The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-27
M NILHFLh HAUFF

in this series soon), his popularity be- gan with the story-cycles. The Desert and ."The Inn in the Spessart": and 1t is that work which introduces Hauff of the False Prince" is told in "The Desert"
 Labakan was a respectable journey man tailor, who worked for a skillful master in Alexandria. He was not a bad workman. but something was wrong with him. Sometimes he would sew for hours without stopping. till the needle grew hot and the thread smoked. Then he produced garments superior to those made by any one else But at other times he would sit inactive, with dreaming, absent eyes. anJ his appearance then was so strange that the master and the appretentices said: .Labakan has his aristocratic face again"
 On Fridays. when other people went quietly back to their labors after prayer. Labakan stalked out of the Mosque in a handsome garb that he had acquired by dint of painful econo- my, and strode with naughty. slow footsteps through the town. If a friend saluated him with Peace be with you. friend Labakan." he mere ly replied with a dignified nod
 H in sport: "A good prince was lost in you. Labakan." Then Labakan would answer with a pleased face: Have you noticed that too?,'
 One day Seiim. the brother of the Sultan. sent a splendid garment to the shop for alteration. and the work was intrusted to Labalxani on account of his art. That evening, after the shop was closed, Labakan was drawn back by an irresistible desire to look at the beautiful raiment. He stood be- fore It, reveling in the gleam of the embroidery. the shimmering colors of the velvet and the richness of the silks. At last he tried 1t on. It fit- ted him beautifully.
 Am not as good a prince as any?' he muttered to himself. as he walked up and down. Has not the master observed ftT'
 With the garments the journeynian seemed to have donned royal soul daring thought came to him. Hasti- ly he gathered his small store of money and wandered through the gates Of Alexandria under cover of the night. determined to shake off the vulgar trade of ftailor forever.
 He aroused admiration wherever he appeared: but the admiration was min gled with embarrassing questions. for the splendid clothes and his solemn, majestic manner semed strange fin a pedestrian. He observed soon that he could not go on foot without being sus- pected. For small sum he bought an old horse which suited him we'll, as 1t was of settled habits and conservative mind and thus did not demand that he prove his equestrian talents.
 One day as his steed, Murva. was jogging along in its accustomed de- hberate way, a handsome, tall young man. came riding up. on fine steed and. joined him. The stranger was a person of frank and open nature, It vas not long before he had told I.aba : kant that he was Omar the nephew of the unhappy Elf Bey Bassa of Cairo and that he was then bound on an err rand with which the Bassa had intruste ed him on his death bed.
 Labakan was not quite so conffding. He contented himself with limiting that he was of high descent and was travel ing for pleasure.
 On the second day of their Journey Omar became still more communities tive and finally told Labakan his whole history.
 Elf Bey. said Omar. had brought him up since his infancy. He had never known his parents. When Elf Bey, after three unfortunate battles. lay wounded to death, he told Omar that he was not his nephew at all, but the son of a powerful ruler. Owing to the warning of an astrologer the child had been sent away, to remain till his twenty-second birthday, when the dan ger would be ended.
 Elf Bey had not told him the name of his father. He had simply instruct ed him to appear at the great pillar El-Serujah. four days journey from Alexandria. on his 22nd birthday, which was due in few days. At the pillar he would find men waiting. He was to give them a dagger that the Bassa handed him and say: Here am I whom ye seek" If they replied: Praised be the Prophet who preserved you" he was to follow them. They would guide him to his father.
 Labakan looked at his companion with rising envy 1t galled him to think that one who already was of high rank as the reputed nephew of a Bassa should have a still higher rank destined for his proud head, while ho himself, gifted with all the attributes of a prince, was doomed to an ignoble career.
 He confessed to himself that Omar. with his brave. flashing eyes, his mar tial face, his gentle, well-bred manner. possessed everything that noble young man should own. But for all that, he felt constrained to believe that
 
 as well, If not better.
 These envious thoughts grew with in Labakan during the day and through the next night. When the morning light fell upon the sleeping Prince. Labakan had succumbed to desire and ambition. The dagger, the proof of his identity. was in the slumbering mans sash. Gently he withdrew it. For a fleeting instant the thought came to him to thrust 1t into Omar's breast. but the peaceful tailor's soul within him was terrified at the idea. He con- tented himself with putting the dag ger within the folds of his own rich apparel. Then he bridled Omar's swift horse and by the time the Prince awoke to find himself robbed Labakan had gained a start Of leagues.
 It was the first day of the holy month Ramadan. and he had ample time to reach the pillar, since the Princes birthday fell on the third day. The place of meeting was only two days Journey away, but Labakan hastened to reach 1t. fearing that the Prince might overtake him.
 On the afternoon of the second day Labakan saw the pillar El-Serujar. It stood on an eminence in a wide plain and was visible for many miles Ills heart beat violently at the sight. Although he Lad had ample time to study his course. his evil conscience made him falter. But at last the con- viction that ne had been born to be a Prince strengthened his resolution and he rode bravely toward the hill.
 The region was barren and uninhab- ited, but the new prince was provided "a hal