Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-20
ALI.

ALL.
In the last years OF the Eighth cent
ury there reigned in Bagdad the Caliph
Abulfeda. Into the Golfers 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
| a 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
| irugality 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 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 Won
derful edifce 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,
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
ace when voice called his name:
.Prince Alt 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
Alt son of Abulfeda!"
Quick as fash the prince drew the
splendidly ornamented and equally splen-
didly tempered blad. 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 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.
81 know you. l know you," answered
the aged man. Il knew your honored
father and your fathers fathers, and
a supernatural expression spreading over
his visage-"and stood side by side
with the prophet himself in many
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.
prince Ali! son of Abulfeda! What
is thy desire%
The prince thereupon began at the
birth of his hope for the possession of an
architectural wonder, and related all I'M
til its completion.
| 81 understand. I understand" cried
the old man, slowly reckoning the prince
to silence. "You have exhausted Your
worldly knowledge in attempting to sue
coed to happiness, in gratifying your de-
sire, and have failed? Is it not as say:e'
| sit is answered the prince, land l
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 i.
curiouely over, but nothing extraordi-
fnary occurred. Seeing his expectancy
the aged man continued:
The followers of the good man Jesus,
whom the Christians believe, and the
worshipers Of the stars and moon, and
the elements. and other works and do
ings of the one and only God-for there
is but one God, and Mohammed is his
prophet-have images beautiful to be-
hold, yet far from the handiwork Of the
| creator. To us is forbidden such i'm
ages. Would you fill the structure you
have built with more wonderful images,
beyond the construction or understand
ing of mankindy'
II would! l wouldr exclaimed the
prince, delighted with the expectation.
1.-THE power is in yonr hand" an
swered the strange visitor, and vanished.
For several minutes the prince stood
as if awakened from dream. But not
long. for just at that moment young
girl, favorite with the prince, came on
tiptoe behind him. Noiselessly, az the
soft breeze that scarce moved the dark
hair that fell uncontrolled over her white
shoulders, she crept mp, and was about to
clasp her small hands over his eyes,
when the prince, seeing the shadow, and
excited by the strange visitor who had
just left him, wheeled suddenly around,
ard in Ioiuo or. for,chad the 1or<,d;x<.