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AJEB was a vouth of Cairo, who had inhcerited from hls father a fortune of about two thousand piastres. Had he mvested his little capital in trade, and had he been indus- trious, he might have done very well 5 but shortly after his father's death he must needs fall in lTove with a beautiful eirl, and then he could think of nothing else. He had met the maiden accidentally at the fountain of a mosque, and she had drawn astde her verdl for a4 moment in order to drink. She was plainly dressed, and ap- pcarcd to belong to some humble but respectable hmnl\ s soon as she became awarc of the yvoung man's admiring gaze she replaced her with modest hastc and hunlul away, not once looking back- ward over her shouldu which xh()\\ od that she was no coquette. Rajeb followed her and saw her enter a sm: house, of the kind occupied by middle-class folk. He had fallen in love at first sight, and lost no time in making inquiries concerning his cnchantress. He could lecarn her, however, than the fact that she was as cood as she was beautiful.
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AN ARABIAN TALE ror CHILDRIEN.
['roy rtHE FreENcH o1 M. PP Graxal., He then called upon her parents, and boldly asked them to give him ther
daughter m marriage. They seemed not averse to the match, but when the subject ol her dowry was discussed, he was astounded to hear that they demanded of therr daughter's husband no less than five thousand piastres In vain the disconcerted lover protested that such asum was bevond his means ; he was told that he must cither pay the money or lose the girl. As the latter alternative was intolerable, he begoed that they would allow him a few days’ delay. This request was granted, but if, sald the parents, he did not appear within the appointed tnnc they should consider themselves at lll)ut\ to accept other pro- posils.
Rajeb, as he returned to his home, re- proached himsclf for having idled away his past timne. Ah ! he said to himescelt, it only I had worked hard, I might now have been rich enough to lelClla\L my happi- ness ! He took out his moncey and counted 1t again and again, but no amount of counting or of wishing would make it more than two thousand p1a\tlu He went to bed, but could not sleep for thinking of })()\Slblt, and 1mpossible ways and means of procuring the rest of the moncey. At last a plan that scemed teasible presented itself