The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-01-29
THE CALIPH'S DAUGHTER.
-wlsy Her Fathef Allowed Fer TO
We'd an Englishman.

The Caliph of Allamagdalla, Muzaben
Nozier, sat cross-legged on great heap
of cushions, clad in a long silken robe
fhat was drawn closely about his thin
form. A tall hookah stood on the floor
near his feet, and In his hand he held
It's heavily jeweled mouthpiece, which
he raised now and then to his lips,
and sent curling wreath Of smoke cell
ingward.
He was an interesting man to look at,
was the Caliph of Allamagdalla. His
face was wrinlzled and of ashy pale
ness, his brow narrow and drawn to
gether over his eyes into heavy frown,
whose severity was heightened by long,
dropping white mustache, which fell
zigidly over his robe. Apair Of dark eyes,
deep set under his heavy eyebrows, gilt
tered unpleasantly as he sat there, un.
moved and unmoving, save as he carried
the stem of his pipe to his mouth and
back again.
Despite, however, his seeming calm,
4he Caliph was In trouble. Something
had occurred when he was eating his
murning meal which had aroused his
Hears and set him thinking In q chan
NIL SO unpleasant that, If possible, his
face was shade paler than usual, and
'fhe little eyes moved restlessly TO and
Eixu.
He had noticed. or thought he noticed,
n peculiar taste in one of the dishes
which his servants had set before him,
and, with the instinct of one who Is in
perpetual dread Of assassination, he
rcal1ed the head servant to him.
-.Here, thou dog and son Of dog, he
-said, pushing the dish toward the slave,
--eat that"
Now in land where the people feel
for their heads the first thing on waking
in the morning, thus assuring them
selves that that uncertain member has
not been Topped off during the night;
where murder is Of such common occur
renee and so much of pastime for
these in high authority, an order that is
in any way unusual is likely to be con-
sidered as O. death warrant. The un-
fortunate slave knew that to disobey
meant certain death, but he also knew
that it was very probable that the food
was poisoned, as the Caliph suspected.
At any rate, he preferred not to risk
the poison. He threw himself down be-
lore the Caliph and ground his forehead
in the dust.
'sThou art the most mighty ruler,
with dominion like unto the dominion
OF the sum-" he said. ''Thy majesty Is
most exalted of all under Allah. Allah
is great. can not eat"
The last words were spoken almost In
a gasp, for the Caliph's brow was grow
ing darker with the awful rage of one
who is unaccustomed to aught but alb
.solute obedience. He pushed the dish
fairly under the slaves nose.
SEAT, dog" he cried.
The slave rose, trembling in every
limb, and his face growing CHASTITY un-
der his swarthy skin. He stepped back
breast.
ST can not" he said, simply and sui
lenly.
Of course there was but one thing
that could happen now. They carried
the poor slave away to meet his doom,
but for once this did not soothe the
Caliph's troubled mind, and, as he sat
there on his cushions, thinking, think
ing, thinking, he realized almost for
the first time that 1t was in every way
likely that his people al hated him and
would be rejoiced at his downfall. He
could think of not one reason why they
ought to love him and his long, bony
fingers tightened rigidly about the jew
e1led mouthpiece Of his hoolknh, as he
'xhought of the danger in which he hour
~ lived
Two things appeared TO him certain.
He must increase his body guard and he
must have faster for his food The
:3prmer was easy to accomplish, but he
ANEW that it would take large reward
md unusual persuasion to obtain the
latter.
10 obtain this end, however, he was
determined, and, having once deter
mined it, he sent for the head of his
household.
The latter came, salaaming pro-
.dDundlyS
The Caliph told the man what he
wanted, gently limiting, at the same
time, at the penalty which was involved
in failure, viz, that his body should be
torn by vultures or given to the jackals
land wild pigs of the forest, and that
after death his spirit should enter into
the dog, who was indeed his father, etc.
The man bowed himself low.
rtThou art the Light of the Earth, O,
Caliph! 1t is DONE" he said, and went
sUut salaaming.
Tom Walters, young English chem
ist with taste for out-of-the-way
places and solitary travel, awoke with o
sense of pain throughout his whole
body, and put his hand to his head
Where was he-what was the matter2
He saw two tall brick walls on either
side of him and narrow strip of blue
sxly above his head.
He slowly picked himself up and
1ool1ed around. He had been asleep in
lsn alley, with his head resting on the
scobble stones. So much was evident,
aut how did he get there?
For long time he stood quite still
tgath his hand on his forehead, trying
10 ollect his thoughts, until at last q