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12 ABBREVIATIONS ABDALLAH BEN ZOBAIR K.G.C. Knight Grand Cross. K. G. C. B. Knight of the Grand Cross of the Bath. Ks. Kansas. Kt. Knight. Ky. Kentucky. L. (/.. ). Libra, a pound (money). La. Louisiana. Lb. Libra, a pound (weight). L. C. Lower Canada. Lev. Leviticus. L. L Long Island. Lib. Liber, book. Lieut or Lt. Lieutenant. LL. B. Legum Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Laws. LL. D. Legum Doctor, Doc- tor of Laws. L. 8. Locus sigilli, place of the seal. L, 8. D. Pounds, shillings, and pence. M. Monsieur. M. A. Master of Arts. Mace. Maccabees. Maj. Gen. Major General Mai. Malachi. Mass. Massachusetts. Matt. Matthew. M. C. Member of Congress. M.D. Medicinse Doctor, Doc- tor of Medicine. Md. Maryland. M. E. Methodist Episcopal. Me. Maine. Messrs. Messieurs, gentle- men, sirs. Mir. Micah. Mich. Michigan. Minn. Minnesota. Miss. Mississippi MUe. Mademoiselle. MM. Messieurs. Mme. Madame. Mn. Missouri. Mons. Monsieur. M. P. Member of Parliament. MS., M >s. Manuscript, man- uscripts. M. T. Montana Territory. Mt Mount Mus. D. or Mus. Doc. Doctor of Music. N. North. K. A. National Academician ; North America. N. B. Nota bene, mark well ; New Brunswick ; North Britain. N. C. North Carolina. N. E. Northeast; New Eng- land. Neb. Nebraska. Neh. Nehemiah. Nem. con. Nemine contra- dlcente, no one contradict- ing, unanimously. Nev. Nevada. N. F. Newfoundland. N. G. New Granada. N. H. New Hampshire. N. i. New Jersey. N. M. New Mexico. N. O. New Orleans. No. Numero, number. N. P. New Providence. N. 8. New style ; Nova Sco- tia. N. T. New Testament Num. Numbers. N. W. Northwest N. Y. New York. N. Z. New Zealand. O. Ohio. Ob. Obiit,dled. Obad. Obadlah. Or. Oregon. O. 8. Old style. O. T. Old Testament. Oxon. Oxoniensis, of Oxford. Oz. Ounce. Pa. Pennsylvania. P. E. Protestant Episcopal. P.E. I. Prince Edward Island. IVmi. Pennsylvania. Per cent, or per ct Per cen- tum, by the hundred. Ph. D. Philosophise Doctor, Doctor of Philosophy. Phil. Philippians. Phila. Philadelphia. P. M. Postmaster ; Post me- ridiem, after noon. P. O. Post office. P. P. Parish priest. P. P. C. Pour prendre cong i, to take leave. P. R. Porto Rico. Prof. Professor. Pro tern. Pro temporc, for the time, temporarily. Prov. Proverbs. Prox. Proximo, next, of the next month. P. 8. Postscript Ps. Psalm. Pxt Plnxit, painted it Q. Quadrans, farthing. Q. C. Queen's counsel. Q. d. Quasi dicat, as if he should say. Q. E. D. Quod erat demon- strandum, which was to be demonstrated. Q. M. Quartermaster. Qr. Quarter; farthing. (. 8. Quantum sufflcit, as much as is necessary. Qu., Qy. Quaere, query. Q. v. Quod vide, which see. li. Kex or Kegina, king or queen. R. A. Royal Academician ; Royal Artillery. R. K. Royal Engineer*. Rec. Sec. Recording Secre- tary. Ref. Ch. Reformed Church. Rev. Revelation ; Reverend. R. I. Rhode Island. R. M. 8. Royal mail steamer. R. N. Royal Navy. Rom. Romans. R. 8. D. Royal Society of Dublin. R. 8. E. Royal Society of Edinburgh. R. 8. V. P. Repondez s'U vous plait, Answer if you please. Rt Hon. Right Honorable. Rt Rev. Right Reverend. 8. (.). Solldus. shilling; south. S. A. South America. Sam. Samuel. 8. C. South Carolina. 8c. or Sculp. Sculpsit, en- graved it. Scan. Mag. Scan datum mnir- natum, defamation of the grvat or of officials. Sec. Secretary. 8. J. Society of Jesus, Jesuit S. P. Q. R. Senatus Popu- lusqne Romanua, the senate and people of Rome. Ss. SclHcet, namely. 8t Saint 8. T. D. g*crB Theologte Doctor, Do-Hor of Sacred Theology. Tenn. Tennessee. Thess. Thessalonians. Tit Titus. T. T. L. To take leave. U. C. Upper Canada; Urbis 'nmlitir. year of Rome. fit. Ultimo, last, of the last month. U. P. United Presbyterian. U.S. United Steles; United Service. U. 8. A. United States of America; United States Ar- my. U. S. N. United States Navy. U. T. Utah Territory. V. or vs. Versus, against V. A. Vicar Apostolic. Va. Virginia. V.D.M. Verb! Dei Minister, Minister of the Word of God. Ven. Venerable. V. G. Vicar General. Viz. Videlicet, namely. V. P. Vice President Vs. Versus, against Vt Vermont. W. West. W. I. West Indies. Wis. Wisconsin. W. S. Writer to the Signet W. T. Washington Tc rritorv. W. Va. West Virginia. Wy. T. Wyoming Territory. X. Xpurrot, ChrUt. Xmas. Christmas. Zech. Zechariah. Zeph. Zephaniah. &c. Et cetera, and so forth. ABD, an initial word in proper names com- mon to the Semitic languages. It signifies "servant," and is usually coupled with the name of the Divinity or of a moral attribute ; thus, Abd-allah, " the servant of Allah ;" Abd- er-Rahman, "servant of the Merciful." ABDALLAH BEN ABD-EL-MOTTALIB, an Arab merchant, father of Mohammed, born at Mecca about 545, died in 570. In youth, according to the Moslem legend, he narrowly escaped sacrifice at his father's hands, who, having but this one child, had made a vow to the gods that if they would grant him ten children, he would sacrifice one to them. The children came, and the lot, being taken, fell on Ab- dallah, then 24 years old. The father was on the point of fulfilling his vow, when by the advice of his friends he stayed his hand, and consulted a wise woman, who directed him to place ten camels, the price of blood among the Arabs, on one side, and his son on the other, and to cast lots between them ; and as often as the lots should be against the youth, he was to add ten more camels. The experiment was tried, and the lot was against Abdallah ten times ; the father sacrificed one hundred camels and saved his son. Immediately after this escape, Abdallah married Amina, daughter of Wahb, chief of the tribe of Benu Zahra. On the evacuation of Mecca by the Abyssinians, who had invaded the country, he was sent by his father to Medina, then called Yathreb, to buy provisions for the famished Meccaites, who had been obliged to fly to the mountain fast- nesses. Abdallah died on the journey, leaving his wife pregnant with her first child. That child was Mohammed. ABDALLAH BEN /ou I 'i It, ruler of Mecca, born about 622, died in 692. He was the first born of the disciples of Mohammed after the hegira, and his advent was a matter of great rejoicing. He was the son of Zobair, a friend and com- panion of Mohammed, and of Asma, the sister of Ayesha, the prophet's favorite wife. He was thus Mohammed's nephew by marriage, and was brought up under his immediate tutelage. After Mohammed's death, the question of suc- cession was one of great moment. On the death of the prophet's immediate successors, and the election of Ali, Mohammed's nephew and son-in-law, to whom Ayesha was decidedly opposed, Abdallah sided with his aunt and re- sisted All's claims. He was, however, severely wounded in a contest with the rival faction ; but on the assassination of Ali he boldly re- newed his opposition to Moawiyah, and on his