The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-03-23
The Skillful Judge.


The Caliph Haroun AL Raschid, that i
1" the upright" we'll deserved the brillian
name by which his glory has come dow
to us. His reign was the very focus of tn
romantic; his eccentric habit of wander
ing about the streets of Bagdad in dis
guise, and of visiting incognito the mos
distant parts of his dominions, led hin
into many queer and graphic situation.-
There was, however, the severest methot
in his eccentricities, his uniform objec
being to bring oppression to exposure, ant
to strengthen the mastery of law and justic,
in his wide dominion.
1t was in the beginning of the tenth yea
of his magnificent reign, when the princi
pal judge of his chief city died, and it wa,
found difficult in the extreme to obtain {
fit successor. At length the rumor reached
the ears of the Caliph that in a town O
some five or six thousand inhabitants, E
Kaliph 10y name, the cadi, or Judge, ha6
for many years displayed almost super
human skill in his decisions. The place
to be sure, was three hundred and sixty
five miles away but the object was, in the
monarch's eyes, a most important one
Leaving his palace, therefore, by night
with the privity of only one or two of his
confidential minister's he proceeded with
all speed towards the residence of Abou
Akkas, for so the judge was called, having
assumed the disguise of merchant, and
riding a valuable mare.
He was determined to trust the matter
to no eyes but his own; he would hear and
see for himself If there was such COM
handing merit in this man, he would
eagerly embrace the opportunity of dis
playing in him, to all his empire, an ex-
ample of the brilliant rewards that, while
an upright ruler on the throne, was sure to
follow in the train of integrity and talent.
When the Caliph was now about five
miles from the town whittier he was pro-
ceeding, his attention was suddenly at
tracted by poor cripple, who lay moaning
in distress by the pathway side.
"Have mercy, worthy sir, on an unfor-
tunate, who, by the stroke of Providence,
has lost the use of his right leg, and has
no means of conveyance, and who must
remain here through the damps of the
night, if you do not grant him seat be-
hind YOU"
The compassionate heart of the monarch
was touched. He saw that the applicant
was undoubtedly lame. and his whole APP
pearance gave unmistakable evidence of
the deepest poverty. The squalid wretch
edness, that would have repealed most
other men, was, to Haroun, the strongest
he dismuunted, therefore, and
with considerable difficulty aided the
stricken sufferer to mount and so the two
rode on downward together, the cripple
telling his benefactor to stop at the east
corner of the third street they would come
To-.
Accordingly the seeming merchant rode
with him there. He could not help seeing
that his comrade took particular notice of
the mare. But on getting to the point of
destination, things took an unexpected
turn. The cripple Was not so easily dis
posed of as Haroun counted on.
Now / have brought you to the spot
you mentioned, let me aid you to get
DOWN."
aid me do what9 have given you
gratuitous ride for number of miles it
is time for you to get down."
"Why, what do you mean 2" quoth
Haroun, in amazement.
my meaning, Ishould think, is uncom-
monty plain. This is my mare, as you very
well know ; you have had your ride; the
sooner you dispose Of yourself the pleas
anter it will be for me, and from your bulk
and weight, think for my mare, too"
Here, then, was our merchant, in a
strange town, with impudence pcrsoniied
to contend with, and valuable animal to
contend for. Suddenly the thought struck
him that here, in his own case, was the
Nv ha -, -
that of testing the qualifications of the
,adi. TWAS better than he had calculated
IN it was question the true merits of
which he thoroughly understood He was
posted on the subject the cadi
could not go astray without his being fully
aware of it.
He challenged the new claimant, there
fore, to go with him before the Judge, to
which challenge the brazen-browed pre-
lender most readily assented; for all the
i've miles of his ride he had been busily
and skilfully coming the characteristic
points Of the steed, and thought that he
knew them as thoroughly as the owner
could do. To the house of the cadi the
twain logged on, in companionship more
close than loving.
They found his worship seated in the
centre of the large enclosed court of his
neat and modest house, crowd of liti-
giants and spectators around him, and busy
in the occupations of his office.
The cripple, forthwith, with loud out
cry against the impertinence, ingratitude,
and shamelessness of his companion, claim
ed the mare as his undoubted property
Indeed, he said it was all that was left him
in his misfortunes; the sole residue of his
affairs to have his favorite
mare swindled from him would of surety
be the death of him.
In reply, Haroun quietly told the true
tale, and said be asked for justice and that
alone.
The cadi looked keenly at the tive men;
he gave his attendants orders to stable the
mare among some twenty or thirty other
,teeds, and commanded the disputants to
appear before him the next day at ten
o'clock in the forenoon, when lie would
give his decision, IIaroun, in pursuance
Of this deliverance, was turning to leave,
when another pair of opponents burst into
the court yard with great ado.
They proved to be a butcher and an oil
man. The matter in dispute was of con-
value; no less than handful of
gold pieces, which was firmly clinched in
the hands of the man of bullocks, while
he Of the oil casks was keeping his grasp
eagerly fixed on the others wrist.
"This money is mine !" each of them
exclaimed in impetuous tones.
II went with this gold" roared his
butchership, into this miscreant's shop
to make some extensive purchases, when,
no sooner had | shown it in my hand,
than he grasped it, and vows it is his"
"This is all as false as the beard of
Ablis, your worship" Numbered the oil
man. THE money is mine. 1 had just
been counting it over, and had put it down
for an instant on my counter, when this
of calves, who doubtless had
been watching my proceedings from the