Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-03
slNBAD IN EKaiAND.

slHBAD IN \ ElNaeiAlNlD.. Y n ID ..... 4.a'. !.
OF Some Things TOO Strange for
i " Hassan's, Audience. .,s,!4..
| lH- -aeilI.o-9I -i--,o.-.4aa:Jy tast tl
/ --i WILLIAM GILBERT. ~ Sss
Nearly an hour before Hassau's ,arri-
val at the enclosure tho following eve
ming. many of the principal perspnages
who had hitherto composed his audience
had already assembled, Nor was it
merely by chance they bad met together
1t had. on the contrary. beer. arranged.
between them that, they should do SO to
consult what steps should be, taken with,
regard to Hassan. The factis they were
divided into two, different parties, each.
holding its, own, opinion. Neither liof.
them were particularly complimentary]
to cur hero the one considering him TO
be a harmless madman the other an ar
rant imposter. Although in the eyes lof,
the European resder there may. seem, but
little to choose between the two conclu-
sions, in the eyes of Mohammedsn, It
is very different. Whilst they rMs,,ld
willingly punish an impostor, With .ev-
cry possible severity, they hold that in.
sanity ought to be respected, and mad
man considered an object of sympathy,
not aversion. Of those who held that
ftassan was q madman, and ought to be
pitied, the two Ulemas were the leaders !;
of the section that considered him an
impostor, Achmet was the head. Mus
tapha sided neither with one nor the
other. The fact was, that never during
the Whole time he had been in business had
he made 80 much money as he had done
since Hassan had been engaged. AL
though Mustapha had the selfish con-
science generally possessed by tavern
keepers, he was not bad fellow at
heart. and really liked Hassan, and felt
grateful to him for the benefit he had
brought to his establishment. He there
fore, both from interest and friendship,
sided with the Ulemas' party, though in
his heart believing that Achmet and his
followers We're not far wrong in saying
that Hassan was an impostor. -
Achmet was the first to open the de-
bate, Mustapha being what is called IN
England chairman. s-
81 hold" said Achmet, ssthat this fell
low has shown no symptoms of insanity
whatever, but he is neither more nor
less than an incorrigible liar and i'm
poster, and well worthy OF punishment.
l appeal to you, my friends. if there has
not been a certain continuity or thread
running through the whole of the
fellows tales which could hardly
have been the work of madman and
if he is nota a madman, what else can he be
but an impostor? Without going back
so far as the earlier portion Of his narra-
tive, can anything be more absurd than
the latter? The very fact of his having
stated that the farther they went south
the colder it became, is an evident proof
that the scoundrel had never been there,
or he never could have made such pre-
posterous assertion. The plausibility of
his manner, too, and the way he carried
it off as am told, for you know l was
not then present, is further proof of
his rascality.. And then again let me
ask you to analyze the statements he
made to US yesterday evening. There
was really something 10, them so impu-
dent that, had it not been for the respect
have for my two reverend friends, l
should have seized him by the throat.
The idea Of birds without wings! Why,
it's an insult to the common sense of us
all! Then the audacious lie with which
he supported it. that he had seen thou
sands of fish flying like birds, added in
suit to the imposition he was practising
ON us; and also of that miserable genie
| whom he pretended had performed such
wonderful feat! Why, my friends, a
moment S reflection ought to teach YOU
the utter impossibility of it. If the genie,
with hop, step and jump, could COM
plete the distance between Adelaide and
Port Darwin, why could he not have
done less distance without stopping
Again, my friends, if, when he was %
tatigued, he performed the distance be-
tween Lisbon and London in less than
minute, three minutes ought to have
sutficed him to go half round the world
There can be no doubt an Enchanter
who had such power in his hands could
have despatched his genie from Sydney
to London, without resting anywhere,
had he pleased. No, believe me; the
fellow is IN arrant imposter, and il we
did our duty we should at once take him
off to the cadi >" "
"And now hear me-" said the elder of
the two Ulemas "Although Achmet
speaks with great deal of earnestness,
he lacks both reason and cearity in his
arguments. Nothing is more common
than to find a madman tell connected
tale, and although admit that many of
the wonders which have been narrated,
may appear to carry the appearance of
imposition, remember it is our duty as
faithful followers OF the Prophet to csm.
NIT an error in favor of the weak, rather
!! than run the risk of committing an act
ofinjustice. Depend upon it, my friends,
the man is no imposter; he is madman,
and worthy of our sympathy and pro-
tection." I =
Others now took up the argument, and
the debate became very warm. At last
Mustapha, as president, thought right to
Interfere. tn . .f
My brethren" he said. 81 think in
Justice to this stranger, we ought to give
him another trial, and let this, if you
please, be the last. You may remember,
after informing US of the adventures of
the genie last night, he said he would
narrate this evening others which would
far exceed it in wonderfulness. Let us
hear what he has to say, for it appears
to me nothing could be more wonderful
than what he then told us. If he sue
ceeds, it is a clear proof he is madman,
and ought to be pitied. If less wonder
tul, there will then be some reason to
investigate more fully the charge Ach-
met has brought against him of being an
impostor. But you must decide at once,
for see him coming, and in few min
utcs lie will be here:
Mustapha's address had an excellent
effect on the audience. They agreed to
hear Hassan that evening, and when his
narrative was concluded, to decide what
further steps should be taken. And this
conclusion had hardly been arrived at
when Hassan entered the enclosure.
And now. my friends" commenced
Hassan, II have come prepared to keep
my promise OF narrating to you this eve
ming far more wonderful adventure
than that performed by the genie who
took the Enchanter's message to Eng
land. In fact, when compared with it. !
may say it sinks into insignifcance.
AT the time my message was deiiy-
cred to his lordship in London, he was
seated at table in his palace with his
friend, the Enchanter. Alter having de-
liberated a few minutes on the purport
OF my words, he despatched one of his |
servants for the chief of police, request