Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-12-07

thlHs gone traces U It's lOrHler spiendoT Is
the magnificent race-course around which
the glitteriDg chario.s went flying between
the masses of shouting spectators in the
days of Theodosius the Great, whose vic.
tories over the Scytbians and Vandais are
commemorated by rude sculptures on the
base Of the great obelisk in the centre of the
square. Beside it stands the celebrated
metal column of entwiued serpents which
even then was relic Of fabulous antiquity,
though it was still in perfect preservation
when Mohammed H., the Turkish conqueror
of Constantinople, hewed off one of the
three heads at single blow.
Since last saw it
This Historic Spot
has lost one Of its most characteristic fea-
lures, which, although undeniably modern,
was nevertheless well worth seeing. In the
trunk Of hollow tree close to the obelisk |
found Turk snugly established, rent free,
with a charcoal brazier for his cooking ap.
paratus, an iron funnel planted in knot
hole by way Of chimney, rude plank door
fitted into the aperture By which he en-
tered, shelf Of flower pots hung upon
stump outside, and his slippers left at the
door in trne Oriental fashion. Tree and
Turk have now disappeared altogether, but
despite the loss of this arcadian foreground
the whole square looks so quiet and peace
full that at first sight it is no easy matter to
realize that its dreamy seclusion could have
been disturbed within the memory OF living
men by one of
The BIoodiest Sfassacres on Record,
viz: Sultan Mahmoud's destruction Of his
mutinous Life Guards, the far-famed Janis
saries. Served them right, too said an
cid Greek resident who told me years ago
the story of that great day Of vengeance on
the very spot where it occurred, with
fierce CLEAN IN the corner of his small black
eye which made me suspect that ne had been
something more than mere spectator of
the fearful butchery which he was describ
ing. IF they had been allowed to 90 on
much longer they would have had Turkey
al war with all Europe. | can remember
we'll enough how we used 10 fad in tle
streets every morning the cOrPSes Of Cnr.st-
ians of all nations, hacked and 5lIslel like
sausage meat, and when any one asked who
had done il The answer ALWAYS was, The
Jauisssries Nobody was safe when they
were here. There was my own father, fJr
instauce--a respectable citizen AMI "A man
OF property. They took him and N .ie HIN
sweep the streets in open daylight, and te
cause he wasn't quick enough at 1t - please
them they beat him with the flat ii their
swords, the cut-throat, heathenish, Gol.for-
gotten, accused sons Of dogs! Anf the
old gentleman, warming with his subject,
went off into string Of curses
Worthy of Western Miner.
But however unbelrable the inSoence OF
the formidable Life Guards might be at
home their proves was none the less in
yincible abroad 1t was doubtless the secret
consciousness that these turbulent swords
men were his s1le bulwark against the ever
growing might Of Russia, which restrained
their keen-eyed ,mastc-, Sultan Mahmoud,
from bringing matters to crisis I'll! he
could organize another army 10 replace
them. But that ovcr-ween1g pride which
the ancient prover1 Justly declares 70 be the
sure forerunuer Of destruction az length
spurred on the doomed men TO precipitate
their own 1uin Grown bold from long i'm
punitY and utterly ignorant Of the deadly
snare set for item bc their crafty ruler
whom the, blindly deemed at their mercy.
the broke into open revolt, massed them
selves in front of their barracks. aud sent
deputatiOn 10 communicate to the Sultan
the conditions upon which he might be
allowed to remain upon the throne, OF
which the two most moderate were declar-
alton Of war against all the Christian
powers OF Europe, and permission to
Massacre All Christians in Constantinopls.
tits bright. clear morning in the sum-
mer of 1926 when these fierce ENJOYS swag-
Cered n.to the palace with their modest de-
mlands. The Sultan listens to them very
quietly and GENEROUSLY, not a line OF his
impossible features giving any token to the
doomed rebels that they are standing face
% face with cer,aiI death. Their demands,
be SAYS, are undoubtedly just, but they re-
ouire considerable !; let bis brave J&uissaries
encamp in the It Medium, and refresh
themselves at his cost, while he prepares
his answer. AMI so, ia all H." pride and
pomp OF their ba-baric splenior. With their
embroidered tuni 5 and FURNISHED swords
sittering in tn morning sunshine, the
famous guardsm en- marched glllln'ly Into
the fatal square. whence they are never TO
return.
Despite the deadly Ingenuity with which
tier destroyer is clCsiuo hi. Snares around
then, certain omiuOuS sounds D,,a- n up
on t!.cir savage merrimInt e"er AL anon
the diStaut clash fans, tho Evil rambling
Of rtillcry wheels, til Lollo~ t:amp OF
great mglitule-sounds which would carry
a grim meaning to any men less I:terly in
fc'iatcl. But the doomed Janis5arles,
though they hear these fearful warnings,
lie. ! them not. Who would dare to attack
I N. me Tnyincibles? In the very mad
/. of their bravado, they have left even
+ irmuskc,s behind them in the barracks
and have come out armed only with swords
ard pistols. But all at once red glare
and q whirl Of rolling smoke startle them
from their fancied security. Their barracks
are on FIRE,
And now begins murder grim and
great. From every street opening upon the
great square fash forth red tongues Of
fame and blasting vollies of grapeshot,
moving down the entraPped soldiers like
grass. At every peal of the cannon thunder
fresh heaps fall thick and fast. and the
smooth, white pavement runs red with their
blood. But all is not over yet. Betrayed,
ensnared, outnuR5ered, hopeless of escape,
the Janissaries are still true to their one
virtue of
Reckless and Ferocious Coura Sc.
Dashing down their useless pistols the dos.
perate men leap, sword in hand, into tle
smoke Of their death-dealing batteries,
shouting their terrible war cry as they sls'sh
fercely at the halEseen forms Of tBir
enemies. The gunners are killed at their
pieces-tbe grenadiers behind 20 down i &c
ripe corn before the trenchaut sabres-yhe
iron circle begins to yield. One more
effort, and the trapped tigers are free again.
But the man who has planned this DAYS
work is not one to do it by halves. In he
very crisis of the struggle up comes Ibrabim
Pssha with 40, 900 fresh men, and the Sui,
tan himself, on his white horse, with the
green standard Of the prophet above his
head, and behind him the whole rabble Of
Corstantinople, burning to ayenge the lolg-
continued insolence Of the Lite Guards.