The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-08-26

I
squatted cross-legged upon the plat
form OF the mosque. Before him, on q
little stand, lay the open Koran upon
which his eyes were fixed, while his
chubby forefinger was theoretically
! gesticulating to the group of excited
women about him. From the express
sion upon his face, and the sharp in.
terruptions from his audience, il
seemed that at last, in mis- old age
| after life filled with the thousand
| theological battles, and crowned with
thousand victories, he had met his
Marathon, for the longer he argued
the louder grew the expostulations of
the women.
"The Prophet-peace be upon him"
repeated Abdullah for the tenth time
that day, and with an expression of in
creasing despair, received from Para
disc a message that man might have
four wives. You, ladies of Mecca, de-
mand that if man has four wives, a
woman may have four husbands Had
that been Allah's will be would long
ago have revealed it,"
But Allah did not say that we
should not have four husbands" cried
the women. 20 great Abdullah," they
continued, "Allah has revealed many
things through the Prophet, and we
are obedient to all his laws; other
things are yet to be revealed. There
fore, learn for us Allahs will. Pray
that he may reveal to you, you who
remember the Prophet, you who were
among those to welcome him back to
Mecca, you through whom Allah has
already revealed SO many things, if
woman may not have four Husbands as
4 man has four wives"
Il will ask Allah to reveal his WILL"
he sighed. Next Friday l will impart
1t to you."
Abdullah's past history had been an
interesting one. He was small, bare
footed boy when the prophet NOLAN.
med returned to Mecca, and now of
all the people left in the Holy City,
ne alone had seen him. Inspired by
that rare privilege, he marked out for
himself the career of holy man.
When his chin was first fuzzy with the
down which evolved into the largest
OF patriarchal boards, he wandered as
dervish, but to suffer from hunger
and thirst, and to lacerate his own
body, soon ceased to be pleasures, and
finally he settled down as an immam
in the Holy City to gain an easier live
lihocd by fleeing the visiting pill
grims. In his profession he prospered.
He alone was intrusted with the keys
of the kaaba, and so great was his
reputed piety that he was consulted in
every religious controversy All his
decisions were law, and now he was
passing his last days recording for the
benefit Of posterity his theological
views.
During his long life Adullah had
seen but one sorrow-his wives had
died one after another, yet that was
not the cause of his grief, for never |
for long did he lack his full quota of |
wives which, both living and dead, he |
could count to score. The one thorn
in his flesh was that this score or more
of wives had presented him with but a |
single offspring, daughter, whom he
had named Hanifa. This solitary plant
of the harem grew and blossomed into
4 dark. slender, large-eyed Arab maid,
sending out her tendrils of love until
hey entwined about the old mans
leart as If to compensate him for his
ack of sons. She was the only child
If 20 passing wives.
"Baba,' tenderly said Hanifa, as her
ather, leaving the crowd of angry
in the mosque, had returned
lome and squatted before the dish
If pilaf, which he left untasted, ARE
'ou ill?"
mo, child" replied Abdullah, with
IN audible sigh, yet, without paying
lis customary visit to the harem. he
etired.
The Acxt morning when Abdullah
ppeared, his eyes We're sunken. for
Re had passed sleepless night. Dur.
ng the dark hours his audience of
women was ever before
i'm, and although he had thousand
ines successfully interpreted the
avs OF the Koran, now re had failed:
is wits had deserted him, and no
evelation came; his reputation as an
imam would be ruined and all the
'isdom displayed in the past would
e in vain.
Thus tortured, he slept none and ate
tile. Half dozen times daily Hanifa
rged him to impart to her the cause
his sorrows, and :is often did he
eny that he was afflicted, yet before
he week was half ended, Abdullah
ad become so feeble that he even
eglected the book which was TO per.
etuate his name; he remained in the ;
orner, silent and thoughtful. /
"Baba,' said Hanifa, again stroking I
Is old bald head, tell me your S
'oubles-perhaps can help YOU"
II have none, child" was the holy
'an's prevaricating reply. A deep
roam followed.
Hanifa was too solicitous of the old :
ans health to be silent. Long she !,
God over him, stroking his head, yet :,
nally when the abundance of signs :.
ad grOans seemed to be well nigh
ihausted. he explained in a feeble .
DICE how the women of Mecca had .
special. impossible revela- :.
on. Concluding his explanation in :,
ter despair, he covered his face with
S hands and wept u
Hanifa laughed. Poor Baba," she
a. still stroking his bald head. "
lour troubles are Slight" u
Abdullah raised his toar-i,,od o,,o, S