Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-07-21
-s-'-s-----
The POtter's Daughter,

THIS story is going the rounds of the
newspapers here, and is said to r,oint IN
some circumstances which have recent1v
occurred in Turkish town. If NOT ~
Constantinople itself Ii certainly 10
worth telling as curious picture of the
wild life of Turkish, Arabian, or Asia
Minor countries. There was in one nf
the poorest quarters Of Constantinople an
Old Greek potter. Although he was a
Glaour, and lived in g purely Moslem
nelghoorhood, he was popular because his
honesty was proverbial. He was a wild.
over he had only one child-a dauph-
ter, VINO was marvelously beautiful. Her
name was Helle. She was the housekeep-
er' maid OF All work, and cook of the
novel in which her father and she Iived
She went to the Moslem houses to sell 10
the Turkish women the earthenware her
father made. When she entered harem
twas festival 10 all the inmates /; her
presence was like sunbeam entering a
dungeon. 1he women would scream .
Aht mere comes beautiful Helie. the
potter 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 fayorite son
took 1t into his head to lounge about town.
lie Was on horseback, and several habitu.
al companions of his pleasure were with
him. Ihe yan-Couriers ran ahead of ther5.
win sllver,headed cane 10 hand, with
whleh they struck right and left, belabor-
ing Gne people in order TO open a passage
ior the Suitan's son. Men, women, chill.
uteh' .n' ana OLD people SCREAMED as they
so0K 10 their heels. Two or three children
teli ana came near being trampled on by
Sne horses Just at this moment Helle
hnW l.
stTaiSht on, bearing on her head a tray
sn mnlcn contained the earthenware her
latner had msdo. One of the companions
vi Ihe oultan's son bent toward him. wbis.
Peieu ana pointed to the lovely creature.
ne ci the van curriers', who twas about
70 strlHe her, was petrified by admiration,
the upllited stick fell not, but he gave her
sudden push, and the tray and its con.
tents fell from her head and all the earth
enWare was broken into shapeless frag-
ments Just at this instant the horse of
tne Sultan's son stood in front of her he
relned In the horse, looked at the tears
which streamed from her eyes, smiled,
ana rode on. Next day Helle 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
1Ist described told him what she had seen.
ne understood all its import. He went in
'front.' OF the palace and stood there all day
long, day after day. whiting tho hour " iIuSl
the Sultan's son should again sally forth
tn lnunge through the streets. The hour
came The old potter ran to the horses
sl1e 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 potter'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.
oorhood, and such throngs of people stood
IN front of the house as TO block up the
street. The Sultan himselfsaw from dis.
lance these great throngs and asked their
origin. He was told by the Grand Vizier.
lie at once issued orders that trum-
peters should go through each quarter of
the city and make proclamation that he
himself should see justice done, and the
assassin OF the poor potter punished. The
following day he rode down toward the
potter's house His son was behind him.
An unusual number Of janissaries 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 out of the house and
placed in the centre of the neighboripg
square He bade his son dismount, stand
az the corpse's feet and gaze on it. The
sight was horrible, for, despite all the
pains taken, the corpse was in putrid
state. The Sultan's son stood gazing on
the decaying mass. He was as pale as
death, and the smile he tried TO force upon
his face did but made his anxiety the
more visible. This scene lasted for a
quarter ofan hour. There was not a word
spoken. AT the end of fifteen minutes
the, Sultan drew his scimeter, and his
sons head rolled on. the ground. The
Sultan said; BURY them both together
and let trumpeters announce throughout
all the town that justice hath been
wrought. Allah only is great l''-Paris
Cor Boston Saturday fleming Gazette.