The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-17
HAssAN oLEsoN. THE SLEEK.
iBn Nye, in New York Mereuyl

1 he left Bagdad and his home one night in the eleven forty five p. m express for 1 Montreal while the county board and the grand jury were investigating his books, i Oae day as HaSsan OleSon was on his way to the Mosque in Montreal to say i his prayers, he espied Abou Fl Mug wump. cashier of the First N A;ional Bank of BAgdad Abou was at the head of a street band playing Sweet SSui, Hear my PraysrN There were seven muSi. cl4nS all bind HaSsAn walked up 70 Aoou F. MuSwump and addressed him.
 Alas, said Abou, "l know you not l Your vosce Is familiar, but 1 cannot see your face, aud 90 do not know who you are
 By the beard ot the prophet" said HaSsan. this ls your last game, IS lts l knoS that you lett Basd 4d short in your accounts. ont dld uol think you would seek lo sAuge the GAnuck with the poor bllud man oodse.
 Alas. HaSsan Oleson." said Abou. am. indeed, bltnd. Do not seek to in- Jure me nong my trends" At tha, he pulled own one of his eyehds and showed that his eye was indeed beret, of sight.
 That evening, however, Hass.,n fol- lowed the blind musicians to then apart mcDts m a deserted house outside the gates of tke c,Y and pulling of his san ,lAlS al the door, he slid m among the blind men and overheard their conversa- ton. Soon after they arrived, they pro- duCed figs, dates and extra dry wlneS from the vineyards of a Chicago wine merchant named Mumm They then sought around the room to learn f any one had by chance entered with them, and when they were about 10 touch Has. s5n Oleson, he crawled under the table and lay low, thinking, aS Mohammed has 1t, that there might De hen on
 Alter satisfying the cnselyes tha; they were alone, they produced large bag ot money and counted it over. hy winch H-ssln learned that there wete ten thousand draGhms of silver and like sum Tn gold. This bag they then con cealed in the chimney of the house and beg n to be merry Hassan 0leson's mouth watered when he heard the seven blind bonaukA men polishing the bones of ;heir oIlentsl saipe on toast, 50 he sid out silently and pulled the bosom of a cold fowl oil the table with some other i food and ate t ln a sahdued tone of voice under the table. He kept this up for nearly an hour with safety Then he became more ctrcirsS dnd i'll putting the cork ot q second bottle of All Mumm wine he straCS h!s elbow aganst the ieg ot the blind man ~ho senerally played the E t,lt tuba with such force as 10 arouse hts anger and apprehension.
 Alas, Abeu MugAump, sad he, we are undoue Guard Inc door and assist me to ca oh the thief who has ] stolen in among us
 With that they all began ,o shout thieves al the top of thelr voices. and 1 Hassan Oleson cred out the loudest of all. As the calpA, dressed n the garb of his hIed man. chan ed 10 pass by and i hear the sound of voices, he directed his l grand vizier to break down the door and charge the same 10 hlm. He then en- tered and found eight blind men < for i HassAn Oleson had also shut his eyes and assumed to be blind ali shouting thieves and t,eading the cold gravy and slutfiag into the carpet. The caliph knew not at first what to do, but at last he caused all of them to be arrested.
 The next day Hassan sent word to the caliph that ne desired an audience with h.m. The caliph directed that he be brought in, whereupon Hassan said Commander oi the iiithiul, there are eight of Us who claim to be bind but we are not. Last night we gathered in the room where you found us for the purpose of having what IS termed at Damascus A high old time. We beg through the streets during the day, but we are not poor. We have large sum of money concealed in the chimney, one-half of which is mine according to the terms of our agreement. Last night we began to dIspu C over what sum each should have until the quarrel reached the pitch at which you found us. Venerable sir, we arc all guilty of great offense, but hay ing taken an oath not to confess unless we are b1stinsdoed, by that means only can you come at the truth"
 The magistrate then tried 1t on Has5an | O'eson. who stood blow or two on the soles of hls feet with some courage, and then reluctantly opened one eye, then he opened the other. The cahpn then d. Iected that search be III 1de for the money, which was found as Hassan had said l Halt the entire stun was give to Hassa5, i together with an appolnunent Of chef i hiIrd man tO the caiiph aud surveyor i general of the seragho, wi,h large salary, TO board 10 pay and his washing done ID the harcm free of cost
 When tune hung heavy on ,her hands the cA'iph and Hassan OesDn would 1 bring out the seven blind men, kno3n as the " Bagdad Silver Cornet B and " and i bastinado them for an hour or t~o 70 make taem open thei, eyes, ou, they were stubborn and refused 10 do SO, though hassau oePged them to cease ,helr ce- ception. Finding, boRever, thas .hey could not be inc co to relent, the Cal ph banished t4em 10 lonely skating fink outside the gates Of the city, where he i forever
 Hasson lived to be very old, and all the ladies Of the harem respected hir and thought grea, deal of h,m because