Arizona republican., 1891-06-04
ALL.

ury there reigned in Bagdad the Caliph Abulfeda. Into the coffers of his prede- cessors 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 chil- dren was Ali. For years he had brooded over and planned on the idea of won derful edihce that he hoped in time to construct. Of all the magnificent struc- lures it had been his privilege as son of the Commander of the Faithful to see, one 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; 
 the abode of perfect pleasure.
 One evening the prince was sumter ing along one of the most magnificent of the curiously carved arcades of the pal ace when a voice called his name:
 "Prince Ali! son of Abulfeda! Prince Ali! son of Abulfeda"
 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 Abulfeda! Prince Ali! son of Abulfedar q,
 Quick as flash the prince drew the splendidly ornamented and equally splen- didiy 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 Ali! son of AbulfedaT he began.
 Iam," 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.
 "I know you, know you," answered the aged man. "I knew your honored father and your fathers fathers, and"- A supernatural expression spreading over his yisage-"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, l, or some other who has wronged the prophet, IS called from the tomb, in answer to their prayers. u,,..
 "Prince Ali. son of Abulfeda! What Is thy desireY
 The prince thereupon began at the birth of his hope for the possession or an architectural wonder, and related all un- til it's completion. ,
 I understand! 1 understandr cried the old man, slowly beckoning the prince to silence. "You have exhausted your worldly knowledge in attempting to sue ceed to happiness. in gratifying your de. e. sire, and have failed? Is It not as says
 it is," answered the prince, "and now yearn for something beyond tne 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 eKtraord'