The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-12-11
THE SULTANS BRIDE.
A Romance Of the siege OF Plevna.
New York Mercury.l
CHAPTER /.
FIRE IN THE sERAGLIo

CHAPTER /.
FIRE IN THE sERAGLIo.
The scene Is in Stamboul; the period is a
lustrum ago; and the time is the evening
preceding the principal feast OF the Moham
medan.religiou. On lofty hill of the Ash
attic shore a mounted Tartar stands looking
10 the west AS the thin, pale crescent of
the new moon comes out amid the twilight
he sets spurs to his horse and rides into
Scutara at full speed. The shore is reached,
where stands q soldier with lighted match by
a loaded gun The report thuuders out
repeated a hundred times by the wonderful
echo which is formed by the winding shores
of the Bosporus IL has scarcely died away
when every foot along either cliff answers
the single gun. Here the flash is a blaze OF
light, and the rep2rt sharp and loud; further
en-, two or three rJgether, lighted up by the
rocks, mingled ineir roar, which was multi
piled by the echo till it died away in the
distance like thunder; and last OF all, from
the CyaGean rocks, which guard the entrance
OF the Black Sea, slight gtimmer arises, and
long after faint sound comes down upon
the wind. Thus commences the Ramazan of
the year in which our story has its inception
the year of Hegra 1873.
Darkness decends upon the ancient city
a darkness complete, for there IS no twilight
and no gas. Suddenly little specks OF light
appear high up above the loftiest houses, and
grow into wreaths one above another. Every
minaret of the magnificent mosques has been
encircled by rings of lamps. The praise of
Allah stands out in characters OF flames
against the heavens, the structures which
support them remaining invisible against
the midnight sky. Within the mosques are
dense multitude of kneeling forms, and
they kneel in rows with their faces toward
Mecca.
In a magnificent building in the eastern
portion of the city-its either side bathed by
the waters of the BoSporus and Golden
., "a hafn an.
acted. The south eastern wing of the sereg-
lilo is in flames. Female forms frantically
hitthrough this labyrinth of love, shrieking
in mortal terror. Before assistance can be
rendered, some of the Sultan's concubiness
throw themselves from the windows nto the
palace grounds; but Lulu, the last wife and
fsvorite, throws herself into the swift, deep
waters OF the Golden Horn. The CLINT OF
the white figure attracts the attention OF a
sailor on board passing ship. He plunges
overheard, strikeso out like powerful New
foundland, grabs The dress as 1t is disappear
ing second time and swims ashore with bis
precious burien. The rescuer was a stall
wart man, Of Saxon compile xion, speaking
the English tongue; the rescued kadin was q
large and charming houri-a Circassian by
birth, and lovely as incarnate virtue.
1t is morning before the sailor is convinced
that his cnaTgr. has recovered perfect con
sciousness. He kneels beside her in an
orange grove Looking upon her some what
in the right OF prize, probably, he had de-
pended upon his rough but kindly nursing
! to resuscItaie her. Aud now there is Pc
culiar expression in her awakening eyes-a
look in which surprise, gratitude and pique
are curiously commiDged. Albeit the 81
cred fast begins with sunrise and DOES not
end until sunset, she eats the food and
drinks the liquor offered by the sailor
\ppgh hand. The beautiful kadin has fallen
love with her athletic preseryer; for hu
IN love is very frequently independent of
man will With the dawn of passion ia
hey heart came anxiety for the safety of the
beloved one. When evening came she in
hmated by signs that she would return 70
the sersglio. She chung to his lips; and she
left him dazad as If be were awake, yet
dreaming
Abdul-Assiz fasting aud mourning, re-
raining from water and tobacco, hailed the
miraculous return OF the kadin Lulu with
fervent REGULATIONS OF "Mashailah, Allah
Is Great; there is no God but God, and Mo
nSnmedt is His prophet"
When sunSet comes the hour of relief Is al
hand. The Sultan orders his pipe. An at
tendant stands by with lighted charcoal
really to drop on It's we'll filled bowl as soon
as the first Whit may be taken without NOR
tai an. The gun announcing sunset boom'
through the air. Abdul Assiz seizes the in
strument, puffs ravenously for few sec
onds and then sinks back with feeling o
intsIse enjoyment on his luxurious divsn
Outside in the palace grounds, with quit
in bis mouth, wanders the sailor. He hal
evsded the wstchful scrutiny of the guards
for he learned the secret from the kadir
Lulu. And now approaches him a hideou
looking eunuch with a present of gold and
jewels. He ofthe Gorgon head conducts tho
mariner to certain window, Within the
kadin stands smiling satsnically sweet. Jsch
is led away as she retires. He understand
that he is TO come next night at the same
hour.
After his fourteen hours fast the Sultan
gorges himself with savory meats taken in
enormous mouthfuls. Afterwsrd Lulu
bride of the sun and sister OF the moon, "
Is summoned to his side.
The same scenes are enacted everv nigh
during Rsmszsn, with variations. The sailor
who is named BeDjam n. is termed 'BenIto
by Lulu's sweet lips He has run away from
his ship, and he wears Turkish costume de-
signed by the surly eunuch. He has on
several occasions been sdmitted TO private
lnteryiews with the voluptous kadn. Tue
pampered young sea-dog becomes indiffsr
ent to the dangers that Surround HIM, in
vades the palace grounds without his wary
escort, and becomes a captive.
Unknown to Lulu he is called upon to
answer, to explain. He can not, but be
heaps execratinns ON the eyes OF his cap ors,
and then blacks few. Under the circum
stances, the BOsporus is the true argument
um ad hominsm. Its dark waters coDsti
tute the ultima ratio of Mohammedan faith
In few MINUTES "BeDito" is sswn up in q
bag, ana the bag Immediately aftsrward was
IN the whirling waters "Mashallah, Allah
is great" cried the sultan and his ministers
and they hurry to the mosque to offer up
with more reverence han usual their night
ly prayers
Now, although the B1sporous Is the slave,
so 10 speak, OF the Sultan althoughit watch
es his seraglio, stiles the intnnges OF biz