Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-07-15
THY \ 2El XERASs

L WnOfe reputation as q devOut Mussulman
extended throughout the entire kingdom.
His habitation was the maiSsole6m Of a
hadti whose origin was epysloped lnmys.
terry and whose name rad been lost 10 pos
terity,y His nsmeyy ehowsve5 rs faith
ful follower OF the prophet wa venerated
| By all true beiieverS. aud the odor ~ his
| sanctity was an eyetil.sting. monument TO
| bis many virtues. Many were the miracu-
lous cures aid TO have been effected at his
tomb, and worshipers from far and near
were wont to mako pilgrimsees thereto in
| order to perforui their dsvotious. Great
plumbers OF them found relief from bodily
| his, and many we're the aifts the good sheik
received In testimony OF their gratitude
The choicest oY tIieir f1bcks and fields. silks
and other precious SUITS and many purses
Of gold were laid 40 his feet laa rnfuoh'
hi The young deryish whom be had tak eu
as . pnpu and whose duty IL was 10 feed
the lamp kept burning continually before
the sacred tomb, praised Allah that II had
been granted him to serve 40 holy man,
and whenever bis duties permitted he conld
be found listening To tbe words OF wisdom
and instruction that fell. nom the sheik's
lips His term of probation; however, be-
ing ended he took leave of his master with
many tears and soon after sttained great
renown In one Of the neigbboring cities
T Now, IL 80 happened that the new dervish
whom the sheik took A. pupil and servant
was q most tndolent and GOOD for nothing
fellow, whose sole ambition was full
stomach and who after serving 10 years
showed no inclination to better his fortune,
as his predecessor had done. ,,,,e,,r ,av
The sheik thereupon one day addressed
him thus,
"Allah Keri,n, GOD is greatl My son, II
h useless for you TO remain longer In my
servica You have attained all che knowl-
| edge II u In my power To bestow Oh you.
Go. therefore, and seek your fortune Ian the
world. ! giye,yo this, ASS To hep, you on
your Journey, and may, Allah and his
prophet be with you and grant you long
life" Nnr1" "'i ~ rf'~ "
= The dervish humbiy kissed the hand Of
his patron, and taking the ass by the halter
led him forth. intending to mount him as
soon - he had left the precincts Of the holy
place.
Alas, hardly had he gone few steps ere
be became aware that his companion was
woefully lame and decrepit and that II
would be utterly impossible to make use OF
him He therefore procured stout cudgel
from neighboring thicket, and with many
ncy. Thus he drove him the entire day and
until far into the night, when suddenly the
beast fell by the roadside and expired.
"Alas." said the dsrvish. what shall
now doi II allow this miserable ass to lie
whore he has fallen, his carrton will In q
abort time pollute the air, and I, being q
stranger, shall doubtless be thrown into
prison and bastinadosd. will therefore
dIo a Mt and burv him here"
He then. with much labor. dug q deep
hole, threw the body In, and having covered
II decently sat himself down on the mound
20 rest from his exertion and commenced
bewailihg his mournful plight
While thus lamenting and weeping he no
ticed . body Of horsemen, magniacently
mounted and nttired, riding rapidly In his
direction across the plain. Their attention
was at once attracted BY the dervish and
the mound ON which he sat, and upon ar
irving near by they halted.
Doubtless there were two dsrvishes,"
said one OF the horssmen to the leader Of
the party. "One of them has fallen by the
wayside, and his companion has buried him
here and Is mourning his loss"
This view of the case seemed to them so
probable and showed such devotion on the
part Of the mourner that they dismounted
and approached the dervish, Offering words
Of consolation and sympathy.
"Allah be with you and give you long
lifeI" said the leader, who was none other
than the caliphs vizier returning from a
hunting expedition I'VE see with much
sorrow that you have lost your brother. |
pray you, however, console yourself aud dry
your tears, for, Allah be praised, we are
true believers and will build mausoleum
over the remains Of your departed brother
who Is now doubtless In the arms of the
prophet, and you shall keep watch over the
sacred rslics Be Of good cheer, therefore,
and take no heed for the future"
The dervish moaned piteously for few
moments. and then looking up, with tears
streaming down his face, replied: ALLAH
Is great, and his goodness Ia beyond hu-
man knowledge, yet IL is a terrible afflic-
tion, my lord, TO lose one who has been my
companion for these many years and who
In all that time has never given me harsh
word, nor have ever heard him speak an
uhtruth Verify. he was q model Of pa
ttenca"
Only after much persuasion and cheered
by the thought that beiitting honors would
be paid the deceased was the dervishs
grief assuaged, and the party took their
ise would be speedily fulfilled
In short tune splendid mausoleum
was erected over the mound, the eternal
lamp was placed before the tomb, and the
devoted dervish was installed as sheik to
keep watch over the remains. The faith
ful foched In great numbers TO the tomb
Of the new saint, and ere long 1t had be-
some the most renowned mausolsum in the
land
The wisdom, knowledge and piety of the
sheik were extolled above all others, and
many wonderful cures were performed,
The blind were made to soc, the deaf to
bear and the lame to walk, and In short
time the old sheik, bis former master,
found that the rising glory of the new star
was speedily eclipsing his own and that the
number Of worshipers at his shrine was
rapidly diminishing. He therefore resolv
cd to visit the new sheik with the hope of
acquiring some OF the wisdom Of which he
had heard 20 much
The recognition was mutual, yet neither
gave any sign. and the young sheik began
to hope that age had 30 impaired his for
mer masters faculties that he would not re
member him. He therefore gave him the
"musasir," or sign OF salutation. and for
several days they performed their devotions
Jointly at the holy tomb.
One evening, however, a. they were sit
| ting alone, the old sheik bent his head to
the others ear and whispering, said: May
Allah grant you long life Tell me, pray
you. by what strange change Of fortune
were you enabled 10 attain this greatnessf"
| And the other made reply, my father,