The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-27

course the story has none of those moe
sturdy qualities which made the imnor-
tai romance of Sir Walter not only sein-
tilldting, but massive. One of the most
delightful things about the story If
Prince Ahmed" is the vein of sarcasm
which runs through 1t, a sarcasm at times
quiet and subtle and scarcely to be le-
tected, and then again breaking forth into
as scornful filings at learned prigs and
frivolous snobs, at statesmen and state
craft, as the innate good nature of Wash
ington Irving would allow him to indulge
in. s'rheresls- ALSO I'M the story a,wela der
fined philosophy of life and love. and II
wilt bear reading over many times.
~ NEE upon time. many centuries
ago. there reigned in Granada a
~ Moorish king who had one son
whom hesnamsd'' Ahmed and to this naipe
thescourtiers added the title of Al, Kamel,
with medrs III Moorish the Perfect, and
which yns, bestowed uPaE sthe lPay. !, npt
only with a desire to please the king, but
because of the induoitable signs of SUI
perAexcellence which were perceived in
thesprince from his very infancy. At the
birth the royal astrologers. were called to-
gether, as was customary, to read his flu
tura in the stars. These wise men agreed
In laying that all the signs were favor
abl@ Tor AHMED making a perfecteprince
ands wise sovereign Only one scto I'd
rested upon the horoscope apd even. that
cloud had a roseate tinge to It. The as
troiogers said that the prince w6dld be 81
a very amorcus temperament and would
run great perils from love. II, however,
Ahmed could be kept from a. knowledge
of 1--we until he was of mature age these
daneers would be averted and his life
he1s5rr-rru11r5.-5- .ssli...ll,11
coufse of prosperity and felicity.
TIE king thought this over and made sp
his mind that the boy should be reared
in such a manner that until he was of
mature age he never even should hear the
name of love nor see female face. To
put his idea into practice the king had a
beautiful palace with a great tower built
upon the brow of the hill which rises
bach of the .Alhambras. This palace was
surrpunded BY the most beautiful gardens
and all inclosed in a lofty wall. SIN fact
the palace exists TO this day and sds,kfoNn
as the Generaliffe. So soon as rAliined
showed signs of growing out of his baby
hood he was taken to the palace aud
PLACED under the guardianship Of Ebon
Bonn bb6is,ttft wisese and the driest Ara
bian sage thatthe king .could.fhds sEbon
had spent snoet Of lsJifeb in Egypt Sthdy :
Ing Aierodi yffdcko and JpRkmgpressa robes
among the Pyramids and the ruins of
those great temples and palaces which lie
80 thick along the waters Of the sluggish
Nile.
The most tempting of living beauties did
not appear, in the eyes of Ebon Bonab-
bons as beautiful as the most leathery
EGYPTIAN mummy, and the king felt that
he was about as safep man as cotfd be
found in-the world for. the purpose he de-
signed him for.
1T WISH said the king, THAT nay son
be instructed in all sorts of science, in
all branches. of knowledge. All save one
he is to be utterly signoraHt of love, Use
sverS precaution for this-burpose you may
think proper, and remember. oh Ebop
Bon&bbon, if my son learns aught of that
forbidden lore while under your care
your head shall pay the forfeit
A smile passed over the withered face
Of the sage as he replied: Let your
majesty's mind be- as easy ABOUT yoqr
son as mine is;abouto ny head AN j ca
man likely to .Sgite ilessopss ia that Idle
passion 1nfcf men caJlJoys2ss - DO 90 9.
Sos thefi Prince Ahmed . aAIs Kamalo was,
taken to.,tre. Generaliffe and began his
term of splendid Imprisonment which WAY
designed only to senda upon his. reaching
his majority. Black slaves. mutes, were
the only attendants of the palace, and
these hideous creatures knew nothing of
lovetand if thsy~bad ~Ysre- powe f2ess, TO-
tell about it. p'kilAs.4seNstsys, alta.
safe tdistance, soldiers maintained a strict
suarp SO that no one could leave the pal-I
ace ynor any ono approach it within
speaking distance. AS soon as the boy
was big enough Ebon began his instruc-
lions. The sage was very learned, but,
like many LEARNED men,. had t'dhe FACE
ulty pf iIhbarting his knowledge rosothers
In stch manner as To make 1tSsinteTe
ssting. m fact; under his treatment the
most interesting subjects Became :as dry
as dust. eaefo.ea S1R = ~ fsSet
Ahmedr however. proved a most ddctiie
prince, and though he sffiade little progress
In the obstruse lore of Egypt-which was
BboTrs particular vanity-he listened pa
tientay 1.-the J Qng Aiscourses of his pre-
copt3r, strove to stife his yawns and
really did 30 cceed inAgetting at least a
nmattering of various sorts of knowledge.
His Fife in tire palace was rather lonely,
bot Everything was done to make it as
luxuAious and ae AtEactiye to HIN as such
: NE could be made for a healthy and
growing boy.
Thns Ahmed attained to his twentieth
YEAR, miracle of wisdom and virtuetz
Tor ~ prince-but totally ignorant Of love.
AboE his twentieth birthday, however.
: strang0 ehense came oyer s4hmed. HE
eofir4Iy hSalesteas His .dntiesaand@sH ent
M time wandering about thes peautffuI
sarddn an6 III Inusinga foressoHrs. by the
80 81 the fountains wfiiefi t'tfirews their
w1te& into {Ax marble tanks. Among tlfe
el,eH Things 'whfch Ahmed mad aadd It'd med
~ LITTLE .ypusie, and now he seemed to
soxam this as the only part, Of hts, aes
eenpiishPegtss Narp while. He would
sing fnd play upon his lutte at night, or
n M snesssr sfIlfs she trees .anA. the
floWdf beds and, worse than all, began
8 aon6pose poetry. wnen Ebon observed
ehit list alarming symptom he was great
- d|starbed. The sage concluded to