The mirror., 1922-02-02

undertaking which, while officially sane
toned, yet gave its profits not to the public
treasury but to individual shareholders.
Such being irrefutably true its was proper
ly adjudged: Highway robbery! Day.
light holdup! Brazen steal! Burglars,
thieves and other similar foul sounding
titles were freely offered to the perpetra-
tors of this commercial crime. Little less
than homicide could have been the result
of casual meeting of the contending
forces had chance brought them face to
face that day.
Yet so peculiar thing is confidence in
ones own prowess, so perfected science
the study of human psychology, that at
the very time the major part of Navasa's
population threatened dire vengeance to
the franchise holders of the new market
corporation, its president and directors
paid scant attention to what they de-
scribed as the rawlings of the rabble.
In the palatial home of their first presi-
dent a great banquet was spread and all
the dignitaries of the town were present.
Costly food obtained from the four cor
ners of the compass was being served and
wines of rare vintage were flowing freely.
Toasts were drank to the success of the
venture After the report of one of its
directors, that he personally had witnessed
the storm of indignation aroused by the
towncrier's proclamation of the official
sanction of their ninety-nine year fran
chise, and greatly feared the consequences,
the head cady, of Nevasa arose, smiled,
and gently stroking his long white beard
sagely observed: Allah the Mighty gives
wisdom; properly adjusted to circum-
stances it creates power; and power by the
eternal law of evolution brings wealth.
If fool refuses to avail himself of wis
dom, free gift to all true believers in
the holy Koran, what right has he to object
to another securing for himself what he
regarded with disdain? AS for the muir
merings of molly crowd, say leave to
the children their beloved toys. Their
squirming and objections by word of
mouth is theirinherited privilege; and as
for danger, assure you gentlemen; there
is none. 1 have been cady of Navasa fo-
forty years as was my exalted father and
his father before him. Experience has
taught one to revere my great ancestors
famous remark: "A barking dog never
bites" A growing public will growl but
in the end it pays; and that, after all, is
what we are after. So ending, the great
chief cady of Nevasa slapped his preten-
tious paunch and seated himself amidst
salvos of "bravo" and laughter.
Abdul Haman, the story-teller of Ma
vasa had given careful consideration to
the perturbed minds of his beloved fellow
citizens and prepared for them tale
synonymous with a great franchise steal;
differing only in location and time to the
incident related in his" narrative. Too
clever and careful to expose himself to a
lawsuit and the wrath of those who saw
in him a continuous danger to their we'll
being, he had foxily disguised the princi-
pal evil doers of his story but nevertheless,
had plainly shown the wrongs perpetrated
upon the public. Only the grossest ignor-
ance could shut the real meaning of his
rendition from the minds of his numerous
listeners. The story finished, the audience
arose and although greatly amused and
highly satisfied with the returns for the
insignificant price Abdul Hamid exacted
for the enjoyment and enlightenment his
tales gave to them, they all, to man,
declared the conditions painted by Abdul
Haman in his recounting of the shearing
of public of far away country, some
10000 years ago, was gross usurpation
of their rights and privileges and very,
very sad and heart rending; yet, it was
not to be thought of that similar incidents