Year: 1875

An ExQUIsxrg SroRY.--Lamartine,
the great French poet, somewhere in
his miscellaneous writings, relates afine
story with . noble moral, in his inimi-
table way. As we give the little scene
from memory, We cannot impart to it
the idiomatic beauty Of the original,
but our readers will admire IL never
theless. Somewhere near the desert
plateau Of Nedjia, in Arabia, there was
. tribe of Bedouins, known as the tribe
of Neggdah, and not far away another
tribe was located of rival interests. In
the former was . chief named Maker,
who possessed n horse Of such fame and
beauty. such grace Of action and such
power of endnrancex 1Aat hiqseqpal hnd
never Len known among the Arabs.
Daher, a chief of the rival tribe, tried
in vain to purchase this horse, even at
the cost of half of his worldly goods;
his master would not sell him. Final
ly the rival chief determined to accom-
plish by strategy what he could not do
by fair and open bargain.
Daher therefore disguised himself.
He stained his face and put false lines
of age upon his brow, and his clothing
was ragged and torn. !. He bound his
leg and his neck together, so as to ap-
pear like wretched lame beggar,' and
In this condition his own family would
not have recognized the usually dash-
ing Bedouin chief. With crutches he
bore himself to certain spot in the
desert, where he knew Naber must PASS,
and there he patiently awaited the APP
pearance of the lucky possessor Of that
superb animal. Presently he came in
sight, and then the disguised chief cried
out in a piteous voice:


Il am poor stranger. For three
days l have been unable to move from
this spot to seek for food. perish of
want


Good cheer answered Naber.


4 am dying, replied Daher, in weak
voice. Help me, and Heaven will re-
ward you


Come hither. I will help thee upon
my horse, and will take thee to my tent
and care for thee


Alas! cannot rise,' said the as
sumed beggar. 4 have no strength
left


Nabcr, touched with pity at such suf-
fering, dismountcd, and quickly led his
horse to the spot where the beggar lay
With great difficulty he at last succeed
ed in lifting him up from the ground,
and in placing him in the saddle. But
what now so astonishes the generous
Il, L. L. 7.
appears like one who had been struck
dumb.


The trick was exposed


No sooner was the seeming beggar
fairly seated in the saddle than he gath
cred up the reins, and pressing his heels
into the horses side the high spirited
animal spraug away with the new rider.
As he did so the thief shouted:


1T is !, Daher. l have got the horse
at last =


Naber called after him to stop and
listen. Certain of not being successful
ly pursued, Daher halted and turned
about out of reach of Naber's spear.


You have taken my horse said the
chief. Since Heaven has written it, I
wish you Joy of him, but conjure you
never to tell any one how you obtained
him


And why not ? said Daher.
Because said the generous Arab,
another man might be really i'll, and
men would fear to help him. You would
he the cause of many refusing to per-
form an act of charity, for fear of being
duped as l have been
Struck with shame at these words,
Daher was silent for a moment, then
springing from the horse, he returned
it to its owner, embracing him.
The two rival chiefs were ever after
fast friends.