The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-12-04
THE SON of
ABULFEDA
flow Rs Provided His Palace With
Statues.
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StatUeS.
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In the last years of the eighth ecu
iury there relgned IN Bagdad the Caliph
| Aoulreua. into me couers Oh MS preu-
ecessors the wealth of the east had
been poured with most unsparlng
hand. The magnificent City OF the
Enehantress'' was not only the Abode
OF Peace" but splendid jewel Ia the
empire OF the faithful
or all the ealiphs Of this wonderful
city since AlmansOr, its founder, no
two had blessed or cursed the world
with the same idea of what II was
necessary that man should do 10 enjoy
life In this world and ut death to be
worthy of place among the dark eyed
damsels aud beautiful youths of the
gardens Of paradise.
The magnificent Almamoun scattered
his lnestimable wealth In the greatest
contrast with the abstemiousness and
frugallty OF the mighty Omar and the
Haroun-a Raschid OF Bagdad is vastly
different from the Akbah, whose fa-
matte advance only the heaving waves
OF the Atlantic were able to hinder
The Caliph Abulfeda had succeeded
his father, whose desire To. gather the
gold OF tho then known world Into
Bagdad without expanding It for any
purpose had put the youthful prince
to many disadvantages and fostered
In him the desire to do otherwise when
h.. a 81, a..
prophet Therefore when his own SONS
We're choosing their ends or pleasures
the Callph Abulfeda was always ready
10 forward or indulge them.
Among the youngest of his many
children was All. For years he Ind
brooded over and planned ON the idea
of wonderful edlfce that he hoped In
time to construct. or all the magnifl-
cent structures II had been his privI-
lege as son of the commander of the
faithful TO see none was In all things
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 of
the river the most wonderful archl-
tectural dream that even that ma gle
age and that wonderful city had pro.
duced. Yet To the prince 1t was I'M
finished; something was yet lacking TO
make II the abode OF perfect pleasure.
One evening the prince was saunter-
ing along one Of the most magnificent
of the curi0usly carved arcades of the
palace when voice called his name:
prince All, sou Of Abulfeda! Prince
Ali. son Of Abulfednl"
The young prince glanced quickly
around on all sides. but beheld no one
except the silent sentlncls on guard
around the palace and the picturesque
horsemen that ut Il little distance rode
slowly back and forth as safeguards
against approaching danger
Again came the voice:
"Prince All, son of Abulfeda! Prince
Ali. son OF Abuifeda."
Quick as a fash the prince drew the
splendidly ornamented and equally
splendidIy tempered blade at his side
and stood ready to face any opponent.
But 1t was unnecessary. Before him
stood an old man, bowed and whItened
by the sorrows and trials of many
years. His dress and manner also dis
tinguished him as belonging to some
other period.
prince All. son OF Abulfedaw he be
gan.
II am" assented Prince Ali, scarcely
knowing whether to tower up to his
full height and answer With the pride
he felt In his noble name or acknowl-
edge his inferiority before higher
power.
II know you. / know you" answered
the aged man. Il knew your honored
father and your fathers father, and
supernatural expression spreading
over his vlsage-"and | stood side by
side with the prophet himself in many
a dearly won fight with the enemies
Of the only true belief. But | wronged
him. did him an injustice, and there
fore is my slumber In the tomb dis
turbed When the commander OF the
faithful or one OF his children has an
earnest longing or desire, or some
other who has wronged the prophet is
called from his tomb in answer to
their prayers.
prince Ali, son OF Abulfeda, what
is thy desire?"
The prince thereupon began at the
birth Of his hope for the possession OF
an architectural wonder aud related
all until Its completion.
81 understand! understand" cried
the old man. slowly reckoning the
oil hoN n tod
your worldly knowledge In attempting
to succeed to happiness, In gratifying
your desire, and have failed. Is 1t
not as sayT'
SIT ls," answered the prince, land |
now yearn for something beyond the
power OF man to accomplish or under
stand"
BE 1t then as you desire" answered
the aged father. Behold this staff.
Ask not from whence II came nor dis
cover the mystery 10 any living man
until return for It's possession
The prince TOOK the staff and looked
1t curiously over. but nothing extraor-
binary occurred. Seeing his expec
fancy. the aged man continued:
"The followers of the good man
Jesus. whom the Christians believe
and the worshipers OF the stars and
moon and the elements and other
works and doings Of the one and only
God-for there Is but one God. and
Mohammed IL his prophet-have I'M
ages beautiful to behold, yet far from
the handiwerk Of the Creator. To US
Is forbidden such images. Would you
I'LL the structure yon have built with
more wonderful Images. beyond the