The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-08-27
Hassan's Watermelon---A Turkish
 Story
Da.lt Fer. s, .Nleholas.

the world than the hills of Western Ana,o- la. and the dainty little white villages that look down upon the bright blue water of the Bosphorus form maze of clustering yineyaris and sunny melon patches. Bu; three hundred and uf-y years ago II was a ycry Gifferen: matter.
 Then Ill these stads gardens and green hIlisidrs were eFe gse4; n44ss of forest. through which ncsce beasts and mercer men roamri at ~ii. The town oi BEusa shG; and barred its Eate,. IT those days. the moment the slo" ai sanse: began ;u fade from the great. ~hl;e come of Efnun; Olympus 1.er head. !, n sht the bowl @. a4nan wolves could be heard llase under he walls and rubbeFs haant- ea c. ers rad.
 i5u; there "as one mar who seemed ;o f,.a. neither Aol: nor robber. eeiiIxa;lu. h., garden 1n the slope n, ,he m"entaiR. tr414lsist. iffta IoNH ts sell hi- ifI;, i5 enoi> a> i he had been Tn the heart of 1ans;an'lnaple. Man pc"plc told him sha, he @e,.ld certainly be Fa5oet. 9F ca,- - 4p some das bsst Isa,-la. like | sturdy szit ,irif = !. WIS e.lix answered thl, f.o man cou.s afoid h.s destiny. and went af. sus' the same as be;o,e, raiSins and -ei.4ng h3s frast and pfet idina food tpf himself ,nG .i;t., girl. the onil o:hcr .n ha8itaat II the clay hoscl. and ag-cd along. altogether con;eu;cdly enough.
 New | happcued ;ha; one da! he had IT h., garden | me melon so much bi1- -er than any of ,hc Tc>t. lh.. hc made up h.s m3nd Het to sell |. but tu keep !, ls ] gf;hdal treat ior h. f;:ic l...lma.
 eiid lid>saa w,,> >4s:t8s wa;ek.H- | ne hztt aftcrasea a> he smoked hl, !aHs plpc u ,ae ,hAde and listened to the ,.nGic oi ne tiny stream ina; kept his Aa.e plot 4i.fe when suddenly inc 5lrs.cn door opened and III 5ame three men. W.,h LIS on theff shoulder, and .aI.- spears |. skc,y hands.
 i:a>-tps, tit,t though, NeS ,h4t ,he ra,e- bef, ,,5f, g.49n h.ta 4. t4,. =hs.t Ss.e ziass.. >aetzed hlM tht, ,..c ueA-dontcr,. zaGEhiy l.s.sscd .tt. dusty though ;hc5 were cd aa. loak 'he iea,; like sands. l ..-et ;ks.7' ttesc '!ae-l.aa3ax men ui .zs. ....t. s..e. it"-t t7sz5 z..lA eeaz,.> ..ese fasi Dc,a.la- to .aiu .teH. ne .hird Wa | ;all hant.>4iBe young man. Wlth large black 5fes. @ho sad eaaF.cot4>!f "lcace 7c i;h ,hec. fa,her. Ne have been hun:- IT, on ;at moaa,.ta and have los. oHr WaA; lei ine. pray Xau. how far |; !, - Brusa.
 Fl Iics fighs before eou. answered iiassan. fIslng II once - re6eIte them. Ike u hespit,blc ela tellow -t> he WAS iiid! Wlle:7 7'I ii,sZe ic~tcG tWh:ic. ! VI. gladly guide yoa ihlthef. ia; iifsi pray Ns'a. >.' dawa and fepesc yourself and ;akc oi sch t,ad l. l ean offer.
 hat Wili NC do SladlH. iof wc have flsrcd stnrc sunrise. sad the youth. seating himself: and wc shall bc well served with some bread and . slice nf yon melon: | iiner have never >ccn
 Tn 4A> moro thIn poor iEassan had h,.r1ained far. and hc looked ructul'y q, inc splcnd5a trurt his lttlc dat 5htcr'> > promised treat. Bat ]: was net n hi> na- :urc ;o deny anything In d ;ircd and Un- gfv guest. and n 4 tree ;he cherished melon MAS vanishing piece by piece down inc strangers ihraaiS. ~hlc II tSsan stood bY with # Sallan; attemp; .lt i smile.
 Ba, litiie fatlma did not take the mat Ter >o qu,clly by any means. and sud denly broke down n buIs, of sabS and tears.
 Ha. wha, means this = asked the youngest hunter. looking up from his meal. Hassan ;rcd to avold an eNplana- ton. but there was something in the young hunismans hook and tone no, easy to re- ss,. and a, last the whole truth came nu,.
 And thou hast gwen thy child chosen frul; rather than seem lnho>pltab pie :: cried the sucs, .idmirlngly. Would ,o heaven tll men followed the Prophet teaching like thee. then should have a quic,er life al II. How say ye. tncnds: What doth thg, man de>ene:
 liu, before hi> comrades could answer the garden gate 'ie~ open asain. and the whole place WAS filled wllh uehlx-dresSed men. who threw ;hemsel,cs ai he stran- gers feet. erNans :@".Iod be praised. we have found the Commander oi the Faith ful. safe and sound
 Pursc-bearcr. sad the huntsman. aointns to HasSan. who stood petrhed at the discovery that his strange guest was no other than the Sultan himself -glvc thi> man t hundred zecchlns to show him ,ha, Solyman leaves no good decd unre- ejui;cd And aS for thee li,ile one" he added. hanging around Fai,inas neck the gold cham that fastened his glFdle. "let ,his comfort thee for the loss of ,hy mclon Had l daughter like thee. my place would not seem So lonely.
 And away he swep; toward Brusa with hls retirue.
 Now when he governor of Brusa. a mean. greedy fellow. heard of Hassan' . luck. he a, once picked ou, ,he fines, horse in hls stables and away he wen: pos,-ha>'e Ia present r to the sgltsn. eN- pceung to gel something very good n return.
 Thou has, dcsen ned good reward. my servant. sad the Sultan. with a ,wlnk- Ing eve. for he saw through the man la :. moment Yesterday pad hundred gold pieces for d melon; give thee ;he soodly frul, in exchange for thy horse.
 Nou max fanc> how the governor looked, and what ] hard ,imc of il his household had ;ha; nisht though he took good care - tell no one wha; had made hlm so an- gr, iu; ihc story got abroad rcyerIhc- less. and for wears after~ard Hassan' > melon was d provevb throughout ;he