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Show THE STORY Of OMAR. Ang centuries ago, three Persian boys. Thinking upon their hopes of future joys, Between them Cmar, Abdul and Hasan A lasting compact made, and thus It ran: Abdul and Omar and Haaan. These three. Schoolmate and f.-iendt, do tolemnly aree. That it whichever one tuccenma' come Honor or Wealth tlx ttand of Allah from, Thi one to each companion dear tkall makt Some worthy offering for fHtulthip' take. The years slipped by, and when good fortune ' came, 1 It brought to Abdul honor, wealth and fame: Vlafer the Bultm made him. and 'twas then He thought of Omar and Hassan aga'n. And they, 'tis naH, remembiring the old Agreement, came, their wishes to unfold First spoke Hassan: "Of thee, 0 Friend, my heart Would crave of power to have some goodly 1 part!" But Omar said to Abdul: "It were well With me, O Friend, if I might ever dwell Within the shadow of thy happiness, And from Life's grape the wine of Wisdom , press 1 " To each wob granted that for which he prayed ; The vow fultilled, the promised debt was paid, But soon Hassan, grown gre3dier, forgot His love tit Abdul, and b.gan to plot Against the Sultan and the kind Vizier Whosejiand had helped him to hi 1 high career ; And at his bidding d d a rascal's knife Undo the thread of gracious Abdul's life. Now Omar, he In paace and comfort sought Wisdom-a school boy still, b Allah taught i Studied the course of planet and of star, And for Ms Sultan made the calendar: But moat he loved, at the prop'tlous time, His gathered ftlsiom to record In rhyme. To- lay, of all these three, 'tis he alone Whose name Is honored and whose work Is known. Modest he was, and being modest, wise 1 Therein the moral ' his story lies. , -JT. an Demptter Sherman. |