Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-03-04


common falsiiicr
To give variety TO the entertainments,
one day he proposed that he should teach
me Arabic
Know that Abram ben Alden, though
rover. IS likewise master Of literaturc,p
he said with superb flourish OF his arms,
''tho poets are his especial delight. They
arc greater than the magicians; they are as
fame in the soul which illuminatcs tho
universe. but how is tho adventuror the
corsair, TO carry the songs of the poets with
himS Why, hcre," tapping his forehead.
Here Is the chamber In which the poets
have their abode. aud here" producing
greasy volume from the folds OF his dress,
us what the prophet gave to the faithful
as a consolation till they are translated to
enjoy forever the love OF the houriE.
"Nouare an infdei, but what OF thnti You
know what joy is you know what sorrow is,
You have feelings, appctites, aspirations
You are man. You hope to get to heaven.
l Will show you the way, and while show
you shall learn the Arabs tongue. Come,
my merry inidel, you shall yet converse as
brother with the children OF tho desert,
Yea, and cat III Shelehi dates md dip thy
fingers in tho dish that swims with the fat
Of sheep aud goat Morn, my gallant cut
throat-
Aud thou on honey dew shalt feed
And drink the milk o, paradise.
IT'S the song OF one OF our poets which
thou shalt learn, my brave ouc,n And with
an air OF having the crudltion Of Alexan.
iria At his fingers ends no forthwith began
my instruction.
lie proved good teacher, and was not
an iuattcntive nor, thlnl, un inRpt pupil.
One rule my tutor made and adhered TO
rigidly, and that was that we should talk
nothing but Arabic 1t was n sore trial Of
patience at lrst, but pcrseyored and In
weck--such was my dilgenoc-was able
to converse with tolorahla fiuency The
second week was deep IN the Koran and
able 70 follow my teacher IN his recitatlons
nom the Arabian poets, the third week
was rceiliug myself Abram ben Alden was
delighted with his success
"liy the prophets mantle" no said, II
will have Won IN paradlso yet Your speech
already IS rs OF one bred in the desert, You
have tho Arabs tongue, md next will como
the Arabs faith Aud all thy brave deeds
will be forgiven. Why shouldnot the bold
cousar have happiness 40 lastfN
AS diversion to our studiol he lured me-
rather against my Judgment into daily
bout with the sword ut win keep your
let the master practice on his slave, Me
thinks you take Joy in the flash and ring OF
the steel. Al brave men do. by the sword
OF Sikandnr Il Rumi, there IS tho stun OF q
fighter ia you This ship with nll ib plum
der shows H. Yet you will not let your
blade drink your servants blood
II was not likely would, but there was
no assurance That my servant would e&og-
else "a like restraint over his blade. Indeed,
on second thoughts, his proposition seomrd
TO me q rusC to try my mettle and wheedle
me into 0u cverwcening vonecit with my.
self that would give him his opportunity.
Happily, | was not entirely ignorant in the
use OF the sword, for my grlyCr studioshad
been interrupted, perhaps too often, by pro
longed fencing bouts but thon was far
from thinking myself an expert So that
! IL was no light matter 10 stand up before q
man of unknown skin mud suspicious mo.
tive, whose greatest delight Il might b. TO
spit me at the very llet 10 oil. Novertho-
less / had given my consent, and II would
have been both folly and cowardioe 10 50
hnck. SO ! put on my stoutest 'front.'
though, TO be candid, the uakei, wicked
flash of our weapons IN the sun caused mo
nasty sensation. It was but momcntary,
however, for the demand OF every faculty
| time 20 be afraid.
soon discovered that Ahrnm ben Alden
was skillfui swordsmau, with a sure and
| rapid oye, great longth and eupplcness Of
arm and the confidence which COMES Of
many tfiumphA Yet rung him blow for
| blow and ended the first encounter In a
! glow Of satisfaction. Wowefo both nlmble
| ~ goats, and ! believe spectator would
| have said the fencing was lively. For I'M
hour each day we exercised thus, and my
companions good humor continued uu
ubated
We lived this life for month. During
| AL that time the weather was glorious, and
| We enjoyed u undistuIbed Tho brig float
ed lazily along, whatever wind there was
being mostly steady 10 tho same quarter
Not sail nor soul did we sre md had
but the haziest notion Of our whereabouts.
| II Abmm ben Alden was better Informed.
| he kept he knowledge heduiously ca him.
relf. He seemed indeed too intent on pro-
yidtng entertainment 10 giyu a thought
either to or course or our destination We
told tales and sang sougl and ate and
drank and fenced aud studied, and all alone
on durelict, weterloRgtd ship led tho
most deluothble existence imaginable My
companion fairly Hdored me. He antici'
patod my wishes, spoke increasingly Of the
uhegualed deeds ] had done md moro
than once showed strong disposition to
fall down aud worship me-
u have hrpn o rover he would deeiara,
with the junction of a man saying bis
prayers, "bat may Azracl seize me this mo-
meat IL Rpeali not the truth No saying that
mover have my eyes seen mau who
nlatoisa you Ia bravery and good fortune
And you nrc but youth" be would add In
q most engaging tone
This CONTINUED till began 10 fancy had
enchanted tie man, that he VIVA yerlly my
slave, aud / had only tooxercise my magical
uowcr % bend him 20 my Will as complete
iy "a the most doclln and obedient genie IN
any Arabian tale Of wonder dare say !
plumcd myself on my Hscendapey, J dare
say nut 90 airs Hnd hnyeno doubt what.
over that Abrnni bpn Alden, most adroit Of
courtiors, most subtle OF natiprerh saw
through mo and took my measure with
perfect accuracy
ono evening in our fcnrlng exercise !
Thought DO pftssed harder on me than ever
before. and that his blade rang with unhe.
ctisiouitd Ehsrpncsa Bat the qpiekenel
movemen.a ouly made my blood run TIC
faster, for by this time WAS h1tl eonhdeni
and dcxtaroua We wont b. u as much in
earnest perhaps ~ any Two men Who ever
crossed blades Tor amusement, and re-
member the thrill enused By the Thought
What u he = trying % XII inaf ny ~