The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-12-13
THE SON Of
ABULFEDA
How He Provided His Palace With
Statues.

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In the last years of the eighth GEN.
tury there reigned in Bagdad the Caliph
Abulfeda. Into the Golfers of his pred
been poured with a most unsparing
hand. The magnificent "City of the
was not only the abode
of Peace" but a splendid jewel in the
empire Of the faithful.
OF all the caliphs Of this wonderful
city since Almansor. its founder, no
two had blessed or cursed the world
with the same idea of what it was
life in this world and at death to be
worthy Of place among the dark eyed
damsels and beautiful youths Of the
gardens of paradise.
The magnificent Almamoun scattered
his inestimable wealth In the greatest
contrast with the abstemiousness and
frugality of the mighty Omar. and the
Haroun-al-Raschid Of Bagdad is vastly
different from the Akbah. whose ia
natic advance only the heaving waves
of the Atlantic were able to hinder.
TIE Caliph Abulfeda had succeeded
his father. whose desire to gather the
gold of the then known world into
Bagdad without expending it for any
purpose had put the youthful prince
to many disadvantages and fostered
in him the desire to do otherwise when
be would succeed to the mantle of the
prophet. Therefore when his own sons
were choosing their ends or pleasures
the Caliph Abulfeda was always ready
to forward or indulge them.
Among the youngest Of his many
children was Ali. For years he had
brooded over and planned on the idea
of wonderful edifice that he hoped In
time to construct. OF all the magnif'
cent structures 1t had been his privi-
lege as son Of the commander Of the
the perfection of which the young
prince dreamed; therefore ON the death
of his father the prince began the
building Of the long deferred happi
ness.
In time there arose on the banks oi
the river the most wonderful archi
tectural dream that even that magic
age and that wonderful city had pro
duced- Yet to the prince It was IN
finished: something was yet lacking t
make 1t the abode Of perfect pleasure.
One evening the prince was saunter
Ing along one Of the most magnifcen
of the curlously carved arcades Of tn
palace when q voice called his name:
"Prince ALI. son Of Abulfeda! Prime
Ali. son Of Abulfedaw
The young prince glanced quickl,
around on all sides. but beheld no on
except the silent sentinels on guar
around the palace and the picturesqu
horsemen that at little distance rod
slowly back and forth as safeguard
against approaching danger.
I Again came the voice:
"Prince Ali. son Of Abulfeda! Primo
Ali. son Of Abulfeda.'
Quick as fash the prince drew tn
splendidly ornamented and equal
splendidly tempered blade at his sid
and stood ready to face any opponent
But 1t was unnecessary. Before hir
stood an old man. bowed and whitene
by the sorrows and trials of man
years. His dress and manner also dis
tinguished him as belonging to som
other period.
1 prince Ali. son Of Abulfeda" he b,
gan.
T am" assented Prince Ali. scarcei
knowing whether to tower up to hi
i full height and answer with the prtd
he felt In his noble name or acknow
edge his infefiority before highe
power.
81 know you. I know you" answere
the aged man. II knew your honore
father and your fathers father. and
a supernatural expression spreadir
over his visage-"and ] stood side
side with the prophet himself In mar
q dearly won fight with the enemi'
of the only true belief But ] wrongt
him. did him an injustice. and ther
fore is my slumber in the tomb di
turbed. When the commander OF Il
faithful or one of his children has q
earnest longing or desire. ! or son
other who has wronged the prophet
called from his tomb In answer
their prayers.
prince Ali. son Of Abulfeda. VIII
Is thy desire?"
The prince thereupon began at Il
birth of his hope for the possession
an architectural wonder and relat
all until Its completion.
81 understand. I understand" cri'
the old man. slowly beckoning Il
prince to silence. You have exhaust
your worldly knowledge In attemptil
to succeed to happiness. In gratifyiI
your desire. and have failed. Is
, not as I sayT
"It is" answered the prince. "and
now yearn for something beyond q
power of man to accomplish or undt
stand"
BE 1t then as you desire" answer
. the aged father. Behold this sta
Ask not from whence II came nor d
cover the mystery TO any living mi
. until ! return for its possession"
The prince took the staff and look
It curiously over. but nothing extrat
dinary occurred. Seeing his expe
fancy. the aged man continued:
'The followers of the good M
: Jesus. whom the Christians belle
p and the worshipers OF the stars a
moon and the elements and ott
works and doings Of the one AID Oh
God for there Is but one God. a
Mohammed Is his prophet-have
ages beautiful to behold. yet far frt
tie handiwork OF the Creator. To
is forbidden such images. Would y
ill the structure you have built vi
kaxr0nA 4