A Persian Rug Fetched Overnight

At Lake Mohonk, on the night before He left the Peace Conference in May 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called Dr. Zia Bagdadi and sent him on a wild adventure beginning at nine o'clock at night: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave [Dr. Zia Bagdadi] the key to His New York apartment and asked him to get a Persian rug to give to Mr. Smiley, the president of the conference.

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Even though others said no one could make the journey and return before the scheduled departure of 10 AM the next morning, Dr. Zia Bagdadi said, "I am not afraid to try anything for You, my Lord." Since there were no passenger trains at that time of night, Dr. Bagdadi jumped on the caboose of an already moving freight train. The trainman protested until he saw Dr.

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written on the professional card and agreed to let the passenger remain on the train, not knowing his urgent mission concerned a rug. About 2:00 AM Dr. Bagdadi awakened Grace Robarts (later Mrs. Grace Ober) and her sister, Ella Robarts, who were staying in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's apartment, selected a rug, dashed back to the station, caught a train, and arrived back at Lake Mohonk station with an hour left before 10:00 AM, although an hour's drive lay ahead of him.

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The only vehicle in sight was a wagon of the mail carrier, who agreed to take him. Dr. Bagdadi arrived just as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was shaking hands with Mr. Albert Smiley and preparing to leave. Mr. Smiley, on receiving the rug, said, "Why, this is just what I have been seeking for many years!

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You see, we had a Persian rug just like this one, but it was burned in a fire and ever since my wife has been broken-hearted over it. This will surely make her very happy."

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*Sources: Earl Redman, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Their Midst, p. 132; Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, no. 43; Mahmúd’s Diary, note 106 (citing Allan L. Ward, 239 Days, pp. 68–69)*

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