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

talking about? It is not my attendant, but her husband, Abou Hassan, who is dead" My dear Zobeide." replied the Sultan, you have been deceived. Abou Hassan is in perfect health.' Permit me, sire" said zobeide with some as perity, "to repeat that Abou is dead and Nouzatalfaud is in perfect health. Not half an hour ago she was with me and told me the story of her husband s death. I mingled my tears with hers and all my women can bear witness that I gave her piece of brocade and a thousand pieces of gold. am not ac- customed, sire, to state things which are not facts-nor to have my state ments doubted" The gentle zobeide had a will of her own.
 My dear queen" returned the Caliph. you may depend upon it; Nouzatalfaud Is dead And I say not!' retorted zo- beide. T trust, sir, that you have not been at your wine thus early in the day How often have I warned you that your indulgence in wine-which Is forbidden by the Koran anyway-would | ultimately effect your reason. l tell you it is Abou Hassan who is dead.' Seeing that 1t was useless to argue further, the Sultan said to the Vizier: Go and fetch Abou Hassan here at once. 1 will show you, madam, who is right in this matter" Let us go and see for ourselves" said the queen, T will trust to the report of none of your accomplices."
 They went-and Abou, in terror, saw the Caliph and his queen approaching. What shall we do?" he cried. Here they come. We will catch it." Not at all," said his wife, just do as I tell you" Abou and Nouzatalfaud laid them selves down side by side in the middle of the chamber and drew over them been given them. The Caliph and Zo- beide were astonished when, followed | by train of courtlers they entered the apartment. "Alasn' said the queen. it | is too true, Nouzatalfaud is dead; and 1t seems of grief at having lost her I husband" Allow me said the Calph, 'Nouzatalfaud died first and 1t seems that Abou died of grief for her" Pray allow me to differ with you,' returned Zobeide.
 1 The Sultan. exasperated by his wife's obstinacy cried out. T will give a 1 thousand pieces of gold to the person who win find out surely which of the i two died first" Scarcely had he spoken when from under the brocade which covered Abou Hassan, came his well known voice, saying, Commander of the Faithful I died first. Give me the | af throwing off his covering, sprang up, and, running to the Sultan, threw himself at his feet At the same time Nouzatalfaud threw off her piece of hrocade and. running to the queen, threw herself at the feet of Zobeide
 The Caliph himself was startled by this sudden coming to life of the sup posedly dead pair, but soon saw the joke. As for Zobeide, she gave a shrielS Of alarm and was near fainting until her attendants revived her with smell ing salts. But when she recovered her self and realized that her favorite, Nou- g4talfaud was really and truly alive, she embraced her with joy and began asking every one what 1t all meant And was Abou really alive also? Yes,
 
 for there he knelt before the Sultan in an imploring attitude and Zobeide distinctly saw his eyes twinkle in q roguish manner. As for the Commander of the Faithful, the Caliph, Haroun AL rashid he burst into a most unknidly guffaw and laughed as though he would split his sides with merriment He laughed until he cried and as he was well fed Sultan the exertion made his face so red that his courtiers feared he was about to have apoplexy and begged him to stop.
 "Oh, Abou Hassan," cried the Caliph when he had recovered his breath suf- ficiently to be able to speak, q see that you have not ceased to be was and to perform wonders and strange acts. Come. tell me the whole matter. Fear not, the Commander of the Faith