The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-08-15
OLD MAN or THE MOUNTAIN.

Mulehct Is country IN which the
Old Man Of the Mountain dwelt IN
former days: and the name means
place OF the Aram." I win tell you /
bis whole history as related by Messer
Marco Polo. who heard Il from several
natives OF that region.
The Old Man was called In their Ian
guage Aloadin. He had caused Ger
tain valley between two mountains TO
be enclosed. and had turned Il Into n
garden. the largest and most beautiful
that ever was seen. filed with every
variety OF fruit. In II were erected
pnylilOns aud palaces the most elegs n
that can b. imagined. all covered with
gliding and exquisite painting. And
there were runnels. too. flowing freely
with wine and milk and honey aud wa
ter: and numbers Of ladies'. the most
beautiful In the world. who could play
on an manner 81 instruments, and
sung most sweetly. and danced In
manner that Il was charming 10 De-
hold. For the Old Man desired 90
make his people believe that this was
actually paradise. So De had fash
loned Il after the description that Ma
hommct gave 81 his paradise. 20 w.t.
that Il should be- a beautiful garden
running with conduits Of wine and
milk and honey aud water; and sure
enough the Saracons Of those parts be-
lleved that Il was paradise.
Now no man was allowed 20 enter
the garden save those whom be IN
tended 20 be- his Ashlshin. There was
a fortress nc the entrance 20 the gar
den. strung enough 60 resist all the
world. and there was no other way 20
get Ia. lie kept nc his court number
OF the youths Of the country. from
twelve 20 twenty years Of age, such rs
| had a taste for soldering. and to these
| be used 10 tell tales about paradise,
| Just a. Mahommet had been won't 10
DO. and they believed Ia him just as
the Sarncens believed In MahOmmet.
Then he world introduce them into bis
garden. some four. or six, or ten ai n
time. having first made them drink a
certain potion which cast them Into a
deep sleep. and then causing them 10
b. lifted aud carried In. so when they
awoke they found themselves IN the
garden.
Now this prince whom we call the
old one kept his court In grand and
noble style. and made those simple hill
folks about him believe firmly that he
was a great prophet. And when be
wanted one Of his Ashlshin 10 send on
any mission. be would cause that 20
ton thereof spoke 10 be- given 10 one
OF the youths IN the garden, and then
had him carried into his palace. ~
when the young man awoke, he found
himself IN the castle. and no longer n
that paradise. whercat be was moi
over well pleased. lie was then con
Quoted 10 ghc Old Mans presence. ant
bowed before him with great venern
ton. Us believing himself 90 be In III
presence OF a true prophet. The prime
would then ask whence be- came an'
he would reply that he came from
paradise. and that u was exactly sucl
~ Mahommct had DESERVED Il In th'
law. This Of course gave the other
who stood by. and who had not beci
admitted. the greatest desire 10 entc
therein.
So when the Old Man would hav'
any prince slain be would say 10 sucl
youth: "Go thou and slay So-and
So; aud when thou returnest m.
angels shall bear thee into paradise
And shouldst thou die. nevertheless
even so win send my angels Ia carr,
thee back Into paradise" so b
caused them 90 believe; and thus Their
was NO order of his that they woul
not afirunt any peril 10 execute. 20
the great desire they had 10 get hac
into that paradise Of his. Aud IN TIL
manner the Old one got his people I
murder any one whom he desired
get ria OF. Thus. too. the great drea
that he inspired all princes withaLmad
them become his tributaries In onlt
that h. might abide at peace aud amt
with them.
I should also tell you that the Oh
Man had certain others under hin
who copied his proceedings aud acte
exactly In the same manner. ono q
these was sent into the territory u ID
mascus. aud the other Into Curllstal
Now Il came TO pass In the year l2S
that Alau. Lord OF the Tartars OF n
I.cvant. heard tell OF these grci
crimes % the old Man. sbd resolve
10 make an end u him. so he too
aud sent one Of his haruns with a gre'
army TO that castle, aud they hcslegc
Il FOR three years. Int they could ~
take Il. 81 strong was II. Aud, indce
II they had had fnod Within u new
would have heen taken. hut after b
lng brsicgcd those thrcc years The
ran out uf vlctuals, AMI wcrc take
The old Man was put 10 death with .
his men. aud his castle with Us gard,
of paradise was lcvclcd with q
ground, And since that time be b.
had no succcSsor; there was an end
all his villalnlcS. The Story 81 Mar
Polo" by Noah Crooks, Ia ST. Mich
las