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It is none of your business,' said the Caliph, whether I am a robber or not: 1 shall pay down the eight thousand sequins, and give you a suitable present.' 'Villain!' said she,' do you mock me? but there is justice to be had in Bagdad; you shall not make a laughing-stock with impunity of a poor defenceless woman: I take you at your word; and if you do not make it good, the Commander of the Faithful shall have you strangled this very night.'

'I accept your conditions, and am ready to sign them,' said the Caliph ; 'I espouse your daughter, and you shall see that I am a man of my word.' The woman then admitted him into the chamber; he sat down, and said to her, Secure yourself against me during your absence, lock up your daughter; go to such a Cadi; he lives not far off; tell him, that one, by name Il Bondo. cani, desires him to come here directly.'

And do you think,' said the woman, 'that the Cadi will come here for one of your appearance? If you are rich, so much the worse for you; you have certainly got your money badly; you are surely nothing more than a cut-throat; and do you think that a Cadi will stir for you? The Caliph smiled; ' Go, madam,' said he; give yourself no trouble; only tell the Cadi to come, and bring with him papers and pens.'

6

When the old woman arrived at the Cadi's house, he was sitting in an apartment, with many nobles of the city. She hesitated to go in, withheld by shame, the common attendant on poverty. She then reasoned with herself: If I do not go in, I do nothing: I should at least endeavour to know who this man is, who wishes to be my son-in-law, were it only to get quit of him: I shall advance, and hazard every thing.' She moved toward the door of the chamber, and then ran back with precipitation, fearing lest some false step might ruin her for ever. She thrust in half her head; and then hastily withdrew it in the utmost

terror.

The Cadi at last observed a head which went and came, which appeared, and then vanished. He desired one of his officers to see what it was. The old woman was brought to him. What business have you with me?' said the Judge. 'My Lord,' answered she, 'there is a young man at my house, who desires you to come to him.'

'What say you, insolent old woman!' rejoined the Cadi. A man desires me to come to him!' at the same time, he turned to his officers; let this mad woman be tied,' said he,' and sent to the hospital of fools.'

6

'Mercy!' cried the old woman, when she had heard the order of the Cadi, Ah! this cursed robber sent me here for my destruction! Ah! my Lord,' said she to the Cadi, 'I am but a poor woman; there is a robber, a thief, a villain, at my house, who obliged me to take this step; he wished to marry my daughter: he says that you kuow him, and that his name is Il Bondocani.'* When the Cadi heard this word pronounced, Give me my faragi,' cried he; set this woman at liberty. 'My good woman,' said he, softening his voice,' you say that the young man, who sent you, calls himself'

6

O, my Lord,' answered the old woman, 'do not desire me to repeat his name: it makes me tremble like a leaf; he must be some head of a gang of robbers. But since I must do it, he calls himself Il Bondocuni.'.

The Cadi was now satisfied that it was

the Caliph in person. He wrapped himself up in his faragi. Madam, said he to the old woman, I beg a thousand pardons for my mistake, and the sharp ness with which I spoke to you. Is it at your house that I am expected?' 6 Yes, my Lord.' 'Do me the pleasure to conduct me there,' rejoined the Cadi.

As

The spectators, as well as the old woman, were astonished at the powerful magic of the word Il Bondocani. she was conducting the Cadi to her house, she began to change her opinion about her future son-in-law. He must be at head of a formidable band of robbers,' thought she, since his very

* When the Caliph went out in disguise, he used a watchword that was known by the principal officers.

+ The robe of ceremony, worn by the Cadies.

name strikes terror into the Cadi. The chief magistrate of the city covers himself with his robe of ceremony, and flies without his slippers, at the dreadful sound! I, who was going to be shut up in an hospital, am now treated with respect!"

Employed in such reflections as these, the old woman reached her house; the Cadi, who followed her, entered, and knew the Commander of the Faithful. He was going to prostrate himself, when he was prevented by a signal from the Caliph.

(To be continued.)

Varieties.

EFFECT. Mr. Lee, the barrister, was famous for studying effect when he pleaded. On the circuit of Norwich, a brief was brought to him by the rela

tives of a woman who had been deceived into a breach of promise of marriage. Lee inquired, among other particulars, whether the woman was handsome? "A most beautiful face," was the answer. Satisfied with this, he desired she should be placed at the bar, immediately in front of the jury. When he rose, he began a most pathetic and eloquent address, directing the attention of the jury to the charms which were placed in their view, and painting, in glowing colours, the guilt of the wretch who could injure so much beauty. When he perceived their feelings worked up to a proper pitch, he sat down, under the perfect conviction that he should obtain a verdict. What, then, must have been his surprise, when the counsel retained by the opposite party, rose and observed, that it was impossible not to assent to the encomiums which his learned friend had lavished on the face of the plaintiff'; but he had forgot to say that "she had a wooden leg!"" This fact, of which Lee was by no means aware, was established to his utter confusion. His eloquence was thrown away; and the jury, who felt ashamed of the effects it had produced on them, instantly gave a verdict against him.-Percy Anecdotes.

A FLATTERING COMPLIMENT.-A lady of high fashion complimenting the late King of Prussia in such high terms that his Prussian Majesty was rather disgusted at it, and saying, amongst other things that he was covered with

He

Peter the Great was so much affected with the death of his son Peter, by Catherine I., that he shut himself up at Petershoff, intending to starve himself to death, and forbade every person of whatever description, under pain of death, to disturb his retirement. The senate assembled on this desperate resolution of the prince, and Dolgorouki undertook to drive him from it. went and knocked at the door of the room where Peter was shut up. Whoever you be,' cried the szar, with a terrible voice, Fly off, or 1 will open the door, and knock out your brains.' Open, I say,' replied Dolgorouki în a firm tone, it is a deputy from the senate come to ask you whom you wish to have nained as emperor, since you have resigned.' Peter, struck with the courageous zeal of Dolgorouki, opened the door, and embraced this faithful courtier, yielded to his councils, and resumed the reins of government.

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The following curious account of the cause of damning a play, is given in an old dramatic register: THE WARY WIDOW; OR, SIR NOISY PERROT, a comedy, by Henry Higden, in 1693.This is very far from being the worst of our English comedies, being ushered into the world by several complimentary verses, and a prologue written by Sir Charles Sedley: ye it was damned the first night, owing to a very extraordinary circumstance, which was, that the author had introduced so much drinking of punch into the play, that the performers got drunk during the acting of it, and were unable to go through with their parts; on which account, and the treatment the audience gave them by hisses and cat-calls in consequence of it, the house was obliged to be dismissed at the end of the third act.'

Printed and Published by CoWIE and STRANGE, 60, Paternoster Row, and 20, Fetter Lane.

Arabian Tales.

THE CALIPH TURNED ROBBER (Continued.)

Then, after the ordinary salutation, the magistrate sat down beside Il Bondocani, who said to him, I wish, my lord, to have the daughter of this old woman for my wife.' The mother and daughter apppeared, and the Cadi asked them if they accepted the proposal of Il Bondocani; and he addressed himself particularly to the daughter, to know if she wished him for her husband. They both answered in the affirmative. The Cadi then demanded what they required for the contract and dowry. "Four thousand sequins for the one, and four thousand for the other,' said the old woman. 'Do you, 11 Bondocani,' said the Cadi, agree to this?" "Yes, my lord,' replied Haroun; 'you may draw up our contract.'

The Cadi was much embarrassed to obey the Commander of the Faithful. He had forgotten to bring paper along with him for the contract, so that he was obliged to write it on the bottom of his faragi.

After having written the first lines of the register, he addressed himself to the old woman:- Madam, I must know the names of the father and grandfather of your daughter.'

'Were the father and grandfather of my daughter alive, I should not be obliged to give her to a man, of whom I, dare not say what I think,' said the old woman, in a piteous tone of voice.

All in good time, madam,' said the Cadi; but though they are no longer in the land of the living, yet their names are requisite here.' 'My daughter,' replied the old woman, is called Zutulbe, and I Lelamain. Nothing more shall transpire from me. It is not necessary that the wife of a robber should be of noble blood.'

It may be easily conceived how much the Caliph laughed at this ridiculous scene. The contract was, however, at length drawn up; the man of law cut off the piece of his garment on which it had been written, and delivered it to the young woman. But being ashamed to go out with his robe so curtailed, he took it off, and gave it to the old woman, desiring her to dispose of it in alms to the poor. His presence being no longer necessary, he bowed and retired.

'Certainly,' said the old woman to her new son-in-law, you have this Cadi in complete subjection. How terrible must the leader of a gang of robbers be! This poor man ran here without his siippers; he returns half naked without his robe. Besides he has got nothing for the contract. Are all you robbers equally avaricious?'

My good mother,' said the Caliph, 'all this is of no consequence to you. More essential matters are to be settled between you and me. I am going to bring the dowry and clothes for my wife; you shall see whether I am avaricious or not.'

'What unfortunate person are you going to rob to-night," said the old woman, to supply your generosity? How will he be surprised in the morning to find himself plundered, without knowing by whom; for I suppose in a town like this you steal in silence.'

Haroun, without answering, returned to the palace; and having clothed himself in his royal robes, sent for his architect, and ordered him to decorate the house of Lelamain in the most splendid manner. The Grand Vizier,' said he, 'will furnish you with every requisite; all things must be finished before sunset; but my name and rank must be kept a profound secret: and should Lelamain make any inquiry, tell her that every thing has been ordered by her son-in-law, Il Bondocani.'

The architect answered, I shall obey the Commander of the Faithful.' The house of Lelamain was instantly filled with workmen, with furniture, with tapestry, and with stuffs; the joiner's work was of aloes-wood, and the walls were covered with most exquisite pictures. The old woman naturally asked by whose direction all this was done. By the order of your son-in-law, Il Bondocani,' said the workmen.

Next arrived a man, followed by porters, who laid down a steel coffer, damasked with gold. What brings you here?' asked the old woman. The dowry of the bride,' answered the men. 'You will find in this coffer eight thousand sequins of gold, and two thousand more for your own expence. Here is the key.'

'Well,' replied Lelamain, 'my son-inlaw is a man of his word; but who is he?" • That I cannot tell you,' said the messenger; 'I only know that he is called Il Bondocani,”