rst
small bribes, then larger and larger, till ultimately he promised to
bring to the worthy captain one hundred and ten thousand piasters for
allowing the funeral to proceed.

That evening, as agreed, the Chacham came and handed the money to the
captain of the Janissaries. Then taking another bag containing a
second one hundred and ten thousand piasters, he said: "If you will
tell me who informed you that we would pay so much money rather than
have a funeral stopped, you can have this further sum."

The Janissary immediately bethought him of Avram, the tinsmith, and
accused him as his informant, and the Chacham, satisfied, paid the sum
and departed.

Avram disappeared nobody knew where. The Chacham said that death had
taken him for his own as a punishment for stopping him while on a
journey.

The accomplice of the Janissary came a few days later for his share of
the money. The Janissary handed him the fifty-five thousand piasters,
and at the same time said: "Of these fifty-five thousand piasters,
thirty thousand must be given to the widow and children of Avram, and
I advise you to give it willingly, for Avram has taken your place."

HOW MEHMET ALI PASHA OF EGYPT ADMINISTERED JUSTICE

A Jewish merchant was in the habit of borrowing, and sometimes of
lending money to an Armenian merchant of Cairo. Receipts were never
exchanged, but at the closing of an old account or the opening of a
new one they would simply say to each other, I have debited or
credited you in my books, as the case might be, with so much.

On one occasion the Armenian lent the Jew the sum of twenty-five
thousand piasters, and after the usual verbal acknowledgment the
Armenian made his entry. A reasonable time having elapsed, the
Armenian sent his greetings to the Jew. This, in Eastern etiquette,
meant, 'Kindly pay me what you owe.' The Jew, however, did not take
the hint but returned complimentary greetings to the Armenian. This
was repeated several times. Finally, the Armenian sent a message
requesting the Jew to call upon him. The Jew, however, told the
messenger to inform the Armenian merchant, that if he wished to see
him, he must come to his house. The Armenian called upon the Jew, and
requested payment of the loan. The Jew brought out his books and
showed the Armenian that he was both credited and debited with the sum
of twenty-five thousand piasters. The Armenian protested, but in vain;
the Jew maintained that the debt had been p