The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-09-26


fathers sword, which was shaped like
the new moon, knocked at Abu Ben
Abend's door.
Abu Ben Abend opened it himself
'Ah !" he cried, his face turkey-red with
rage. "You want an answer to your let
ter, do you? Bring back my donkey
this afternoon, at o'clock and you shall
marry my daughter p and then he Slam
med the door in Youssifs face.
For moment Youssif felt like kick
ing the door down and slicing off Abu
Ben Abend's head with his sword, but
his anger cooled quickly, for he thought:
Give hours must elapse before 3 o'clock.
I can at least look for the beast, Abu
Ben Abend may find bargain is a bar
gain.
Round and round the city Youssif went
till he came to the lonely. lane between
the fields of wheat that were now as yell
low as amber and ready for the sickle.
Way down the road he saw a little gray
figure, very Like donkey.
''Ziba Ziba r. he cried. But when he
| ran the beast ran, and when he walked
the beast walked, SO he could not over
take him. And they soon came to high
hill, when the gray figure seemed to melt
| away into the wall of gray rock.
[
I am promised the hand of your mis-
tress, the good and beautiful Fatima, if
| restore you to your master. Do not
| hide from me-
''Knock on the rock five times" said a
voice.
Youssif knocked, and the gray stone
! opened like a door and disclosed a mar
| row staircase, which seemed to go down.
down into the heart of the earth. On
either side the wall was lined with sharp
| knives that twinkled and glittered like a
thousand lamps; and far down the de-
scent stood Ziba. Youssif ran down the
stone steps, unmindful of the keen
knives, and stood by the little donkey in
| moment.
"Ah, my treasure p' he cried ssMy
| eyes delight! Come with me at once
! from this place and return to Abu Ben
Abend, that I may marry the rose of
women, the beautiful Fatima.
"On one condition" said Zba.
''Name it," cried Youssif.
"You must buy me, said Ziba.
"Alas r' groaned Youssif, '.you ask
| the impossible. Abu Bend Abend would
not sell you for thousand gold pieces,
and am very poor"
'sKnock on the wall before you five
times" said the donkey.
Youssif did as he was hidden. The
wall opened, as the gray rock had done;
| and he saw large vaulted room, in
| which were great heaps of gold and
precious stones, before which sat strange
shapes, that held in their arms silver
harps, upon which they made sweet mu-
sic.
ssThis man." said Ziba to them, sshas
never done dishonorable act; has never
spoken cross word to a. living creature,
nor struck blow upon man or beast
His safe passage down the stairway of
knives proves it. Give him, pray you,
his reward" /"
One of the strange beings laid sack up
on Ziba's back, and another filed ii with
gold and precious gems, till the little fell
low cried: ST can bear no more. !"
"Now," said the astonished Youssif, eve
will return to the upper world, and we
shall see what will happen"
Precisely at 8 o'clock Youssif entered
Abu Ben Abend's gate, leading Ziba by
the halter.
"Allah be praised! and may all dom
keys be destroyed" cried Abu Ben
Abend, falling upon Ziba with his stout
stick. 9TH teach you abominable beast
to stay in your stable in the future"
"sHold!" said Youssif, seizing his arm.
sFor how much will you sell so miser-
able an animal?"
Give hundred gold sequins!" shouted
Abu Ben Abend. Give hundred gold
sequins, thou beggarl Not para less"
II will pay you that price for him, !"
said Youssif, calmly opening his girdle.
"And to make you feel less lonely at
giving up the good and beautiful Fatima,
shall be happy to add to that sum 500
gold ira as a wedding gift"
Youssif counted out the money; and
as a Ira is equal to about 81 80, and a
sequin is worth about 81 25, the whole
amount made quite little bill of gold
upon Abu Ben Abend's table.
'9Bismillah!'' cried that gentleman,
shutting his eyes and dropping down
upon his rug in an ecstacy Of Joy. "Bis-
millah! That should have neighbor
and not know it. Now can depart in
peace, Since SO great and excellent man
is going to marry my daughter"
The wedding of Youssif and Fatima
was celebrated with great splendor as
became descendant of the prophet and
the daughter of rich money-lender;
and they began housekeeping in a beau
tiful villa that overlooked the Sweet
Waters.
When they had been married year
and day, Eba bade them an affectionate
good-by, and trotted away down the lane
between the fields of wheat till he came
to the hillside, where he disappeared in
the gray rocks, as he did on the memoir
able day have described, and though
Youssif knocked many times no answer
came.
That night thicket of wild roses
sprang up about the gray rock and hid
it; and Youssif, believing it to be sacred
place, erected shrine there, and those
who visited it sometimes heard voice in
the earth whisper: ga kind act is never
lost. Be kind. Be kind
Youssif and Fatima were so very happy
together, their bliss became proverb;
and when they died, at the close of long
life, and were buried beneath the shrine,
among the roses, for many years young
people made pilgrimages to the spot, to
pray that in their welded life they might
be as happy as Youssif and Fatima And
the voice in the earth always answered:
sBe kind Be kind"
In order to get rid of the numerous ap-
plIcants for free passes an Eastern steam
boat company have caused the following
notice to be conspicuously posted in its
steamboats, Gin those days no passes