The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-11-02
THE HUNCHBACK.

The following story is the favOrite one
with the Egyptians: Mustapha, an or
| phan boy, who had the misfortune to
have an ill-shaped back, was called
| Hunchback. His parents were poor, and
after they died he was left without any
| home or friends; but poor widow pitied
| him, and took him to be her son. When
he grew up she, sent him to Alexandria
| to sell some chickens, but the ignorant
lad fell into the hands of bad men, who
| stole his poultry and even took away
| part of his clothes. Poor Mustapha,
| finding himself robbed, stood in the
street, crying. A witty wag saw him
weeping, and, having learned his story
fed and clothed him again. He then
gave him case which he called cOsme-
tic. A cosmetic is something to make
the hair grow. Take this" said the
wag, "and go home to your village and
sell 1t. Tell the people that it will make
both their boards and wits to increase.
for yourself and for your poor mother" !"
Mustapha thanked his friend, and, de-
parting with the case, returned to his
native village, where he announced
what he had for sale before the whole
assembled population. To his surprise
they all burst out laughing, and made
fun of him; but presently the sheikh
sent privately to buy small packet;
and then the barber; and then the to-
baccO seller; and then the coffee house
keeper-all in private. In fact, before
the evening, the whole of his meTchan-
die was sold; and every man in the
village went to bed with his chin steep
I'd in the cosmetic, each believing that
his beard and his wisdom would have
doubled in length next morning.
lwlsh couldreprOduce the pantOmime
by which the morning scene was de-
scribed; the snOrings, the grunrs, the
yawns, the impatience for the dawn; for
it appears all the patients had been or
dered to keep their jaws carefully
wrappea up until daylight. A. length
the wisled-fOT moment arrived.
Then they all rose up, and hastily
taking off the cloths, which had nearly
stitled them, found that their boards
came off likewise! They clapped heir
hands to their chins, and felt them to be
as smooth as their knees; they joined
their wives; and wer greeted by screams
of laughter; they ran out into the streets
and learned the truth, that the whole
population had been rendered beaTdless
by an ointment which the wag had
given to Mustapha. As all were equal
ly unfortunate, all lau he'd, but they re.
solved to punish the unlucky hunchback.
He was called before the sheikh, where
the elders Of the village had assembled,
and when he saw the circle of smooth
faces, qe could not help giggling.
He laugheth, because he detiled our
beal ds," exclaimed the cOnclaYe. at is
| necessary to put him to death. We are
| all friends here; let us thrust him into
bag, carry him to the river, and throw
him in, so that no more may be heard of
him."
This idea was unanimously accepted,
and Mustapha was carried away in a
| sack, across an ass's back, toward tn"
river. About noon, his guards stopped
to rest, and, lying down, fell asleep,
| leaving the hunchback still in the sack.
Now it happened that an old man. bent
nearly double, came driving by an i'm
| mense flock Of sheep, and seeing these
| people asleep, and sack standing up
IN the middle, was moved by curiosity
to draw near it.
| Mustapha had managed to open it a
| title and to look out with one eye
which observing, the old shepherd mar
veled, saying: "a bag with an eye |
hsve.neYer seen before"
He demanded in low voice what was
the meaning of this. The eye became a
mouth, and replied: 81 am the unfOr.
tunate Mustapha whom these people are
taking by force to marry the Sultan's
daughter"
"Whatr Isaid the old man, VINO had
married thirty-three wives in tie course
of his life, "and dOst thou repine at such
| good fOrtune?"
80 much so that would give all |
possess to find substitute"
| would not l do perfectly well?'
| quOth the shepherd. lam not very old;
have two teeth left; and one of my eyes
is good enough; but they would not take
NE in exchange"
"Oh, yes, Wallah, they would, if you
called yourself Mustapha; it appears that
the name is fortunate, and have been
chOsel only on this account. Unite the
| bag and let me out"
The shepherd, whose hands trembled
from age and excitement, liberated
| Nustapha, made him a present of his
| flock. and bade him tie the bag very
| tightly lest the change should be dis
covered. The hunchback did as he was
| directed, and hastened to retire with his
| sheep. Meanwhile, the villagers, waking
up, threw their prisoner again upon the
as, and proceeded on their journey,
plunging the old man into the river,
| just as he was dreaming with delight of
| his frs interview with the Sultan's
daughter; how he would smile and look
| pleasant, and how she would bid him be
of good cheer.
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SCIPIO, n, y Dec l. 1879,