The morning call., 1892-05-29

POSSESSED great power, 50 that this was one
Of the richest aud most powerful OF king
dOmS, and both l and my memlOOk
were abashed, aud said no more. but 1t
seemed 10 me most wonderful event and
an extraordinary occurrence that in so great
and fertile and pOpulous country there
should be no men but those who cared to
engage In the transportation Of goods for
their fellows CT merchants sufficiently
versed in traffic to provide for themselves
carriers. ana l said to my memlook, Verify
this thing does not occur save that that may
be fulfilled that is written on the foTeheads
Of these people. the will Of Allah be done"
AS we rode along l observed that
the road on which we Travelled was broad
and fair and lined on either side with
beautiful trees, and was smooth TO travel on,
withal, like the faiTest roads Of this blessed
land, but on nv right hand and near the
most travelled portion Of the road extended
q long WallOw like the depression made by
some crawling beast as he j1uncycth back
and forth from his den to the water, and /
meditated that probably a great serpent
had made his den near by and that this was
his travelled pathway to drink. And, pres
emily. in place of the wallOw, appeared a
huge round body, of the same size of the
wall0w, and / imagined mat probably the
serpent was sleeping, covered with the
earth. and a great fear moved NE lest he
should awake and seize US, so l rode in
silence until the serpent was passed and
we once more trayeTsed beside the wailOw,
which continued many miles in length. and
greatly impaired the width and beauty Of
the road. Then ! said 20 the Sheykh: why
does not your Sultan call out his armed men
and brave soldiers and Stay this great
. serpent that sleeUath and wallOweth by the
roadside and probably, and / doubt not, de-
YouTcth the people when be miudeth."
And the Sneykb was wrOth and said to
me Know that in this country We have
GIL lttF "a nd
free. Moreover this is no serpent, but the
pipes Of q great water company that Owneth
the waters Of the great streams hereRbOuts
and cOnyeyeh them 10 a great city, where
they sell it to the people"
"VeTily," said !, this is a wonderful
thing. 10 my country the waters and rivers
belong TO God, who made them and the
lands through which they flow, and those
who desire may dip up and carry to the
cities and sell to the people, but no man
may own the waters or spoil the roads to
convey the waters anywhere. Who per
mitteth thls?" And he said: "The servants
of the people" DO the people," I asked,
desire that their roads should be spoiled?"
and he ans wered Verify not, they COM
plain bitterly, but il seemeth to avail naught.
That which IS written is written, and the
will Of Allah be done"
Then we drew nigh into city, and 10 !!
there was great cOmmOti0n, and certain
OF the people were engaged in strife with
certain others. and were armed, and would
have fought with their weapons. Then the
Sheykh said: What is the trouble, and
why strive you among yourselves and one
answered, Tine powers would take his
land, that he hOldeth lawfully, and convert
il to their own use"
Then said | unto the Sheykh: "Why do
they strive? Why doth he not complain to
the Walee, who would lay hold upon the
opDressor, and carry him to the Cadee, and
compel him to forego his oppression. This
is no way to settle dispute"
Aud the Sheykh said: Know that the
Walee and the Cadee and the law are all in
the power Of the OpDress1T, who hath OBJ
tanned control of them and keepeth it."
Then said ! This is most extraordinary.
In certain of my voyages ! came Orce into
the land OF the ghOuls, which creatures lay
hold upon the sons Of Adam and climb upon
their shoulders, and entwine their legs
around their necks, and ride upon them like
as if they we're asses, but this you tell me is
a free country, where it is not likely that
the sons of Adam may be converted into
asses and ridden like these beasts. Explain
to me, therefore. how it is that the Walees
and Cadees and executlOners are in power
over the pe0ple?" Aud he said: The
people so elect and name them for their Of
fees" And who" ] asked again, "created
these powers, who Cypress and destroy ?"
And he replied ''The peonle who have
/
aud who maintain them and permit the con-
tinuance of their power" And cannot
the people take back that power and use 1t
for good instead of eYil?" And he replied,
They can"
At this my reason was COMPOUNDED and l
maryeled In all my vOyaging aud adVen-
lures ! hal come across no more wonderful
thing than this, that men maintained and
upheld their own Oppress0rs. and l Que5-
toned the Sheykh as to Why this WIS SO,
and he said: Because each man hopeth in
his heart to amass riches and become in his
turn a mOnopoist and oppTessor."
rs there ground for such hope" [ asked,
but he answered: There is no ground, nor
room for such ground, in the world. The
oppTessors are constantly aiding to their
power, the people are constantly losing
| theirs. In time the oppressors will be all
| powerful, the people helpless. but who shall
gainsny the will Of Allah ?" and the Sheykh
slapped his face and tore his beard and put
OF the dust OF the street upon his head.
u remained In that country for the space
VI four months, and the sights saw there
surpassed IN wonder the events of all my
] previous voyages, as you will see when |
| have finished my narrative and related TO
| you my case"
just then the cock was heard to crow,
and. day beginning TO dawn, ScheheraZade
| was obliged to stop here. "TTuly," ex-
| claimed the Sultan Schahriar, "this adVen-
| ture ineTeaseth in words. am impatient
to hear the end of 1t and TO know the case
| of the people In that country, whsre thew
L