Life — August 10, 1899 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LOOK HEAH, YO" BRACK NIGGER, WAS DAT YO! HUGGIN’ AN’ KISSIN’ MY WIFE BEWIN’ DE ELDERBERRY BUSH LAS’ NIGHT?" PONY YO WORRY, SAll. blandly, ‘‘and itis now time to get to work.” ** Allah Karim! God is merciful,” said Mustapha, and with a wry face produced six other sequins from his girdle. He handed them over to the Cadi with the mental reservation that the next prisoner would have to make good the deficiency. He then assumed the respectful position 1 DUN HAD DE LADY'S PERMISHUN.” usual when tbe court was io session. He clapped his bands three times, and Mes- rour brought in a gentleman whose ruddy nose and watery eye betokened the frequent use of the forbidden spirits, and whose rotundity of figure showed that he ate much and often. “ What is thy business, slave?” asked the Cadi. M13 “Tkecp asummer hotel, oh, bestower of mercy!” “That's enough,” replicd the Cadi. “We'll try thee on that charge. Where is thy robber’s den situated?” “On the banks of Mosquito River, sublime highness ” ** And of course thou hast no mosquito sercens in the windows. What-is the size of the largest room?” “Six by eight, ob, fountain of justice!” “ And the price ?” “Five a day, for asingle person, with- out board, The table d la carte.” ** And the prices of the food and drinks the same as at the most expensive places in New York. Where dost thou pur- chase thy supplies $” ‘Tn the city, ob, highness!" * And Mosquito Bay is in the heart of a country where are grown the freshest of fruit and vegetables, and the best of poultry, and in its waters are found the finest fish, yet thou procurest cold stomge stuff from the city markets and sell it to true believers for excessive prices.” “It is true, sublime highness,” said Mustapha,’ ‘* for this same kafir did charge me three prices for beer that was flat, and three golden sequins a bottle for wine labeled ‘Chateau Margaux,’ which came from the vineyards of. Cali- fornia.” ‘He is only a common robber, Mus- tapha, and not so much to blame per- haps as those who give him their money and get so little in return. Quite a few of the true believers are fouls, and "— here the Cadi chuckled to himeelf— *- maybe, Mustapha, you are one of them. Give bim a hundred and fifty good strokes of the bastinado on the soles of his feet and let him go" Mustapha conducted the prisoner out- side and carefully searched him. Hav- ing appropriated all his money and jewels and carefully concealed them on his own person, Mustapha tured bim over to the chief executioner to carry out the sentence. When be returned to the Hall of Jus- tice the Cadi had left the carpet, but from bebind the curtain there crept a subtle, volatile aroma, and Mustapha heard the Cadi’s voice saying in a low tone, ‘‘ The happiest moment of my life ! I have the honor of proposing the health of one of the most distinguished jurists that ever wore the ermine.”