chief ambition was to own a donkey
and hire him out to the travellers to go to
the pyramids and other places of interest
in tho neiglborhood of Cairo. As ii was,
he was only the driver of another mans
donkey; that is, when the animal was
mounted by the traveller, he ran behind,
pok ing the quadruped with sharp stick
to keep him in a brisk trot.
One day, while Yacob was standing in
front Of Shepherds hotel, in Cairo, wish
ing he had donkey of his own, an Eng
lish traveller on the veranda beckoued TO
him and asked him why he looked wistful,
and Yacob answered that he was unhappy
because he had no donkey.
Aud when the Englishman heard his sto-
ry, he called his servant, and told him to
bring up Mafish, which was an old, sleepy
donkey. Then he said to Yacob:
"would you be happy If you owned that
donkey, my lad7"
"oh, master, would be happy with any
donkeyp said Yacob.
"rhen," said the Englishmsn, "he is
yours-I make him u present to you"
When he said this, the other travellers
gathered around with smiles on their faces,
for II appeared that the Englishman was a
man much given to making fun. lie told
Yacob to get on the donkey and ride him
up and down in front of the hote. lew
times to show his gait. Yacob got aslride
of him aud 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 name that
will draw custom for you," sSid the Eng
llshman as the lad rode up to the veranda.
Yacob was much pleased that his bene-
factor should give the donkey name, for
he had seen some of his companions who
hired their donkeys more easily than 9TH
ers, on account of fortunate names given 10
them by travellers.
~ shall be much glad to call him what
my master pleases," said Yacob.
'Then his name shall lie Lightning"
said the Englishman, and the other travel
ers laughed.
Yacob did not know what Lightning
meant, and he continued TO call the donkey
by that name amer the Englishman went
away. He did not have much difficulty in
hiring his donkey; but when the travellers
start ed on their journey, they told Yacob
he was a humbug, and that he had imposed
on them with his animal. So that they on
ly kept Lightning for a few moments, and
the same people never hired twice.
One day as he led his old donkey toward
the b otel veranda, after being called a little
humbug by an angry traveller, who refused
TO pay him for hire OF half an hour, he was
spok en- to by fat man in long black coat,
who told him he ought to call his donkey
Slow-cosch
Amer that YaCob called him Slow coach,
not knowing any more about that name
than no did about Lightning. But this
CHI ange of name, instead of mending mat
tiers, made them worse. In short, no one
would hire his donkey any more on any
condition, and Yacob and Slow coach were
ruefnl pair as they stood idly before the
hotel.
One day, as he stood thus, the Prince ui
Wales came out from the veranda Qhe
Prince was then ON his way 10 the East In
dies), mounted Slow-coach, and rode him
two or three yards, and then got oil and
oOk another donkey. Thereupon Yacob
bemoaued his bad luck in hearing of an
American sitting on Il tilted chair on the
verandA.
"Yacob," said the American, "yuur don.
key shall he hired Us 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 YacoL's
donkey; aud 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 straightway
engaged him for whole days, fondled him,
and begged Yacob not to poke him up too
sharp from behind. They fed him with
whatever he would eat, and the only draT-
back 10 the donkey pleasant life was that
his tail was plucked good deal for me-
| mentoes.
Yacob said and says still, that the luck
ieSt day Of his life was when he was spoken
10 by the American gentleman on tilted
chair.-ISt. Nicholas.