The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-07-21
The PETERS Daughter.

This story is going the rounds of the
newspapers here, and is said to point TO
some circumstances which have recently
occurred in Turkish town, if not at
ConstantinOple itself 1t certainly is
worth telling as curious picture of the
wild life of Turkish, Arabian, or Asia
Minor countries. There was in one of
the poorest quarters of COnstantinople an
Old Greek potter. Although he was
Glaour, and lived in a purely Moslem
neleh00rh00d, he was popular because his
honesty was TrOveTbal. He was a wild
over. He had only one child-a daugh-
ter, who was marvelOusly beautiful. Her
name was Helle She was the housekeep-
er, maid OF ali work, and cook of the
hovol III which her father and she lived
| She went to the Muslem houses to sell TO
The Turkish women the carthenware her
father made. When she entered harem
twas 4 festival to all the inmates: her
| presence was like a sunbeam eptering a
dungeon. The women would scream
Ahi here comes beautiful Helle, the
| pOtter's daughter,' Lovely as she was
nobody was jealous of her, for she did
not seem to be at all proud Of her beauty.
One day, the Sultan's favorite son
tool, it into his head u lOu3g &c about town
lie was on horseback, and several babitu-
al companions of his pleasure were with
him. Inc van-cOurieTs ran ahead of them,
with silver headed cane in hand, with
which they struck right and left, belabor-
ing the people III order 10 open 3 passage
tor the Sallan's son. Men, women, chit
dren, and old people screamed as they
took to their heels. Two or three children
icll and came near being trampied on by
Ia
came out Of her fathers house. She went
straight on, bearing on her head tray
~hlch contained the earthenware her
father had made. One of the companions
OF the Suitan's son bent toward him, whis-
pered and pointed to the lovely creature.
One Of the van ccuriers, who swas about
To strike her, was petrifisd by admiration,
the uplifted stick fell not, but he gave her
sudden push, and the tray and its con-
tents Tell from her head and ali the earth
enwarc was broken into shapeless irag-
ments. Just at this instant the horse of
the Sultans son stood in front If her !; he
reined In the horse, looked at the tears
which strcamed from her eyes, smiled,
and rode on. Next day Hcllc had
disappeared from the neighborhood The
! poor old potter ran about everywhere beg
glng some intelligence of his daughter
He was almost beside himself with grief
A woman who had witnessed the scene
just described told him what she had seen.
He understood all its import He went in
front of the palace and stood there all day
long, day after day, Visiting the hour when
the Sultan's son shoald again sally forth
to lounge through the streets. The hour
came. The old potter ran to the horses
side and asked the rider for his daughter
No one heared the words exchanged
Suddenly the Sultan sons drew his scimi
ter, and the head of the old potter rolled
on the ground As soon as the Sultan's
son had passed on some distance, the peo-
pie picked up the corpse and carried it to
the pOttcr's house. AS he had no
kindred, they placed it in his shop and
there LETT it. Everybody went to see it.
There was great excitement in the neigh
bOrhood, and such throngs of people stood
in front of the house as TO block up The
street The Sultan himselfsaw from a dis
tance these great throDgs aud asked their
origin. He WAS told by the Grand ' zier.
He at once issued orders that trum-
peters should go through each quarter ot
the CITY and make proclamation that he
himself should see justice done. and the
assassin of the poor potter punished. The
. |
potters house. His son was behind him.
An unusual number Of jAnissarics sur
rounded them. There was larger crowd
, than had yet assembled In front of the
potter'S house. The Sultan ordered the
corpse to be brought ont of the house and
placed in the centre Of the neigbboring
square He babe his son dismount, stand
at the corpsc's feet. and gaze on it, The
sight was horrible, for, despite ali tn,
pains taken, the corpse was in putrit
state. The Sultan's son stood gazing or
|, the decaying mass. He was as pale a
death, and the smile he tried to force upor
his face did but made his anxiety th'
, more visible. This scene lasted for
quarter of an hour. There was not wor'
spoken At the end of fifteen minute
the Sultan drew his scimeter, and hi
sons head rolled on the ground. Tn
Sultan said Bury them both together
, and let trumpetcrs announce throughou
: all the town that justice hath bee
! wrought Allah only is great l'-Pdri
Cor. Boston Saturday Fleming Gdzdte.