Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-08-01

In the last years of the Eighth cent
ury there reigned in Bagdad the Calipl
Abulfeda. Into the Golfers of his prede
cessors the wealth of the east had beer
poured with most unsparing hand, an(
the magnificent "City of the Enchant
ress" was not only the abode of Peac., >
bat splendid jewel in the Empire o.
the Faithful.
OF all the caliphs of this wonderful
city since Almansor, its founder, no two
he'd blessed or cursed the world witt
the same idea of what it was necessary
that man should do to enjoy life in
this world, and at death to be worthy O;
a place among the dark eyed damsels
ard beautiful youths of the gardens Of
| Paradise.
The maonifr"1t Almamoun scattered
his inestimabls wes.Ita IL the greatest
contrast witE the abstemiousness and
frugality Of the mighty Omar; and the
Haroun-el Raschid of Bagdad is vastly
different from the Akbah. whose fanatic
advance only the heaving waves of the
| Atlantic WERE able to hinder.
The Caliph Abulfeda had succeeded
his father, whose desire to gather the
gold of the then known world into Bag
dad, without expanding it for any pur-
pose, had put the youthful prince 70
many disadvantages, and fostered in him
the desire 10 do otherwise when he
would succeed to the mantle of the
prophet. Therefore when his own sons
were choosing their ends or pleasures
the Caliph Abulfeda was always ready
to forward or indulge them.
Among the youngest Of his many chill
dren was Ali. For years he had brooded
over and planned on the idea Of = won
derful ediice that he hoped in time to
construct. OF all the magnificent struc-
lures it had been his privilege as 4 son OF
the Commander Of the Faithful to see.
none was in all things the perfection OF
which the young prince dreamed. There
fore, Oh the death of his father, the
prince began the building CT the lon; de-
ferred happiness.
In time there arose ON the banks Of
the river the most wonderful architect
ural dream that even that magic age
and that wonderful city had produced.
Yet to the prince it was unfinished;
something WAS yet lacking to make it
the abode of perfect pleasure.
One evening the prince was saunter-
ing along one Of the most magnificent of
the curiously carved arcades of the pal
ace when voice called his name:
prince Ali! son OF Abulfeda! Prince
Ali! son of Abuifedan'
The young prince glanced quickly
around on all sides, but beheld no one
except the silent sentinels on guard
around the palace and the picturesque
horsemen that, at little distance, rode
slowly back and forth as safeguards
against APPROACHING danger.
Again came the voice:
"Prince Ali. son of Abulfedai Prince
Ali! son of AbUlfedap'
Quick as fash the prince drew the
Splendid ornamented and equally splen-
didly tempered blade at his side and
stood ready to face any opponent.
But it WIS unnecessary. Before him
stood an old man, bowed and whitened |
by the sorrows and trials Of many years.
LILO CIV lAGll1l1CL ttlSO
him as belonging to some other period.
prince Ali son of Abulfeda!" he |
began.
81 am" assented Prince Ali, scarcely |
knowing whether to tower up to his full |
height and answer with the pride he felt
in his noble name, or acknowledge his
inferiority before higher power.
II know you, know you," answered
the aged man. 81 knew your honored |
father and your fathers fathers, and
a supernatural expression spreading over
his visage-''and l stood side by side
with the prophet himself in many a
dearly won fight with the enemies OF /
the only true belief. But l wronged
him. did him an injustice, and there
fore is my slumber in the tomb dis
turbed. When the Commander of the
Faithful, or one of his children, has an
earnest longing or desire, 1, or some
other who has wronged the prophet, is
called from the tomb, in answer to their
prayers.
prince Ali! son of AbulfeG&l What
is thy desire?"
The prince thereupon began at the
birth of his hope for the possession of an
wonder, and related ali u-
til its completion.
81 understand! / understands cried
the old man, slowly reckoning the prince
10 silence You have exhausted your
worldly knowledge in attempting to sue
,eed to happiness, in gratifying your de-
g., Ill L. TcarrS~ 4
sit is" answered the prince, ''azId ]
now yearn for something beyond the
power Of man to accomplish or :Inder-
stand"
BE it then IS you DESIRE" answered
he aged father. "Behold this staff. Ask
lot from whence it came, nor discover
he mystery to any living man, until ]
return for its possession.
The prince took the staff and looked il
over. but nothing extraordi
lary occurred Seeing his expectancy
he aged man continued:
THE followers of the good man Jesus
whom the Christians believe, and the
gorshipers of the stars and moon, and
he elements, and other works and do .
ngs of the one and only God-for there
5 but one God, and Mohammed is his
images beautiful to be-
Iold, yet far from the handiwork of the
reator. To US is forbidden such i'm
ges- Would you fill the structure you
ave built with more wonderful images.
'eyond the construction or understand
ng of mankindY'
~ would! / would!' exclaimed the
rince, delighted with the expectation.
The power is in your hand" an
wered the strange visitor, and vanished.
For several minutes the prince stood
s if awakened from dream. But not
ong. for just at that moment a young
irl, favorite with the prince, came on
iptoe behind him. Noiselessly, as the
oft breeze that scarce moved the dark
air that fell uncontrolled over her white
houlders, she crept up, and was about to
lasp her small hands over his eyes,
yhen the prince. seeing the shadow and