The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-16
BEN BRAHIM's SHARPNESS.


BEN BRAHIM'S SHARPNESS.
Mohammed Ben Brahim was a private
of the Sd regiment of Turcos, Arab in.
fantry, in the French service. He was
tall and raw-boned, fearing nothing,
believing but little in Mohammed the
Prophet, and not at all in Allah. He
drank wine and ate pork, two things
held in abomination by the Mohamme.
dams; he swOre in bad Arab and worse
French; in fact, he was the most perfect
BLACKBOARD in the whole body of Tnrcos,
which were 10000 strong, and that is
saying a great deal. Ben Brahim lived
happy and contented, until one day,
while passing before the bric-a-brac
pawn-Oilice and dry-goods shop of Yus-
suff, the richest man of Gran, he saw
hanging in the window some gold
watches Then his happiness was gone,
for one thought invaded his mind so
completely that twenty times a day he
exclaimed loudly: by the prophets
beard, must have oner' And by the
prophets beard he got one, too, and this
Is how it came about.
Mohammed Ben Brahim had a cousin.
a lieutenant in the same regiment, and
he went to him and told him n story
about his mother being sick and needy,
and the lieutenant, who loved his aunt,
gave him IL francs. with the recon-.
incubation to use them well, a thing
that the Turco did, much to the sorrow
of Yussuf, in whose shop he appeared
five minutes later. Yussuff was alone,
and seeing the Turco enter his store he
arose to meet him, not through defer
ence for the caller, but from know.
ledge that the Turcos are the greatest
providers of Africa.
II salute you, Rabbi Yussuff." said
Mohammed, touching his fez
IL salute you, TurcO." replied Yus.
suff politely; what do you wantP' .
Il came to pay you II francs for the 2
you loaned me fortnight ago. answer
ed the Turco.
"Did loan ynu money! do not
recOllect to have seen you before"
"You don't? Well. then you were
more drunk than was when borrow.
ed the money from you. But no matter.
l owe you II francs, and there they
are"
Then the Turco put II francs in the
others hand Yussuff took it just rs an
Arab priest entered the shop.
Yussuif salutcd the newcomer with
the greatest respect, as he was one OF
his best customers, and said:
"Will you allow me to present this
Turco to you rs one of the few honest
men we have in this tOwn?''
The Arab looked with establishment
on the pair.
well, well!' thought he, what are
we coming to, if Turco turns to be SC
honest as to be praised by Yussuff?"
Then he asked: .May | inquire what
this Turco has done to deserve your com.
mendations, Yussnii?'
al loaned him ~ francs and forgot all
about it. Many would hay' taken al.
vantage of my lack of memory, but he
did not. for he has paid me like an hon
est man that he is"
'My friend" said the Arab To the
TurcO, twill you favor me with your
company to my housed
Mohammed Ben Brahin answered
that as soon as Rabbi Yussuif had re-
turned his pledge he would follow him.
"A pledger' cried Yussuil, turning
pale, you have given me none.
WHAT replied the Turco indignant
ly, "that gold watch there is mine"
And Mohammcd pointed to watch
worth $50.
That watch was bought by me from
q chief now dead" yelled Yussuil.
"Yussufl," intcrpOscd the Turco, .'it
seems to me that this chief died very
conveniently for you. Will you give me
my watch?'
mo" answered Yussufl.
"All right, sir. ! will have you ar
rested on the spot" and, opening the
door, Mohammed went in the street call
ing for the police.
In minute two of these worthless
made their appearance and inquired the
cause of the uprOar.
ARREST that man." said the TurcO,
pointing to Yussuff, "hc has robbed mt"
The police took Yussuff by the throat,
and the whole party left the store to go
to the Judge. In Africa the judges
courthouse consists of piece of carpet,
two yards square, thrown down on the
pavement in the market-place, where
the Judge sits, surrounded by the police,
who make arrests and bastinadO the cul-
prit mt the Judges command. 1t is JUS
ticc in its primitive STATE, administered
on the rapid-transit plan.
"What is the matter?' inquired the
Arab magistrate.
your wisdom, this man has robbed
that Turco," replied the officer.
'.Turco, how did the thing happcnP'
inquired the judge.
'Your wisdom, this man loaned me
francs on my gold watch. ! returned
him his money, together with francs
as interest, and now he refuses to give
me my watch"
"How did you get gold watchp'
Your wisdom, it is present from
my dying father
ibid any one see you paying the
money!
"Your wisdom, this holy Arab was
present"
Arab, is it true what the Turco is
sayingP"
"Your wisdom, he has spoken the
truth" rcplied tho Arab. "Ynssuff in
troduccd the complainant to me- with
the remark that he was one OF the few
honest men we have in this town."
..Yussuff, do you deny the accusation
made against youp"
Your wisdom, do deny it.
..Did you take IL francs from the COM
plainant?"
"YOur wisdom, did.
''Eor whatp'
because loaned it to him."
without any pledgc?'
Eyes, your wisdom, without any
pledge"
Officers. 90 to Yussuff's house and
bring here ali the gold watches he has, ="
said the Judge.
The officers went and soon returned,
bringing about thirty gold watches.
which thew spread before the judge.