The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-05-05
ALL.

Nry there reigned in Bagdad the Caliph
Abulfeda. Into the Golfers of his prede-
oessors the wealth of the east had been
poured with most unsparing hand, and
the magnificent CITY of the Enchant-
ress" was not only the ''Abode of Peace"
but splendid jewel in the Empire of
the Faithful.
OF all the caliphs of this wonderful
city since Almansor, its founder, no two
had blessed or cursed the world with
the same idea of what it was necessary
that man should do to enjoy life in
this world, and at death to be worthy of
place among the dark eyed damsels
and beautiful youths of the gardens of
Paradise
The magnificent Almamoun scattered
his inestimable wealth in the greatest
contrast with 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 expending it for any pur-
pose, had put the youthful prince to
many disadvantages, and fostered in him
the desire to 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 a won
derful editice that he hoped in time to
construct. OF all the magnificent struc-
tures it had been his privilege as son of
the Commander of the Faithful to see,
none was in all things the perfection of
which the young prince dreamed. There
fore. on the death of his father, the
prince began the building Of the long 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
nee when a voice called his name:
Prince Ali! son of Abulfedal Prince
Ali son of Abulfedar'
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:
''Yrince Ali! son of Abulfeda! Prince
Ali! son of Abulfedar'
Quick as flash the prince drew the
splendidly ornamented and equally splen-
didly tempered blade at his side and
stood ready to face any opponent.
But it was unnecessary. Before him
stood an old man, bowed and whitened
by the sorrows and trials of many years.
His dress and manner also distinguished
him as belonging to some other period.
"Prince Alii son of Abulfedal" 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.
81 know you, know you," answered
the aged man. 81 knew your honored
father and your fathers fathers, and''-
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. l did him an injustice, and there
fore is my sTomber 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 Abulfecal What
is thy desirer'
The prince thereupon began at the
birth of his hope for the possession of ar
architectural wonder, and related all un-
til its completion.
s'I understand l understands cried
the old man, slowly beckoning the prince
to silence. 'tYou have exhausted your
worldly knowledge in attempting to sue
ceed to happiness, in gratifying your de-
sire, and have failed? Is it not as say?"
"It is" answered the prince, land
now yearn for something beyond the
power of man to accomplish or under
stand"
''Be it then as you DESIRE" answered
the aged father. Behold this staff. Ask
not from whence it came, nor discover
the mystery to any living man, until /
return for its possession"
The prince took the staff and looked it
curiously over, but nothing extraordi-