Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-04-02
THE FALSE PRINCE

Still there seemed to be something wrong
with him. for wtiie at times he sswed 50
diligently tha. his needle and thread became
10. and threw on smoke, be. on other occar
sions would sit lost IL mesiitation- bis facs
wearing 50 peculiar an expression that ms
master and comrades were wont 10 remark;
.IAhakap again wears bis aristocratic
facer
On FRIDAYS. instead Of going directly home
from PRAYER he wouid don his finest garments,
and with proud stride would strut through
the streets and public places. and answer the
Peace be With theer' Of his friends with
eondescending wave Of bis hand
One day as Selim, the brother OF the sultan,
was passing through Alexandria he sent
very magnificent garment which needed Ger
tain repairs TO the tailor, who intrusted 1t TO
I-abakan as his most reliable assistant
That evening, after the young man had
quit work, be was driven BY an irresistible
longing to return and admire the gorgeous
colors and rich embroidery OF the royal dress
The temptation to put it on was great, and be
was delighted TO find that it fitted him per
fectly
who is more entitled 10 wear this than IT
he exclaimed The master hiulssJt las said
that was born to be prince!"
One day as be plodded along country road
mounted upon his decrepit Murva, be was
Joined by horseman. who begged for the
pleasure OF his company The stranger was
a joyous young tuan, handsome and of engag-
ing manners They were soon chatting ia
military, and iahakan learned that he was
omar the nephew OF Eli Bey. the bassa OF
Cairo, and was now Fastening to fulfill BE-
hest OF his uncle. with which the latter had
charged him on his death bed l-abakan
merely limited al being of noble descent and
Of travelling for pleasure
Their intimacy Increased and on the second
day, In answer 10 i.ahakan's inquiries. Omar
gave him this strange information;
Omar had never known his parents and had
been raised from infancy by Eli Bey Upon
the latters flight, induced by mortal wounds
received in battles, he had disclosed to Omar
that he not his nephew, but the son Of
mighty ruler VINO, in fear of the prophecies
of his astrologers, had removed the young
prince from his court with the vow never
again to see nm until the latters 22d birth
day.
Eli Bey had not spoken the name of
upon him to be at the well known column Of
El-Serujah on the fourth day OF the coming
month, Ramadan, which date he would be
- years old There arrived, he was to hand
to man. among several whom ne would
fn,i at the column, dagger, with the words;
ii am he whom ye seek, and If the answer
were. Praised be the Prophet that hath
protected theel" he was to follow them and
be conducted TO his father
Omar's story filed Labakan with envy.
Although comparisons between himself and
the prince were not unfavorable to the lat
ter, he felt that he himself would be more
welcome to the royal father than the real
heir
That night he fell asleep brooding over this
thought and as he awoke in the morning and
beheld Omar sleeping peacefully, he con
ceived the idea Of acquiring by cunning or
force that which destiny had denied him.
He gently drew the dagger Of which Omar
had spoken from the owners girdle, and
raised it to plunge 1t in his breast, but the
thought of murder mortified him. and he hid
the dagger on his own person, and mounting
the heeter steed Of his companion, he had
gained several miles before Omar awoke and
found himself robbed Of all his expectations.
At the end of the second day Of the month
Of Ramadan i-abakan perceived El-Seruja h
at distance Of eight or nine miles. His
heart beat painfully, but the thought that he
was born to he prince strengthened his re-
solves uIll tueit NJ utDu uu
the following day he saw a long train Of
horses and camels going towards El-Serujah
The caravan halted at the foot OF the hill on
which the column situated and the mag
nifcence OF the appointments testified to its
being the retinue OF great prince
The sun on the following morning awakened
him. and he realized that he was about to
take the most important step OF his life As
he salidled his horse in order to ride to the
column he became conscious of the extreme
injustice Of his course, and thought of tho
disappointment Omar would experience But
the die was cast. 1t was impossib bic to retrace
his steps and his self love told him that his
appearance was doubtless stately enough to
impress the fathe, Encouraged by these re-
Elections he s,urrysl ON his horse and in Q short
time reached the hill
He dismounted and walked up the bill,
holding the dagger in his hand AT the base
OF tn, column he perceived seven men, one Of
them Of exalted and royal men. His mag
nlticent gold embroidered caftan. partly hid
| den by a white cashmere shawl, and his white,
bejeweled turban denoted him to be man of
wealth and station Labakan approached
him. and making a profound obeisance while
| presenting the dagger, he said
a am he whom ye seek"
Praised be the prophet that hath protected
thee" responded the old man with tears in
his eyes Embrace your old father, my be
loved son, Omar
The poor tailor was much touched By these
words and with a mixture Of joy and shame
he sank into the extended arms But for q
moment only As he raised himself from the
| embrace he saw rider and steed approach
ing The horse appeared unable or unwilling
20 In urNh trult lie
came on, the rider urging 1t with hands and
! feet.
Labakan soon recognized his sorry nag
Murva and the real Omar. But the evil
spirit of lying had taken possession OF him
and he resolved whatever might happen to
present a brazen front The rider threw him
self from his horse and dashed up the hill
stop he cried, stop whoever ys may
| be, and be not deceived by a shameless cheat
Ny name is Omar and let no mol tai dare to
misuse it."
Great surprise showed itself on tho faces OF
all present The old man particularly ap
peared struck, and gazed from to the
other Of tho young men in Il questioning
manner But I-abakan said, with forced com
posure
GRACIOUS sir aud father be not misled by
this person, whom know to tie al insane
tailor from Alexandria, named Labaiian He
deserves rather our pity than our anger"
These words made Omar nearly frantic,
and he about to fly at Labakan when the
bystanders inrerfered and held him fast
Really, my dear son." said the father
the man is crazy. Let him be bound and
placed upon camel Help may be found
for him"
With these words father and son mounted
richly caparisoned steds. But poor Omar
was tied band and foot and placed upon a
dromedary, while two OF the men remained
close by him, keeping a watchful eye upon
mighty sultan, and with many expressions
Of satisfaction at Labakan's stately air and
pleasing figure, he repeated to MIN the story
he had already heard from Omar
Arrived at the capital they found the
streets spanned with gay arches and the
houses made gorgeous with highly colored
rugs suspended from the windows, and the
people praised Allah and the prophet for hay
ing sent them so fair prince
IN the same proportion that Labakan's
heart rebounded With joy, 90 Omar felt un-
happy and respondent The name Omar
was on every mans lips, yet the bearer of the
same ~as not at all associated with it He
was known only as the crazy tailor
The sultana, an elderly and much vener-
ated lady, awaited them with brilliant ret
niue in the most magnificent apartment Of
the palacs- She sat upon a throne Of gold
studded with amethysts, and four great