Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-29
THE MAN WHO READ.

When tho wealthy merchant who was
The father of Abicr ilahmau Al'laknn
drranl died. me son. feeling great gfiei ~
hls loss, retired from the world. lloneIthei
had any dealings with other merchants M
held social iniercourg with his friends
Ne hemoanei himself when be arose ald
when he went 10 rcst, and found bis only
solace IN study.
Amer while he forgot even BE great
rrlof In tho accumulation % knowledge
aud finally became convinced Tint BE- was
morn thoroughly rad, visor, better iu'
formedand more highly accomplished than
any other man alive, and that Il was ri
least a ain Of omission % keep all this wis
dom shut up within hl. own brain. HAY
ing communed With himself for q space hs
resolved 10 write q series N Instructive
narratives aud rad them nlold 10 persons
whose opportunities had becn les than biz,
And having carefully prepared a con
densed history u Arabia, c0uchcd In sim
pic language. hc called together all his
sliycs. servants and Attendants, poor Great
urca who had never before had any In.
tiructlon Whatever aud having advised
them that he was about 20 Improve their
minds. began 70 rchd aloud.
50 deeply Interested Ia hls own perform.
anoe was be- that only the fading light NJ
tho lamps, In which ,he oil had burned
low, aroused him lic looke' about him
The slaves whom be had permitted 10 seat
themselves worr most uf them lying fiat,
resting upon each others knees, curlci up
IN corners Every eve wns lightly shut.
and thosn who had the habit were snoring
lils frst reading had but one auditor
himself
A. Adler i,ahman arose ia his wrath, q
sound " tumult fell upon BE can. The
slaves bad left the gates uniastened when
they came 10 paftake Of this their first
intellectual feast, which hal had all tho
effect u opium upon their senses Rob
bcrs had entered and plundcrcd the house.
the police had just discovered the fact. and
according 10 the law of Cairo. the hoii,e.
holiler who had placed such Temptation
before tho weak aud sinful was arrested
and heavily fined.
Adler Rahman had lost n great deal Of
moncy by this his hut venture ~ m In.
struotor ~ mankind, and had suffered not
n few panna Of wounded vanity besides.
However, these were poor. ignorant slaves,
weary with toll Perhaps hs had bcen
foolish 10 choose such an audience. The
next reading should be- very different one.
In pursuance Of this resolution he made
preparations for u great entertainment In
tho most fashionable manner, invited his
nsnst elegant and wealthy friends and
wrote what he believed To be most
charming story, In which ho proved, by
means Of tho most thrilling Incidents, tho
truth that the most powerful men on earth
must OF necessity rcpolc all their trust IN
Almighty Cod aud which he proposed 10
rad TO his guests after they had done lus.
ticc 10 HI. feast, a. the speeches and other
Intellectual good things come Ia aftdf a
modern dinner.
Meanwhile four distinguished looking
sirangcr-forelgners-had called upon
HIN, requesting Invitations 20 his enter
talnmenti not for the sake Of it, meat ard
drink and good company, hut because Of
their great desire 10 hear that wonderful
reading which WA TO follow. The delight
ell Abd-cr-iiahman extended them every
courtesy and introduced them, under tho
nns names aud titles that they gave, 10 all
his friends. Moreover he placed them on
his right hand and directed most OF bis
convcrpaiion 10 them.
Finally tho feast was over. The manu-.
script, wrapped In an embroidered napkin,
was brought 10 tho host hn, no began 10
rad what he had written. 10 his horror,
~ NJ Intervals he cast his eyes over the
company 10 note what effect he had pro.
duccd, he saw one after tho other pass
gently Into the Land ~ Nod. They did
not sprawl and snorc aa the slaves had
done, bat such dlgniilcd rcpose a. the pas.
Tor Of many church has the opportunity
OF observing every Sunday ieli upon them.
All were listening intsntly with folded
arms and bent heads and closed lids, save
the four strangers, who sat bolt upright.
oil their eight eyes fixed upon tho coun.
tennnco 81 the reader THIS fart was balm
10 tho AFFLICTED soul Of Abd.er.I,ahman.
And having concluded hls tale and re.
c.iNed the usual tokens II oriental ap.
plAnse' he oomnlimentod these gentlemen
on The superiority Of their intellect.
IT was the thrilling Interest Of the tale
which held ~, said tho eldest. "Mny We
b. permitted 10 lingcr In your COMPANY Tor
awhile In order 10 enjoy your conyersa.
tlouip
Adder i'Ahman expressed himself a.
highly houortd, and proceeded, assisted nv
his servnnt', 10 arouse MI. sleeping guest,
aud dismiss them, Ia fact, he clyilly turned
them out of hla house and returned 10 seek
the four wise men. Alasl they were mis-.
lug, and with thom had vanished seryie,
OF gold sct with gems, which had adorned
The table, aud all tho silver used, ave ous
nat ,alycr, on which tho robhcr chief Al
liafran, had written thanks for his good
thinner and the trouble the learned gentle.
man hal taken Ia entertain him. ia fact.
Ahlef l1ahmnn had had for hts guest tho
arch chief Of tho orient aud three Of h.,
gang.
In haste he rushed t0thc chief oftheiani
Illrica 70 make a complaint, but only cot
himself into trouble Tor having harbnrGl
such criminal under his roof, was fined
and bastlnadocd aud much ravlled. Morn.
over, he had offended every friend he bnd
by his abrupt dismissal VI biz quests. IA
one would speak 10 him, and he was very
wrrtehel, However. no 30 Rrrntly desir.1
20 give hls readings that IL occurred Ia HIM
ihnt howould no longer remain a bachelor.
he would marry a wife.
Naturally children would arrive I, tim.
no would have an audience M his own, dc.
lighted that he tho head VI the house. NJ
oondescended 10 them. As no wished hs
M'le 70 he woman Of mind aud expcrl.
ence he chose the widow OF very learned
and distinguished man, An might bnye
bern wen but that Adder Rnhmnn com.
e,siVcd the Idea Of readinga narrative an
TIE occasion of hla wedding feast. and nm.
luckily carried lt out N ""
Alnsl tho hrldo's uucleslcn, before he had
Finished three sentences. the brides fntner
followed suit Ont nitor the other I'M
su,sla dropped u1 more or les poacefnlly
th1 thc only ponon who rcmninel a,gsts
Va relalltr ui tho bride. the blacl, .b,e,
OF vac iimlly Unfortunately Abdor.liab.
NJ t'd ehnseu Tor bis tllo tho M, of a
N''t-u young mHn, and the listener cbo !,
Nson'lder u ana ofeuse, moral lesson Il,
fee'rd personally 20 himself and ma II
Inn Lulm.nnL uuL NM -. - ---- ~