Evening star., 1928-09-19
John Gait, I779-I830, was a Scottish now
elist, author of The Annals of the Parish"
GSir Andrew Wylie,' 1.-THE Omen," 'Lawrie
Todd" etc.

John Gait 1719-lS3O, was ScottiSn nov,
s.Sir. Andrew Wylie," THE Omen" 'Lawrie
Todd" etc.
man, and he had several friends, men
of discernment and partakers of the
wisdom of the ages, but they were not
all so wise as Haddad-Ben-Ahab. His
sentences were short, but his knowledge
was long. and what he predicted gem
orally came to pass for he did not pre-
tend to the gift OF prophecy. The ut
most he ever said In that way was that
he expected the sun to rise tomorrow
and that old age was the shadow of
youth.
One beautiful day Haddad- Ben -AIaab
of dreams, and were socially enjoying
the fragrant smoke of their pipes, lis
tening to the refreshing undulations OF
the river as the boats softly glided
along. Orooblis, the Armenian dyer,
was the only thing in that soft and
bright noon that appeared on the land
to be animated with any purpose.
Orooblis was preparing boat to de-
scend to Tigris. Haddad- -Ben-Ahab
seeing OroobliS SO active, looked at him
for some time and said:
Il should like to go with him and see
strange things. for I have never been
to pluck pomgranates in the garden of
Bovs-Addy- Book"
He then rose and went to the boat
which Oroobl.s was loading and spoke
to him. And when 1t was reaoy they
seated themselves on board and sailed
down the Tigris, having much pleasant
discourse concerning distant lands and
hills whose tops pierced the clouds, and
were supposed to be the pillars that
uphold the crystal dome Of the heavens.
Haddad-Ben-A1ab rejoiced greatly
as they sailed along, and at last they
came to little town where Orooblis,
having business to transact, went on
shore, leaving his friend. But in what
corner of the earth this little town
stood Haddad- -Ben-Ahab knew not; for,
like other travellers, he was not pro-
vided with much geographical knowl-
edge.
But soon after the departure of
Orooblis he thought he would also land
and inquire. Accordingly, taking his
pipe in his hand, he stepped out of the
boat and went about the town, looking
at many things, till he came to wharf
chandise on board, and her sailors were
men of a different complexion from
that of the watermen who piled on the
Tigris at Bagdad.
Haddad- Ben -Allab looked at them,
and as he was standing near where
they were at work he thought that this
ship afforded better opportunity than
he had enjoyed with Orooblis to see
foreign countries. He accordingly went
up to the captain and held out hand
full of money and indicated that he was
desirous to sail away with he ship. So
1t was arranged.
When the ship had taken on board
her cargo she spread her sails and
Haddad-Ben-Ahab felt himself In a
new situation, for presently she began
to lie over and to plunge and revel
among the waves like a glad creature
But Haddad-Ben-Ah became very
sick, and the captain showed him the
way down into the inside of the vessel,
where he went into dark bed and was
charitably tended by one of the sailors
for many days.
When they came to a foreign city
Haddad-Ben-Ahab landed. and after
he had seen the place he found a man
with two horses ready saddled, and he
rode one and the man rode the other
to act as guide They both rode away
into the country. and they found that
the wind blew in their faces.
They obtained food at an inn and
slept until the dawn of day, when they
resumed their journey into remoter
parts and nearer to the wall Of the
world. which Haddad-Ben-Ahab con-
iectured they must soon reach. They
had not, however, journeyed many days
in the usual manner when they came
to the banks of large river, and the
man would 80 no farther with his swift
horses. Haddad- Ben -Ahab had to pay
and leave him. and then to embark in
a ferryboat over the stream, where he
found a strange vehicle with four swift
horses standing ready to carry him on
toward the wall of the world, (which
surely" said he to himself, ought not
to be now far Off"
Haddad-Ben-Ahab showed his gold
and was permitted to take seat in the
vehicle, which soon after drove away
He remarked in the most sagacious
manner that nothing in that country
was like the things in his own. Fol
the houses and trees and all things ran
away as the vehicle came up. and when
1t gave a jostle they gave Jump
which he noted as one of the mos
extraordinary things he had seen since
he left Bagdad. =
At last Haddad- Ben-Ahah came u