The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-07-07
The ARC HITECT
EOfiginal ]

was ambitious to excel all other kings
in the beauty Of his palace. lie there
fore called upon all the architects or his
kingdom for designs. Offering prize SO
desirable that it could not fail to stini-
ulatc some mighty effort Of genius. The
king had but one child, a daughter. He
gave out that the successful competitor
should haye his daughter to wife and
reign withsher after lis own death.
Now, there was a young architect Mt
the capitol, Abdul Kefm. He had been
employed to rebuild a wing Of the pal
ace containing the princess apart
mcnts, nnd-the two had met and loved.
Abdul Kerim, on hearing Of the prize
offered. was overjoyed and set to work
with high hope to make n design that
would give him the girl he loved. Three
years were given in which to hand IN
drawings. and during these three years
Abdul worked night n nd day designing,
throwing away his work, starting in
again, till at the expiration Of half the
allotted time he had produced n plan
that satisfied him. Then he occupied
the remaining half in perfccting It.
Stimulated by love, he evolved n struc-
ture which when built would far OK
coed anything of its kind in India.
When the king saw the design he
was delighted. But he had never in
tended to keep his w ord by giving his
daughter to the successful competitor
and now trumped up charge as an
excuse for not doing so. He accused
Abdul Kerim Of beilE in league with
n conspiracy against the government
discovered at the time and threw him
into prison.
When the princess heard Of this she
was inconsolable. She sent one of the
women to the prison where her lover
was~confined, who by bribing the
guard, was permitted to entc. and con-
sole him by assuring him OF her mis-
tress' unaltcrable love. Kcrim told
the woman to tell the princess to be Of
good cheer; that the king would be
forced to keep to his agreement. be-
cause an architect is the best person to
superlntend his own plans. and he
believed he would sooner or later be
called upon to build the palace.
There was In the Kingdom II quarry
Of stone, tinted like tho opal, which
when polished had a beautiful rides
cent effect. 1t had long been reserved
by the king for the new palace. Great
care was to be taken In getting out the
stone and shaping 1t into the individ-
ual parts which We're to make up the
| palace, for there was but enough Of it
| to make one such building, and if any
,, serious blundcr were made by which 1t
. should became necessary to use other
stone the kings hopes would be blast
| ed. Among Kerim's plans were de-
scrlption and diagram Of every stone to
be used in the construction, and the
king decided that 1t would be safer to
get out the material and shape each
stone in accordance with this descrip'
ton After all had been hewh 1t would
be a simple matter TO set them up In
place. But the king was DESTROYS OF
having the work superintendent by the
designer of the building. and indeed
this was the only safe plan. He sent
. messenger to Abdul Kerim in prison
| ]
! ton and see that the building WIS
erected In accordance with his plans
he would pardon him for his alleged
part In the conspiracy and give him 4
handsome sum besides.
Kerim could do nothing but consent
to the agreement. He was placed II
charge Of the work. and MS every stone
came from the quarry and was shapet
It was marked In accordance with {
system devised by Kcrim himself. Dur
Ing this time he was at liberty and wa.
not even watched, for no ono knew o
any reason why he should wish to es
cape or fail to do his work to the bes
Of his ability. At last the stones which
were to compose the building were fin
ishcd, the quarry meanwhile havin,
been exhausted. Then Kerim astonish
ed the king by refusing to supcrintent
the erection Of the palace. His males
ty was about to order the architect
head stricken Off when 1t occurred t.
him that he must first get the MARKING
It. Kerlm replied that he did not hay
It. Then the king ordered him to pre-
duce 1t on pain of instant death. KERN
refused. The king was in quandary
Unless he could get the marking fron
the architect the palace could not b
built He directed Kerim to be brough
to him and accused him of bad fait
In breaking his agreement whereupo
Kerim reminded the king that his ma.
esty had first broken his agreemen
and stoutly refused to go any furthe
with the work except on the origina
terms. Then the king ordered him PIT
to the torture to eXtort what was nee
,, essary, but directed that his life shoul
not be risked Kerinl was tortured ii
1t was plain he would die IL the tortur
We're continued.
1t was now plain that the king mus
either give mp his palace or fulfill b
. condition. He sent for his daughte
and told her Of the situation. She col
tossed that she and Kerim had secret
loved each other and said that 1t wa
this love which had produced the VOL
derful design.
Then the king saw that to obtain til
nalace he coveted. built of the bea,