Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-08-24
\ New Way to Pay Old Deb.s-

longer pasha Of a grea, city. still lives
In peace and tranquility m one NJ IN.
secluded coast towns of Morocco.
ne tale OF his m@gaifcence in other
Gays IS not lost, nor is the story how
ne once met the demands OF an in,or.
oVerspent. 1t was as ingenious :, i.
was ciShonest-which is saying much.
Inc angler correspondent to the Lon.
don Times writes:
AT length the pasha's situation he.
came serious. The crops of the wear
before had been poor, and he had
GRAINED every possible source Of reve-
nue. legal and illegal, just and I'M
Just. The Jews would lend no more
ne tribesmen of the country round
threatened revolt, but every day IN
expenses of his household increased
IL was matter of pulling through till
the harveSt-but the harvest wac still
couple of months ahead. Two or
three thousand pounds would su ce
Tor the most pressing needs.-the rest
might wait; but how to raise even
that paltry, Insignificant sum? For
the whole of one night he pondered,
and IN the morning he issued an edict
There was danger, this documen,
stated, from the surrounding tribes,
whose loyalty to the Sultan was in
doubt, The walls were sufficient TO
defend the city, but it was of vital i'm
portance that the suburbs should nor
be raided, as the population was large
~ dependent for its food supplies OH
the gardens and granaries situated
outside. The military forces unde,
his command, though sufficient to
protect the town, were quite mad
equate to venture outside and patrol
the suburbs, and there was no cavalry.
In these circumstances he proposed to
raise a troop of horsemen. The men
were to hand, but there were no
horses, and the edict terminated in in
wiling every merchant of the town to
provide horse.
Now, unlike the Arab tribesmen OF
the country districts, the town of Moor
IS no rider. He climbs now and again
on the padded crimson saddle of fat
mule and ambles, to his place of bus
mess or to pay visit, but a horse is
ito him an annoying and dangerous
quadruped, possessed of only two
ideas: to fight every other horse it
meets-for in Morocco only stations
are ridden-and to throw its rider.
Accordingly not a single merchant
possessed horse and determined not
to buy one until the absolute necessity
arose, on the principle of "wait and
see."
A few nights later about ten o'clock,
when all the inmates of his house were
asleep, there was tremendous knock
ing at the nail-studded door of the
house of one Of the principal merchants
of the city. Hastily DOMINIC such
garments as were within his reach.
and wrapping his bed blanket around
him, for the night was cold, the eld-
erly gentleman called out from with
in and asked what was wanted.
"Open, in the name of the pashar'
With a drawing of many bolts and
the turning Of great keys the door
was opened by the merchant himself,
who timidly asked the reason Of the
late visit.
"My horse?"
eyes, the horse you were command
ed to buy. The tribes are in open re-
volt, and the horse is required at
dawn"
ooh, SIR" replied the now alright
ed merchant, 81 have been looking for
horse ever since the pasha's edict
was published, but in vain. have
searched high and low, but | could
Mt find one. ! have left no hole OF
corner UNEMPLOYED, but all without
success, So help me all the saints of
Islam, may peace be upon them"
"Then you have no horse?" asked
the pasha's representative roughly.
"Alas! my lord, tonight have none
tomorrow | will endeavor-"
Tomorrow you will have no oppor-
tunity. My orders are to arrest and
imprison every merchant who has not
got his horse"
arrest! Imprison" cried the mis-
cradle blankes-wrapped old gentle
man.
eyes, arrest and imprison."