The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-10-12
HOW HE BECAME
AN ASTROLOGER,
And How Accident Helped to Make
Him Successful.
BY EDWARD COURTNEY.


Ahmed was a cobbler, poor, but
thrifty and honest. He lived in the
city of great king of the East, and
though he was lowly, he saw much Of
the pomp and grandeur of the court
life.
The desires of the cobbler were few,
and were easily satisfied by his earn
ings. His life was quiet aud content
ed, and all would have been well with
him but for one inmate of his house.
This was young and beautiful girl,
whom Ahmed had adopted when she
was a mere child. She was now grown
up, and was very lovely, to look at,
but her heart was not kind aud yet
Ahmed cared for her as if she were his
own daughter, and could not see her
faults.
One day Sittara went 10 the baths,
as was her custom, and there she be-
held woman, surrounded by her
slaves, and having beautiful jewels
studded in her dresses, which shone
like stars at night. The young girl
was very vain of her own beauty, and
seeing that the woman looked fair
only because of her fine clothes, she
thought how radiant she would be II
she could be so attired.
She soon found out that the rich wo-
man was no other than the wife ofthe
chiaf astrologer to the king, and with
this information she hurried home.
"Stop your eobbling this very day,
and turn astrologerr' she cried to
Ahmed. "Look how poor We are,
while if you were an astrologer, /
could have the beautiful things that
become me. / will not be poor any
longer she cried passionately, Ike
the spoiled child she was
Ahmed pleaded and coaxed in vain
He tried to reason with her, saying
that he was not wise enough to be an
astrologer, but she would not hear him.
"You must be an astrologer, or will
leave your honse forever" the petulant
girl cried.
Perhaps the poor cobbler was weak
to listen to her, but he had put all his
hopes, all his thoughts in this girl, and
now to have her leave him was like
losing his very life.
SO it happened that he was at last
persuaded, aud wen. out and pur-
chased an as:rolabe, an astronomical
almanac and a table of the twelve
signs of the zodiac.
When he came home with these,
Sittara ran to greet him saying:
"Now we shall soon be rich, and |
shall be happy"
Ahmed was pleased at this show Of
affection, but when he awolEe in the
morning he feared TO venture forth in
this new guise. However, there was
no help for it, 50 Off he went to the
market place and began 10 call aloud :
Il am an astrologer know the sun
the moon and the STAR can ealcu-
late nativiiies nothing is unknown to
me, past, present or future; l am an
aslrologer r
Soon crowd gathered around him,
laughing and mocking for Ahmed was
well known among the tradespeople,
and his presumption now was consid-
cred huge joke.
AHMED, have you lost your wits,
that you thus cry aloud ?" one asked.
"Haye you grown weary of bending
over your last, and now look upward
to the stars ~ asked another.
So they continued to torment him,
bat still be cried out:
Il am an astrologer; ! know the sun
the moon and the stars. | can calcu-
late nativities. Naught is from me
hidden. / can predict the future =
Just then the chief jeweler to the
king happened to come along. He was
in great trouble, but seeing the crowd
he pushed his way through to see what
was the cause OF so much commotion.
When he saw Ahmed, whom he knew
TO be an honest man, in the guise of an
astrologer, his fears for u moment van
ished IS he thought that here mira
Gle had been worked, and perhaps he
might obtain help.
Approaching Ahmed he said:
''Son of the people, raised to this
high estate, seek thy counsel. Know
that an emerald Of priceless value has
suddenly disappeared from my house.
1t Belongs to the king, and II it is not
found, death awaits me. Find the
stone for me and two hundred gold
pieces shall be thine. But II you fail