Litchfield enquirer., 1835-04-23
THE cOBBLER OF BRUSA.s

glVoo m 0fu8ap tUat etty DOus Heu tl1S Cap~ ital ofthe Turkish Empire, poor cobbler.
 whose name was Eskigia Meimet E6endi. This worthy artisan inhabiied a small
 house, continuing buf one apartment, situ- ated at tlls foot of Mount Olympus. The Chesnut and plane trees, with which che sides of that snOw4capped mountain are
 covered. overshadowed his humble dwell- ing, and offered cool retreat during the sultry summer days. Numerous streams and mineralsprings reflected, in their trans-
 lucent hosons, the lofty scenery by which they were surrounded, and gave birth to plants and flowers of brilliant hue and aro- matic odor. The shepherd, as iffearful of disturbing the chrystal surface of these wa4 I tess. drives his flock to some distant sum- init, from which he looks down at his ease upon tho prospect beneath him and the birds, whose nests are among the s.eighbor- ing trees, hardly ruffie the vapor-like cur-
 rents with the light dip of their wings.
 1t was i6 the midst of scenery like this,
 Eskigi Meintet Effendi had fixed his hab-
 itation. The routine of his life was simple and regular. Early in the morning he would 70 one or two miles into the city and bring home all the old shoes that he could collect from his customers. He would then take his benehs with his awl and lap
 stone beneath some large tree, and there
 work msrrily sat his trade. In this way, [ he managed daily to earn a few paras, which were barely sufficient to support
 himself and his family, consisting of wife
 and child. But being accustomed during
 the day to the beautiful sights around
 Mount Olympus, he could not remain con-
 tent in his humble donicil at night, with I out having great number oflights burning in his presence. Consequently, after pur-
 chasing a few of the indispensable necces-
 saries of life, he would spend the remain
 der of his small pittance in oil.
 After the prayer of sunset, which the ! Turks call uTans MGnus, the honest cobbler
 would prepare his illuminations. Then,
 having taken his supper, he would chat
 with his wife, smoke his chiboque, and Ithrum on the guitar, while his child danced to the sound. Sometimes he would sing to the full stretch of his lungs, according to
 the Turkish fashion. At the iGki or ffii,
 prayer, which took place two hours after
 sunset. he would retire to bed.
 ! In those times, the Turkish Emperors,
 accompanied by some officer of distipction, were often in the habit of walking in dis- guise, sometimes by day and sometimes by r night, so that seeing with their own eyes, and hearing with their own ears. they might truly know she wants and dispositions of their subjects, and take tleir measures ac-
 cordingly. Now it happened that Baiazet
 the First, in passing tho domicil Eskigi
 Meinhet Effendi, had often been amazed
 with the brilliant illuminations and the very
 loud songs of the patriotic eobbler. Cons
 sequently one evening the Sultan and his
 Vizier, having assumed the costume ofdef- l wishes, stopped before tho ho0se, in which ] many lights seemed to bc burning, and knocked at the door. A voice from with< in asked, 'who is thereg' The two illus
 trious personages of the Empire replied
 that they were dervishes, who in the name
 of God, desired hospitality. Eskigi Mei-'
 met Effendi answered, by telling them to
 wait few minutes, till he had found means
 of concealing his wife, it being, as every
 one knows, contrary to the custom to ex- pose their wives unless he be near rela-
 ton. The poor cobbler having but one room, was puzzled how he should dispose of his better half. But being unwilling to
 refuse hospitality to his visiterss. ne though, it best to fix up the csunterpane in one
 corner ofthe Apartment, as a sort of screen,
 behind |.neh his wife might retire. Hav- jag done this in the neatest manner he
 could, he opened the door to his two guests.
 After the salem 0lekins, or usual salute of
 the Turks, he placed before them piece of bread and cheese, remnants of his scan-
 ty supper, and bowl of pure water. Then
 succeeded the nargele or hnbblebubble, a pipe of serpentine form and dimensions.
 The Grand Senior after partaking lightly of the proffeted civilities of his host, ask.
 ed among other inquiries, the nature of his
 vocation. Eskigi Meimet Efendi replied
 fully to all questions, adding, that his only pleasure after the labour of the day was O.
 yer, was at night to have his ho use brill iantly illuminated, and to talk, dance, and
 sing, with his wife and child, thanking the
 Almighty for all that he had done and was
 doing, and more particularly for having pla- ced at the head of the Nation so wise and great an Emperor, for whose life, contin- usd the cobbler, my wife and myself con-
 stan.ly pray, and under whose reign we hope to die.'
 After some further conversation, Eskipi
 Meimet Efendi retired into his harem, or more literally speaking, behind the coun- terpane, and left the sofa for his two guests. Sunrise, after the sabbath names, or gray. CT ofthe morning, the Grand Senior and his
 vizier quilted the humble abode where | 2