The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-28

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wife to her husband in the form of wha
he believed to be light and amusing mar
rative, with an occasional oasis where tn
laughter necessary to the weak feminin
mind might come in appropriately.
Fatima sat down to listen 70 this story
on cushion at her husbands feet Be
tween them was a chatting dish full OF no
Goals, for the day was chilly. After having
glanced occasionally at Fatima, to see tina
her great black eyes were wide open, Add
er-Rahman became lost in his reading
Suddenly smell of smoke and undu,
TO the fact that his Fatima had fallen asleeI
Goals of the chatting dish.
While extinguishing the clothing of hi.
bride, Abd-er-Rahman did not observe thai
the chatting dish was overset. He saved
Fatima's life. but his dwelling and all tina,
it contained were destroyed. However
| Fatima was very cunning. She declared
to her husband that the interest she felt il
| the erring wife, who was the heroine of the
tale, was SO excessive that she had actually
swooned away. Sleep! Not she, while he
honored her by a private reading. This
delicate fattery touched Abder-Rahman':
heart. He vowed she should be his sole
and only wife, which in land where q
gentleman may legally have as many as he
can afford was an unusual compliment
and when a new home had been prepared
| lie set himself to the completion of a tale
that should excel anything ever before
written.
When it came to the reading, Fatima ex-
| pressed delight, but prudently requested
TO no rad 70 cto hafo bil 70
he read. This she did, hoping to remain
awake; but, alas! the soporitic influence of
| the new narrative WAS so great that the
| poor wife, unable to resist it, went to skeep
standing, fell and broke several of her
bones. However. her desire to please hen
husband was intense, and while lying upon
her couch awaiting the healing of her in
juries she requested him to write and read
to her something suitable TO her condition
To this he assented; and having concocted
an essay on the good effect of suffering
upon women, and the evil that too much
happiness was sure 60 occasion, he pro-
ceeded to read it to Fatima, who had suf-
fered too much pain of late to sleep sound
ly, and who WAS greatly exhausted. The
tale was divided into three events or chap
tiers.
At the end of the first Fatima was
wrapped in slumber. AS she had hidden
faithful slave to declare her wide awake,
but speeches. with interest, her spouse
read on until the conclusion, when the at
tendant physician arrived. Alasl he found
Fatima in so deep a sleep that nothing
could rouse her. And, as she slept steadily
for three days and three nights, the worthy
doctor felt it due to himself to accuse ADD
Poh IF ai hi 10
The penalty was very severe, and the only
way in which his wife could free him from
the false accusation was to tell the truth
the whole truth and nothing but the truth
about his readings.
Adder Rahman only saved his head by
the sacrifice of all his pride and vanity.
But Fatima was very acute and very anxi-
Gus to make her husband happy. Once
alone with him, she declared that the mat
ter of the tale was wildly interesting. but
that his voice, so soft and duIcet and re-
fined, and his manner SO calm and sooth-
ing, induced repose, and she advised him
to have his admirable narratives read aloud
by some harsh voiced slave in his presence
Adder Rahman took his wife's advice
which she contrived to twist into a compl-
ment-and filed his kiosk in the garden
their midst, reclined upon his cushions and
babe him proceed.
The first sentences were certainly fine
He congratulated himself on being their
author. He placed his head in a more
comfortable position, and in q moment
more was sound asleep. When he awoke,
the kiosk was empty of all but himself and
the slave, who, with the last lines of his |
tar'S iva Ia1 IL.
was sleeping peacefully.
Terror, modification, rage and sorrow !
now possessed the unhappy author And |
having beaten the poor slave awake he |
rushed into his house to find his guests |
about it, evidently quite at home, |
eating what they chose, drinking what they |
liked and generally laughing at him. Fin
ally discovering a certain man actually Civ |
ing an imitation of his readings, he rushed /
upon him, and in his rage wounded him SO /
severely that he died. For this ne was ar
rested. The fact that the man had intrud-
ed into his harem being brought forward
by the wise Fatima, who claimed that she
had called upon her husband to drive him
forth. saved Adder Rahman's life. But
as the guest was man of high position,
vengeance was necessary. All that the
be found himself destitute and forlorn,
wandering in the streets of Cairo, his only
his faithful Fatima
1t was at this period that great man of
The town, afflicted with insomnia, offered
A large reward TO any physician who could
restore to him the blessing of slum Der.
Fatima, hearing of this. sought the great
mans residence and implored him TO per-
nit her husband to read one of his nara
ives to him.
The fame of these soporifc entertain
nents had spread through Cairo, and Fs-
ima's request was granted.
Adder Rahman took his seat beside the
nvalid's bedside armed with his latest pro-
iuction, entitled What Avails Wealth If
Health Forsake a Manf' and in half an
lour had done what all the doctors in the
and had failed to accomplish. The great
nan slumbered sweetly.
On awakening he appointed the now
lumbled Adder Rahman to be his chief
eader, and as long as he lived the latter
leld that position, bound to read 70 his
mployer every night new and original
narrative.
At last be had obtained an audience. He :
vas invaluable TO a man who found It diff
cult to slumber.-Mary Kyle Dallas IN
Sew York Ledger