Fair play., 1908-07-25
HAR0UN and the
BLIND MENDICANT
BY Ebenezer Smith.


vizier we're hiking around Bagdad dis
guised, in search OF adventure and 10
get a line on how their loyal subjects
were acting up
And they came upon blind beggar
squatting on the asphalt, and the
caliph bestew aims, which the mendi-
cant refused unless accompanied by
kick.
And then was the caliph sore dis
traught what to do, but intlmated that
he would have to be shown before he
would consent to mix his philanthropy
and athletics in any such way as that'
Then uuoth Mr.. Mendio: "Comman-
der of the Faithful tfor he had got
next to the caliph despite his dis
guise), my system is afflicted with
vow never to accept aims unless same
is followed by a kick. So, mighty one,
it's me for the swift one or niXy
mazum."
SO the caliph landed good one and
ordered him to report at the royal pal
ace next day and tell his troubles.
(But here scheherezade, perceiving
0ayOreaH, arose, dSTeelHS w NohNiiuO
her line of dope next night)
The following night she continued
In this wise:
The blind beggar, being arrived at
the palace was. by the caliph's order.
ushered directly to the den, where he
was received with exceeding conde-
scenslon.
Having opened bottle of bud. the
caliph supplied the blind man with the
"makins" and told him to fire away
Know, then, most illustrious, am
the son of poor but honest parents,
my father being a wood-cutter.
One day he sent me with his 40
camels to the forest for wood and be-
ing arrived there | was accosted by
dervish, a most holy man, who, after
passing the time Of day, disclosed to
me that he was seized of the secret of
an enormous treasure cached near by
and proposed that we load the 40
camels Herewith, and each taking 20
as his share go our ways.
! | embraced him with rapture and
swore to keep my part of the pact.
Being arrived at the place, which
! was at the foot of high mountain. the
derv. incanted a few lines, when, the
side of the hill opening, there was dis.
closed a large cavern which, upon
entering, We found full with gold, dia-
monds, rubies and such-like truck.
Having loaded as much as the cam
els would carry we divided them, as
per section one Of the agreement, and
after embracing one another prepared
to go each on his way
And right here, oh, commander of
the faithful, is where little Willie be-
| gan to go to the bad.
My hump of covetousness began to
swell and ! determined to try line
! Of talk on him of the whirls for at
| least a part of his camels.
Starting in by calling attention to
the fact that he was a holy man of
austere habits, a deacon in the church
! enlarged upon the difficulties to be
encountered by anyone but an expert
enced camelier in the handling of &C
of those unruly beasts.
1t was cinch oh, most benign, like
unto a foot race with a cripple. for he
coughed up like small boy who had
swallowed a tin whistle. And was
content, OH anointed? If so, it was
hardly noticeable.
The ten camels he stir retained
looked to ME like : whole caravan
and now that had him spotted as the
head of the E. u. Mark family, nothing
short Of the other ten would satisf,
me-
And went after him, oh, Luminous
like book agent selling a set of En-
cyclopedia Britannica to an Office bo,
on easy payments $50 cents down anC
eight dollars per week..
And did fail TO remind him. O Re
entgen Rays, that If the worst cam
to the worst there were always oppol
tunities for man in his line with Ban
mum & Bailey or the Ringllngs?
Your sack of dukes, o Incandes
cence, and the papers)
Well when ! had the last of hi
camels, o Effulgence, and was maxim
off. ! suddenly remembered the sma
round box l had seen him take fror
| the cavern and conceal carefully in hi
{ . turban.
, And could | pass this up, o Brigh
5 Eyes, even though it should prove I
!. be no more than box of Old Dutc
b. Cleanser?
To my sorrow, no Most Cherubl
and when | had sufficiently wept an
4 torn my beard he even so far cav
5 it me, explaining that it was a sort :
y pomade, which, when applied to IN
left eye, had the virtue of disclosin
T to the applicant the treasures of III
t world but if applied to the other ev
e would instantly render him blind.
>. | applied little of the paste to n,
! left eye, o Rain in the Face, ar
= what saw made the measly treasu,
r loaded on my 10 camels look like
T. Barada diamond and a Vander.G Con
II reception.
4, But, woe is me, o Young Man Afra
| of His, for despite the entreaties
q the good dervish, whom ! stiI suspe,
ed of being a moocher, / insist,
I upon putting some on my other ey
Y when, Antelope Mike, | became blll
o as you see me now,
!, And so that is how | became bIi,
n and beggar, and then and there
vowed never to accept aims unless {
n, companied by swift kick.
40 The caliph laughed nightly at Ii
"A recital, and had the beggar dismiss
"a with 30 pieces of silver, together wi
an equal number of those kicks
seemed so greatly TO crave -Chica