cr own readers

20 DL·DlOND CUT DIA)!OND.
India, and who complained of IU1\;ng been cheated
by one of )Iansour's comrades in trade.
" Ha ving found a cask et of diam onds among the
effects left by my father," said he, " I set out for
Egyp t, to live th ere on th e proceeds of their sale. I
was obliged by bad weather to put into .Iiddah, where
I soon found myself in wan t of money. I went to
th e bazaar, and inquired for a dealer in precious
stones. The rich est, I was told, was )lansour ; the
most hone t, Ali, th e j eweller. I applied to Ali.
4. " He welcomed me as a son, as soon as he
learned that I had diamonds to sell. He gained my
confidence by every kind of attention, and advanced
me all the money I needed. One day, after dinner,
he examined the diamonds one by one, and said, ' My
child, these diamonds ar e of little valu e; my coffers ar e
fu ll of such stones. The rock s of the desert furnish
th em by thousands.'
5. " 'f o prove the truth of what he said, he opened
a box, and, taking therefrom a diamond thrice as large
as any of mine, gave it to the slave that was with me.
' What will become of me?' I cried. ' I tho ught
myself rich , and here I am, poor, and a stranger.'
'" )ly child ,' replied Ali, ' leave this cask et with me,
and I will give you Ii pric e for it such as no one else
would offer, Choose what ever you wish in .Iiddah, and
in two hours I will give you an equal weight of what
you have chosen, in exchange for your Indian ston e. .'
6. " On returning home, I learned that Ali had
been deceiving me. What he had gi\'en to the slave
wa nothing but a bit of cry stal. I demanded my
cask et. Ali refused to restore it. Venerable magis ­
trate, my sole hope is in your justice ."
\gt4)