Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-02-06

gigantic form. Two light q Id trans
parent wings were attached to his
shoulders. Ali had no doubt that he
was in the presence of genie.
"Vizier," said the supernatural be-
ing, "you have rendered me q great
service. I was the fly which lately
buzzed about your nose. I took that
form for the purpose of relieving my.
self for awhile from my ordinary
greatness and fitting freely in the
sunshine. A malicious sorcerer, my
private enemy, wishing to take ad-
vantage of this circumstance, changed
himself in the big spider into whose
web / became entangled and in which
I should have Jared i'll but for your
assistance.
sYou must know that, though we
are permitted to assume what appear
ance we please, we at the same time
run the risk of falling into the same
snares as the human creatures whose
resemblance we borrow; and, if we so
fall, we can only be rescued by human
aid. It is, therefore, by your gener'
GUS Intervention I have been saved.
In return Of this great service ask OF
me some favor; whatever 1T may be
promise to grant it.
So spoke the genie. The Vizier re.
mained for awhile without answering.
At length, after having reflected, he
said:
''I was saying to myself on1ya short
time back that long life was no adTan-
tage, since so many of our days are
spoiled by divers vexations, and that
il would be better to have a shorter
existence, composed exclusively of
happy and cloudless days; then, if it
be IN your power to do it, good genie,
suppress from my life in future all
| days of affection, or even OF annoy
ance, and let me live only during
those which are exempt from trouble.
Do that and you will have largely re-
paid me the service have done you.
On hearing these words an enigmati-
cal smile overspread the face OF the
genie.
"aave you we'll weighed your re-
quest?"
eyes," replied Ali.
'Let it be according to your de-
SIRE"
Instantly, as it seemed to the Vizier,
his fantastic interlocutor seized him
by the middle of the body and rose in
the air with him to height SO giddy
as presently caused him to lose his
senses. When he returned to con-
sciousness he found himself in his
house in Bagdad, in bed. His body
was Strengthened out and SO rigid that
he found himself unable to make the
least movement.
His eyes were closed. Nevertheless
he saw all that was passing about him,
and heard NIL that was bsing said. The
room was full OF people. His wife,
his children, his servants were there;
all lamented him, and deplored the
loss of so good husband, 30 good
father, so good master, friend so
faithful and devoted.
"What is the meaning OF all tnls!
THOUGHT Ali. ssAm I dead, then?'
eyes," said voice.
The genie stood at the foot OF the
vizier's bed, visible only to him, read
ing his thoughts.
"Perfdious spirits!" thought Ali;
''is this the way YOU redeem your
promise?"
s'Do not accuse me-" replied the
genie, but lay the blame to your own
stupidity alone Why did you ask OF
me what was impossible? Two fairies
have been entrusted with thu task Of
spinning the destinies of men. Be-
fore one, at the beginning Of things,
was placed heap of white wool, from
which she spun fortunate days; be.
fore the other was placed q heap OF
black wool, from which she spun the
days that were to be unfortunate.
"Now, one night, while they were
sleeping, Satan came by and amused
himself by mixing together the two
heaps of wool, and so thoroughly en-
tangled the whole that the fairies, On
awaking, found it impossible to separ-
ate the black from the white wool;
ands from that time, the days spun by
them are of mixed color made up of
contentments and afaiction. Recall
the days you have passed; is there
one OF them on which you have not
experienced somo satisfaction, small
as it may have been2
"In asking me to take from your
days to come all those on which some
discomfort may reach you, you have,
in fact, asked me to suppress the
whole, and you have Immediately ar
rived at the day of deliverance---and
death. / am sorry to have had to
teach you this lesson, but you have
drawn it down upon yourself.
"Unfortunately, it can now be OF
no use to me, since I am dead" said
Ali.
The genie smiled.
81 am good natured," he replied.
eft you like I will imagine that you
have said nothing, carry you buck to
the spot whence I brought you and
nothing in your life shall be changed.
What do You say?"
"I could wish for nothing better"
replied the Vizier.
The genie stretched his hands
toward him. Everything melted
from his sight and, for the second
time, he became unconscious. When
he recovered the use of his senses he
found himself at the foot of the wall
under the shade of the palm tree
where he had fallen asleep.
Rising to his feet he asked himself
whather this adventure had really hap
pened to him or whether he had
simply dreamed it; then, thought
fully, he made bis way back home.
While he slept the sun had declined,
SO that his walk was no longer rem
dered unpleasant.