The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-11

san comes to court he cannot keep his eyes off Nouzatalfaud? If you approve of it, we will make a match between them"
 The next time Abou was in the presence of the Caliph and the queen, Haroun' said: "Well. Abou, promised you wife. I will give you Nouzatalfaud-what say your" "'Cluster of Pearls" murmured Hassan-and Cluster of Pearls cast down her eyes and blushed.
 | The marriage was celebrated in the pal ace with great splendor and much re- joicing. The Caliph and his Queen be- slowed upon the happy pair jewels and much money as their wedding gift. Cluster of Pearls and Abou Hassan set up house. keeping in great style.
 Now having wife who was a lady of the court and knew not the value or money Abou forgot his resolve never 70 infringe upon that half of his fathers for tune which he had set aside for his lfe's support. The pair gave the most elegant and sumptuous entertainments in Bagdad; they moved in the very first circles. At the end of a year not only had they spent all the bounty which the Sultan and the Queen had given them, but all of Abou's private fortune as well. Abou and his wife held a session of the Committee of Ways and Means and decided that e would never do to let the Sultan and Zobeide know how extravagant they had been. Suppose We play a pleasant trick upon the Calph," said Abou He once played one upon me. l will pretend to be dead. You must lay me out in the middle of a chamber as if I were about to be taken for burial. Then vail, tear your hair and go in tears to Zobeide. Tell her that I am dead and died poor. She will give you money, am sure, and piece of brocade to take the place of the garment lyou have torn. You shall take my place and I will go with my heart~rending story to Haround Alraschid It will be won der if we do not get some money by this and money we must have, for the last piece is gone and we owe know not how much"
 Cluster of Pearls agreed, and, going to the presence of the Queen, pulled off her
 
 hair and making the. most dismal lamen- tations. Most exalted Queen,' she cried. "Abou Hassan, whom you gave me for a ] husband, is dead" Then she frantieally bewailed her lot. Zobeide, filled with compassion, sent for a rich piece of bro cade, which she presented to Hassans wife, and also gave her a purse contain | ing a thousand pieces of gold. Nouzatal- | faud dried her tears and, thanking the Queen for her sympathy and generosity, hurried back to Abou. Go she said, "and see if you can have as good luck with the Caliph as l have had with Zo- beide.''
 Then she took her place upon the couch in the center of the chamber, and Abou sought the presence of the Sultan, hold ing his handkerchief before his eyes and beating his breast and making loud lam entations. "Oh, Commander of the Faith ful,' he cried, "alas, alas, my wife, that Nouzatalfaud, whom you gave me- is no more!''
 Touched by his grief, the Caiph gave him an order upon his treasurer for piece of brocade and a purse of thou
 
 his wife, Abou showed her with joy the results of his visit to the Sultan, and the two made merry over the success of their little joke. As soon as Hassan had left him the Caliph, thinking that Zo- beide would be filled with grief at the death of her favorite attendant said to the Grand vizier:
 Follow me. We will go and share with the Queen the grief and sorrow which the death of Nouzatalfaud must occasion her" They found zobeide much dis tressed and in teais-she was sorrowing for the sorrow of Nouzatalfaud. My dear" said the Calph, ''I have come to tell you how deeply l sympathize with you in the death of your favorite attend- ant Nouzatalfaud.' Zobeide's tears ceased to flow on the instant, and, looking up with surprise she said: My dear lord. what are you