The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-11-11
BEN Brahms sMAnrNEss.

Prophet, and no at all in Allah. He
drank wine and ate pork, two things
held in abomination by the Mohamme-
dams; he swore in bad Arab and worse
French; in fact, he was the most perfect
hiackguard i'll the whole body o f1urcos,
which were 10000 strong. and that il
saying a great deal. Ben Brahim lived
happy and contcnted. until one day,
while passing before the bric-a-brao
pawn-oilicc and dry-goods shop of Yus-
sui, the richest mar Of Oran, he saw
hanging in the window some gold
watches. Then his happiness was gone,
for one thought invaded his mind so
completely that twenty times a day he
exclaimed loudly: by the prophets
beard, | must have one!' And by the
prophets beard he got one, too, and this
is how it came about.
Mohammed Ben Brahim had u cousin,
q lieutenant in the same regiment, and
he went to him and told him a story
about his mother being sick and needy,
and the lieutenant, who loved his aunt,
gave him ~ francs, with the recon-
mcndation to use them well, a thing
that the Turco did, much to the sorrow
of Yussuf, in whose shop he appeared
five minutes later. YussuT was alone,
and seeing the Turco enter his store he
arose to meet him, not through defer
encc for the caller, but from a know
ledge that the Turcos are the greatest
providers of Africa.
81 salute you, Rabbi Iassuff," said
Mohammed, touching his fez.
81 salute you, Turco,' replied Yus-
sutf politely; 'what do you want?"
Il came to pay you II francs for the Z
you loaned me a%fortaight ago." answer
ed the Turco.
Ibid l loan you money! l do not
recoilcct to have seer you before"
'.You don't? Well, then YOU were
more drunk than | was when l borrow.
ed the money from you. Butno matter.
| w you ~ francs, and there they
are"
Then the Turco put ~ francs in the
others hand. Yussuff took it just as an
Arab priest entered the shop.
Yussuff salutcd the newcomer with
the greatest respect, us he was one Of
his best customers, and said:
"Will you allow mo to present this
Turco to you as one of the few honest
men we have in this town."
The Arab looked with astonishment
on the pair.
well, WE'LL" thought he, "what arc
we coming to, if a Turco turns to be sc
honest as to be praised by Yussufp''
Then he asked: MAY l inquire what
this Turco has done to deserve your com
mendations, Yussuif?"
All 1n,.I ls-, 81 ...- L
about it. Many would have taken ad
vantage of my lack of memory, but he
did not, for he has paid me like an hon
est man that he is"
"My friend" said the Arab to tn,
Turco, "will you favor me with you
company to my housed"
Mohammed Ben Brahim answered
that as soon rs Rabbi Yussuff had re
turned his pledge he would follow him
"a plcdgcm cried Yussuff, turning
pale, you have given me none"
WHAT replied tho Turco indignant
ly, "that gold watch there is mine
And Mohammed pointed to a watcl
worth $50.
THAT watch was bought by me from
q chief now dead" yelled Yussulr.
"Ynssuf1," intcrposcd the Turco, al
seems TO me that this chief died YER
conveniently for you. Will you give m,
my watch?'
No answered Yussuff.
"Ail right, sir. l will have you ar
rested on tho spot" and, opening til
door, Mohammcd went in the street call
ing for the police.
in q minute two of these worthie
made their appearance and inquired til
cause of the uproar.
"Arrest that man." said the Turco
pointing to Yussuii, she has robbed me.
The police took Yussuff by the throat
and the whole party left the store to g
to the judge. In Africa the Judge
courthouse consists of a piece of carpet
two yards square, thrown down on til
pavement in the market-placc, wher
the Judge sits, surrounded by the police
who make arrest and bastinado the Gu,
prit at the Judges command. 1t is Jus
tice in its primitive state, administers
on the rapid-transit plan.
'.What is the matterP' inquired tn
Arab magistrate.
Your wisdom, this man has robbie,
that Turco,'' replied the officer.
''Turco, how did the thing happenp
inquired the judge.
Your wisdom, this man loaned inc
francs OIL my gold watch. l returned
, him his money. together with 5 franc
: rs interest, and now he refuses to Civ
me my watch"
, ''How did you get q gold watch?"
, "Your wisdom, it is a present fror
my dying father
$ 'Did any II sec you paying IN
money!"
! Your wisdom, this holy Arab WA
!. present"
. Arab, is it true what the Turco
saying?"
"Your wisdom, he has spoken til
truth" replied the Arab. ''Yussuf il
troduced the complainant to me wit
q the remark that he was II of the fee
G honest men we have in this town"
/ ''Yussut'. do you deny the accusatio
made against you?"
q Your wisdom, | do deny it."
'Did you take II francs from the con
9 %plainant?"
"Your wisdom, I did"
q For whatP"
because | loaned it to him"
without any pledge?
q Yes. your wisdom, without an
q pledge"
. "Ohiccrs. go to Yussuff's house mn
9 bring here all the gold watches he has,
q said the judge.
t. The officers went and soon returne,
bringing about thirty gold watche
Il which they spread before the judge.
Look and see if your timepiece
there" said the magistrate to IL
Turco.
The cunning Turco advanced, ar
without any hesitation took, not Il
best, but the third from the best.
The judge, who had eyed sharply IL
action of the Turco, seeing him discar,
ing the costliest watch to take anoth'
inferior in value, felt convinced of Il
justice of his claim to the object Of Ii
selection. He said to him:
Take it and go. Remember, that