The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-16
Select StOrg,
From an old Magazine.
he Rich Merchant of Cairo.

A great while agc-several hundred
ssars ut lcast--therc lived in Cairo rich
aerchant whose name was Abdallah. He
IA other names besides, as is the custom
lhere but none that added to his reputa
t.pn or credit. He was commonly called
Xbdallah the Rich, and sometimes Abdal
|hh the Miserly.
From boyhood almost he had been en-
eaeed in traffic, aud always successfully
shift as it might the wind was still favor
Abc to some Of his ships, and ventures
ehich ruined other merchants overaowed
bis Golfers with gold. The blue Mediter
mean reflected the gleam of his sails
fbe File, the father of rivers, was shadow
% BY the swarthy faces of the slaves who
rived his boats, and the burning sands Of
sAe desert were trampled BY the feet of hi,
Eafavans.
BIS emissaries were known ia the ba
z>6fs Of Delhi and Damascus, in the spicy
iofests of Ceylon and among the pearl di
gen of the far Indian seas. They even
tsaded it is said, with the natives Of Tim
haetoo, that mysterious city whose exis-
lence has 50 often been denied. Abdal-
lah, however, had never quilted Cairo, the
city of his birth He knew too we'll the
dangers and hardships of travel to think oi
exppsing his precious person to them. He
had but to name place to his agents and
aay "GO there, and they went.
His bazlars were in different parts of
the city, but his home, like that Of every
good Turk, was in the Turkish quarter
ltMns three stories in height, and the up.
per stories projected over the lower ones,
casting shadow, even at MONDAY, on the
street below. The walls were originally
NAiie, with horizontal bars of crimson,
Ike thc stripes of flag; but years had
elapsed since they were painted, and they
were kept in such bad repair that it was
hard to say what color they really we're
smoky yellow, or muddy red
Along the front of the mansion, on u
level with the floor of the two upper stor.
les, rau n couple of balconies closely shut
IN With lattice-work. You see such lat.
.icerwork 10 most Oriental pictures--they
ars made of thin slips of wood like our
hath, and cross each other diamond wise
Save the arch over the door, which was
el2torately carved and illuminated with
gold letters---a text from the Koran-there
saa nothing about the outside of the house
. amp its owner wealthy man. In
side, however, it was apparent, and all was
rith and beautiful.
Like many other mean and selfish men,
Abdallah was at heart sensual and luxur
Ieas His floors were carpeted with the
tiehest stufs Of the East, brilliant in dye
ard soft as flowers to the feet Where
t|ze marble pavement was seen, as it was
in ONO rooms which were merely strewn
with mats, it was cuuningly inlaid with
feasaics. Couches and divans softer than
down lined the walls, aud cabinets were
allied with chibonques and beautiful Per-
1.4a pipes, whose water-bowls were buried
la i'e long coil Of their stems.
fou passed from room to room by gid
ing between pillars and by pushing aside
eaE<ains. Over the curtains rose magnifi-
cent arches of the finest and costliest work
M&uehip. Spicy carpets hung from the
F5'i'pg and lanterns Of divers colors dan
e1 on golden chains. Pictures and stat.
s'4 here were none, both being forbidden
" ne Koran, but vases aud cups abound
Fases Of exquisite pattern, gold and
e'|<sf heaped with precious stones, pearls,
treAes aud emeralds; and cups which a
klAk might have drained And Abdallah
~ rain them daily, SO fond was he of
N'& Yanlt of old Greek wine. But it was
Np< Fithin doors, after all, that Abdallah's s
<z'.h was most apparent, but in his gar
1AH Rhich was the finest in all Cairo. 1t
Hts situated at the back Of the house, and
~ ealled in with high wall. A forest
fnH't bot have been more shady or pleas
sA. thick and leafy were the trees,
A'N. acacias and sycamores, aud so cool
~ Ninds Imprisoned in their green re-
NFa't The walks were hedged with roses
Aa4 jassamines and rooted with the bran.
fA<5 pf fruit trees, Here hung the golden
AHaee, there the bloom checked peach,
.here purple plums and red pomegra-
thc centre of the garden was kiosk,
nrkish summer-house, miracle of
s'azs and beauty. It was square, with
! .1r pillars on each side, and fretted
oa1A overhead. The pillars supported
eFzV1nic arches, through which came
<'1H1 Of the garden around, and the
'Hs'ed scent Of It's aowers. From black
. urn in the basin Of the kiosk gushed
kling fountain, broad silver shaft
1 willowy base, that dripped back
BE urn, and over its rim into the
'Dz'ipg ripples below. Il was nook of
P''ENt, and perfect nest Of birds, the
n pos birds Of the East. Some were
u in cages Of sandal-wood aud pearl,
others were as free as the air in
n they wantoned. Peaooeks strutted
out, spreading their gorgeous trains
Y pheasants dreamed in the gloom of
'E #H'ne; parrots chattered aud swung on
,'e1 fings, and birds Of Paradise, with
H1zf'ng rainbow tails, few from perch to
n Truly il was an enchanted place,
arden aud house, and worthy Of q
master than Abdallah. Here Ab-
dwclt year after year
pne shared his enjoyments save his
!. -''7i''er Zouleika, and she only when he
AFay. There was not much happiness
4 ~ 81 house where Abdallah was, be was
H'sh and exacting. Il was impossi-
please him. He thought Of no one
0' s|nself, and his own gains aud losses,
zad wonderful head for accounts, aud
#I.ItI Hantns, ..at1l1 L. "a