Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-04

AN ORIENTAL TALE. AFTER THE
ARABIC.


Great CONSERVATION reigned In the
capital Of the kingdom OF Ssdis.on.
Asphshand, one of the viziers of
Axsd SAT-, the king of Sadiston. was
advancing towards the city with .
large force TO dethrone the monarch,
against whom there were many Just
causes Of complaint Azad Ssfi was
po~erless TO oppose the instruction.
Asphahand's partisans in the city
even threatened to storm the royal
palace. 10 this extremity. Azad SAT-
and his Queen Bahardshoor FASTENED
TO collect together their most costly
jewels and rs much gold a. they
could well carry. and seek safety in
flight. They had hardly effected
their escape, mounted on two of
their fleetest horses, when Aspha-
hand entered the capital and was
proclaimed king
The rightful sovereigns, in the
| mean time. fed towards the desert.
which they reached soon after night
fall. Late in the afternoon OF the
second day. they came 10 smiling
oasis at the foot of q mountain. In
the centre there vas . spring Of cool
water. around which the grass and q
few low trees grew luxuriantly.
Here, during the night, the queen
bore a son, and wrapped him up
tenderly in the kings richly en-
broidered mantle.
Great as Axad Salts Joy wocld
have been under other circumstances
10 press an heir TO his bosom, he was
now sadly grieved,
Oh that our child should be
born ia such place J" he cried.
Shall we take him with US on our
flight and see him die the first day!
Or shall We remain here with him
and all die OF starvation 80 soon
as our little stock of provisions Is
exhausted -
They were long undecided what
to do, but finally they saw thar their
only course was to leave the child
alone behind.
- For Allah" said the king, lis
able 70 send some one to our son who
will supply our places. If we we're
to be found here, we should be re-
cognixed and killed and the child
with US, while II the child be found
alone, it will. no doubt, be tenderly
cared tori
They therefore laid the child on
the soft grass, under tree, wrapped
carefully In the kings mantle, and
placed beside his head a purse con-
tanning Q handsome sum of money
and very costly ring for the person
who should chance to find him.
Wheh the sun arose in the m0rning,
they mounted their horses and again
pushed forward. So long aS the
little green spot was visible 10 their
fearful eyes, they looked back again
and again, and it was not until the
oasis could no longer be seen that
they urged their horses forward 1t
the speed which prudence counseled.
Bat the child that was thus sban-
doued in the desert was not destined
TO perish. 1t was not yet midday
when band of robbers passed that
way. and came upon it as they we're
goiag to the spring. The robber-
chief allowed his followers to d.
vide all the money in the purse
among themselves, keeping the
infant, the mantle, and the ring
for himself. He now FASTENED home
with oil possible speed. and com.
mitted the child to the care Of an old
woman who had long been in bis
service. His home-if homo Il could
be cslled-was not house nor even
. hut, but q large cave ct the foot Of
. neighboring mountain. And here
grew up the infant prince, the right.
ful heir to the kingdom Of Sadistsn.
Let Us return now to the refugees.
They continued their flight with all
possible speed until they reached the
Persian border, when, a. they were
out Of danger, they continued their
journey ct easy stages 70 the capital
OF that country. The king of Persia
received them very kindly, and not
only did oil he could to make them
forget their misfortunes, but even
placed large army at the disposition
OF his guest, to enable him to regain
possession Of his throne. Azad SAT-
Immediately took command of the
army and marched against the
usurper, whose defeat and death 10
the first battle ended the war.
The king had been an apt and vii.
ling ruler In tho school of misfortune.
As q ruler he had learned To be self
denying, generous, and just; his
greatest ambition was now TO pro
mote the welfare of his subjects.
One of the first things he did after he
regained possession OF his throne
was to institute Q search for his in
FAINT son. He promised one of his
iyiziers, named Bashamah, Q fine
estate and q large sum Of money II
he would find the child and return 1t
TO him and his disconsolate queen
alive. Bashamah went to every In
habited spot ia the desert and in the
mountains. far and near. but no
where could he hear anything of the
young prince. The only trace he
succeeded 10 getting of the lost child
was the kings MANTLE which he
found in the possession OF . peasant
Of the mountains, named Macrum
Ben Nozalb, Ito whom 1t had been
given by an unknown man, whose
life he had saved. But whence the
stranger came or whittier he went,
nothing was known or could be as
lcertained. Must Bashamah. there
fore, return without the object OF bis
search !? Must he forego the rich re.
ward that was in store for him, in
case he succeeded The avaricious
vizier could not endure ne thought
and. as consequence, he determined
to deceive his royal master. The
peasant in whose possession he found
| the mantle had son about yeai
| old, and consequently of the age Of
the lost prince, If still living. The
| vizier offered the peasant large
sum If money IL heswould give him
this child and keep the transaction
profound secret. Macrum Ben No
zaib had four older sons, and finally
after much hesitation. consented te
the bargain. The vizier. therefore
took Chaled--that was the child
name-and paid the promised sun
of money.
4 s~s.,,x, u