The Calumet news., 1912-07-29

rocco, which explains it's predomn
ance In Tlemcen, on the border of Mo
rocco. His adherents are bound to re
peat 200 times a day the formula: &C
God, prayer and peace upon our lore
Mohammed and his companions"
But / cannot write a history pt
these Mohammedan fraternities, fol-
Abderrhaman and have already
reached the ruins of Mansoura, one OF
the sights of Tlemcen. in our walk
They now consist of a ruined old
mosque, the minaret of which, still
standing. shows It to have been won.
der of architecture.
Built by InfideI.
Every tourist is told the story
Of its origin, how Abou Yacob con-
structed it in 1903. A. d.. during his
eight-year siege of Tlemcen, then one
of the most important cities of Afri-
ca. The wall incloses 240 acres OF
ground; the minaret of the mosque is
forty feet high.
Abderrhaman recalled these details
to me and then proceeded to supply
the imaginative element which every
recital of Mohammedan demands.
when the sultan had decided to
build this mosque" he explained, "he
called for the most distinguished arch
itects known, and two were presented
to him, Jew and a Moslem"
! should explain that. although the
Jew is despised by the Mohammedan
almost as much as the Christian Is,
yet the former has always been al
lowed TO live in Mohammedan com
munities. whereas Christians have not
been tolerated In places where piety
reigned. Every good Mohammedan
hates them alike
Examination OF the plans OF these
architects showed the two masters to
he absolutely equal Unable to de-
eide between them. the king finally
conceived the happy plan of dividing
the work
You shall design the outer half of
the minaret, he said to the Arab, and
you, Jew. shall design the part that
faces the interior
The competition produced a marvel
of beauty such as Algeria has never
since seen. When Il was finished, the
sultan dedicated It with pomp never
equaled. Then he called for the arch
itects
Your work Is so beautiful that
know not how to reward YOU he said.
But for the Moslem, here is a bag of
gold.
As for you, dog OF an infidel. I
should take your life for having dared
pollute, by your presence, our place
of prayer. Nevertheless, as am
pleased by your skill. I have decided
TO extend mercy TO you. and I shall
content myself with lmprisoning YOU
In the top story of the minaret.
But take care that you are not
found there after the setting of the |
sun tonight, or. by my fathers beard
your life shall pay the forfeit
The Jew. from his elevated prison.
surveyed the situation coolly. He was
a man of energy, and II never oc-
Cured to him to resign himself IN the
tate which the treacherous sultan had
ueSiBHeu lot MIN.
Soon he gathered up material
which the woodworkers had left
found chest of tools. and feverisb,v
began to manufacture a pair OF wood.
en- wings. II was slow work. and he
finished Just as the sun was sinking 10
rest
Remembering the words of tho
sultan, he did not stop TO inspect and
test his handiwork. but rushed to the
balcony facing on the inner court. for
he had seen a squad Of soldiers IN
front OF the portal He fitted his arms
TO the straps and Jumped over. lust a.
he executioner opened the door.
But In his haste, he had over.
looked some details. The wing.
Mapped uselessly and he crashed -
he ground, dying before he had time
o utter anything except a curse ,
against Mohammed.
Yet this was enough. AS the words ,
eft his lips the earth trembled
hunder doomed deafeningly. and n
Jolt of lightning struck the tower ,
The beautiful structure was c,es,
n two from top to bottom. The outer ,
laif stood intact. but the inner nor.
Ion toppled to the ground, buryine IN ,
Is ruins the infldel who had builded
l."