12. THE IMAGINARY BANQUET.

[The following story is taken from the "Arabian Nights"-a collection of stories which illustrate the habits, manners, and customs of the people in the East, and which are full of the most incredible marvels, such as are gravely told in Asia Minor, Turkey, and other Mohammedan countries. This is the story which has given origin to the phrase, a Barmecide Feast. The Barmecides were descendants of Barmec, a very able adviser of the ruler or Caliph of all the Mohammedans, and tutor, and afterwards vizier (or prime minister) to the great Haroun-al-Raschid. His descendants were wealthy, and renowned for their wit and wisdom; and it is of one of them that the following story is told.]

1. My sixth brother was called Shacabac, the harelipped, who, by reverse of fortune, was reduced to the necessity of begging his bread. In this occupation he acquitted himself with great address, his chief aim being to procure admission, by bribing the officers and domestics, into the houses of the great, and, by having access to their persons, to excite their compassion.

2. By this means he one day gained admission to a magnificent building, in which, luxuriously reclining on a sofa, in a room richly furnished, he found the master, a Barmecide, who, in the most obliging manner, thus addressed him: "Welcome to my house. What dost thou wish, my friend?"

3. Shacabac. "I am in great want. I suffer from hunger, and have nothing to eat."

The Barmecide was much astonished at this answer. "What!" he cried. "What! nothing to eat! Am I in the city, and thou in it hungry? It is a thing I cannot endure. Thou shalt be happy as heart can wish. Thou must stay and partake of my salt. Whatever I have is thine." 4. Shac. "O my master! I have not patience to wait, for I am in a state of extreme hunger. I have eaten nothing this day."

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Barm. What, is it true that even at this late hour thou hast not broken thy fast? Alas! poor man, he will die of hunger. Halloo there, boy, bring us instantly a basin of water, that we may wash our hands."

5. Although no boy appeared, and my brother observed neither basin nor water, the Barmecide nevertheless began to rub his hands, as if some one held the water for him, and while he was doing this he urged my brother to do the same. Shacabac, by this, supposed that the Barmecide was fond of fun; and, as he liked a jest himself, he approached and pretended to wash his hands, and afterwards to wipe them with a napkin held by the attendant.

6. Barm. "Now bring us something to eat, and take care not to keep us waiting. Set the table here. Now place the dishes on it. Come, my friend, sit down at the table here. Eat, my friend, and be not ashamed; for thou art hungry, ‍and I know how thou art suffering from the violence of thy hunger."

7. Saying these words, although nothing had been brought to eat, he began as if he had taken something on his plate, and pretended to put it in his mouth and chew it; adding, "Eat, I beg of thee; for a hungry man, thou seemest to have but a poor appetite. What thinkest thou of this bread?"

8. Shac. (Aside.) "Verily this is a man that loveth to jest with others. (To Barmecide.) O my master! never in my life have I seen bread more beautifully white than this, or of sweeter taste. Where didst thou procure it?"

9. Barm. "This was made by a female slave of mine, whom I purchased for five hundred pieces of gold. (Calling aloud.) Boy! bring to us the dish the like of which is not found among the viands of kings. Eat, O my guest! for thou art hungry-vehemently so, and in absolute want of food."

10. Shac. (Twisting his mouth about as if eating heartily.) "Verily this is a dish worthy the table of Solomon."

Barm. "Eat on, my friend.

Boy! place before us

the lamb fattened with almonds. Now, this is a dish never found but on my table, and I wish thee to eat thy fill of it."

11. As he said this, the Barmecide pretended to take a piece in his hand and put it to my brother's mouth. Shacabac held his head forward, opened his mouth, pretended to take the piece, and to chew and swallow it with the greatest delight.

12. Shac. "O my master! verily this dish hath not its equal in sweetness of flavor."

Barm. "Do justice to it, I pray, and eat more of it. The goose, too, is very fat. Try only a leg and a wing. Halloo, boy, bring us a fresh supply."

13. Shac. "O no, by no means! for in truth, my lord, I cannot eat any more."

Barm. "Let the dessert, then, be served, and the fruit brought. Taste these dates; they are just gathered, and very good. Here, too, are some fine walnuts, and here some delicious raisins. Eat, and be not ashamed."

14. My brother's jaws were by this time weary of chewing nothing. "I assure thee," said he, “I am so full that I cannot eat another morsel of this cheer."

Barm. "Well, then, we will now have the wine. Boy, bring us the wine! Here, my friend, take this cup; it will delight thee. Come, drink my health, and tell me if thou thinkest the wine good."

15. But the wine, like the dinner and dessert, did not appear. However, he pretended to pour some out, and drank the first glass, after which he poured out another for his guest.

My brother took the imaginary glass, and, first holding it up to the light to see if it was of a good, bright color, he put it to his nose to examine the perfume; then, making a profound reverence to the Barmecide, he drank it off with marks of profound appreciation.

16. The Barmecide continued to pour out one bumper

after another, so frequently, that Shacabac, pretending that the wine had got into his head, feigned to be tipsy. This being the case, he raised his fist, and gave the Barmecide such a violent blow that he knocked him down.

Barm. (Very angry.) "What means this, thou vilest of the creation? Art thou mad?"

17. Shac. "O my master! thou hast fed me with thy provisions, and treated me with old wine; and I have become intoxicated, and committed an outrage upon thee. But thou art of too exalted dignity to be angry with me for my ignorance!"

18. He had hardly finished this speech before the Barmecide burst into laughter. "Come," said he, "I have long been looking for a man of thy character. Come, we shall now be friends. Thou hast kept up the jest in pretending to eat; now thou shalt make my house thy home, and eat in earnest."

19. Having said this, he clapped his hands. Several slaves instantly appeared, whom he ordered to set out the table and serve the dinner. His commands were quickly obeyed, and my brother now enjoyed the reality of what he had before partaken only in idea.

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WRITTEN SPELLING.-WORDS SPELLED IN TWO WAYS.

II. VOCAL TRAINING.-EMPHASIS.

Emphasis, as the term is generally used in Reading, is a special force of voice applied to the most significant or expressive words in a sentence. In its widest signification, however, it denotes any means of distinguishing the most expressive words in a sentence, whether by force, inflection, pauses, stress, or quantity.

It is possible to make a word very emphatic by means of an intense whisper. All words distinguished by a strong inflection are emphatic.

A pause before or after a word makes it emphatic by calling attention to it. Words are also made emphatic by prolonging the vowel or the liquid soundthat is, by quantity.

In general, the stronger the emphatic force, the longer are the slides, and the more prolonged the sounds. Thus emphasis includes force, quantity, and inflection.

I. DISTINCTIONS OF EMPHASIS.

Emphasis is absolute or emotional, when it depends upon the importance of an idea without reference to any other idea; or when it expresses strong emotion or passion. It is relative when it depends on relative or contrasted ideas.

II. EXAMPLES OF ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

1. Quick! quick! quick! pull for your lives.
2. To arms! to arms! to arms! they cry.
3. We may die; die còlonists! die slàves!

4. Go, ring the bèlls, and fire the guns, and flìng the starry banners out.

5. Up drawbridge! groom! What, warder, hò! Let the portcullis fall!