The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-01
"'Is it true, Kaddour.' said he,
that thou payest q douro apiece for

S"t'"u.0 OA aut AaoAhS eLSH', ohuo SAo
tears l purchase must be pure, other
wise take them not
The usurer hesitated q little; but
vanquished by his greed of gain, en-
tered finally and seated hilnselfbeside
the merchant. Nevertheless his eyes
were dry, and had been dry since
childhood, for IL thousand sorrows
and pains, even personal ones, had
been un,,ble to move him. In truth,
lie was ignorant of how to cry, but
to bring the tears for which he
longed struggled with all his might,
pinching himself in the tenderest
places, tearing his hair and making
a hundred useless grimaces, to the
delight of the crowd always increas-
ing on the outside. In default of
other sentiments, rage und despair
Mt last had the desired effect. Two
drops of moisture sparklcd upon his
eyelashes. Alas, two drops of moist
ure quickly changed to black and
nauseous mud!
eco to, wicked dog, go to!' cried
tho ieweller, angrily, thrushing the
rascal to the sill of the door. 4
knew thine eyes, whence have como
but looks of hatred, covctousness
and envy, would bring forth naught
but drops OF impurity. Goto, say!
and Levi Abraham, his tears al,und-
ant enonghn now, yet only tears Off
gret and spite, took to his heels
md fled away, pursued by the deri-
sive laughter of the people.
"No one now, in the tncc of the
usurer's fate, would tempt a similar
experience. kaddou was soon alone
upon his mat and the street as quiet
as at the hour of fprayer.
In the whole of Al gicrs', he cried
aloud, and lamcnting, not n single
pure and honest tear; nothing but
water from the currents of selt-inter.
est, envy hatred and malice, and
drawn from hearts torn by avarice
and greed OF gain! l see we'll that
shall have to renounce the making
of the king OF the Gcn:i's collar, for
never shall l find tears of requisite
purity!
'"And thou bclicvest il, kad,lour.
cried Il voice beside him, n voice this
time that was both mocking and
scornful; thou gricvest thyself for
every little thing! had thought
thee far more courageous and invcn-
| tive
Courageous! inventivc! lismayctl!
The Mussulman looked about Him:
his royal customcrhad doubtless for
gotten nsomctlling gnn,l rel urnel II head
of time.
"Who spcaketh" he cried; 'is ii
thou, my lord? And thou art. where!
""At thy feet replied the voice;
'stoop, pick me up
"kaddOur stopped, and there in
the dust OF the floor perceived Il
pearl, IL pearl OF the most extraor-
dinary size, purity of color and lus.
tM.
"'Pick me rp!' i, cried: pick me up
at oncc.
"kad'lour. trembling in every
limb, did as he was told, but tn ward
off evil influences and guard himself
from occult powers t,"gam to recitc in
I, high voice the profession of flitl
of his race-'La nh ha il allah OH
Mollamed Rassoul Allah'-tiod is God
and Mahomet is the messenger OfGod
Fenr nothing, kaddour,' con
tinucd the pearl.
Il have no intention of doing thee
evil; on the contrary, to give thet
counsel that will help thee out of thy
embarrassment. I ask inrcturn only
to he allowed TO figure among thu
pearls with which thou wilt form the
collar
"'Willin.ly,' cried the jcwcller, his
heart comsorted by the words: but
first tell me who thou art, for | am
not accustomed to have the metals
and precious stones on which | work
converse with me-
81 am one OF the Gcrii, responded
the other, 'and for 5000 years and
over | have been imprisoned within
this pearl, but nlcritcd the punish,
lncnt for my hardness Of heart and
neglect of duty. Itcnmc when Hagnr
was sent into he wilderness l,y Abr,l.
hun. under the command of Sarah,
and Wien the poor soul hclplessly
wandered in the desert. holding by
the hand little Ishnacl. Pcrislling,
as you know, with hunger, fatigue
and thirst, they were at last compel
led to stop, and Hagar, to spare her.
self the sight of her dying child, flung
herself upon the ground and buried
her face i'll tho sands. was
near them; | saw and heard it all;
but my heart was stone. my
ears Indifferent; nndlthougll | knew
that water was near them, and could
have easily directed them to it, held
my peace in my pride Of Gcnii, which
forbade my going to the assistance
of the human race All, we'll, it was
then that Allah more merciful than |
had pity upon them and sent his an
gel to succor Hagar and her dying
child, and attcrward TO punishmc'
Thou 'lidst yield to pride, thcan-
gel said to me, TO pride instead of
duty. Thy heart was adanamt. thy
carsas one dcaft the cries ofmiscry
and need. For thy sin Allah curses
thee, and sends thee for {. prison,
this and lie showed me, trembling
upon the tip OF his finger, Il glittrring
tear. 'llayar, he added, the first of
those tears shed when she believed
lsImacl was dying, tears il WAS thy
duty to have stopped from flowing.
Thou shalt never come out from it
until the king of the Gcnii, thy chief,
u