Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-10-02


Il there IS one thing more than an
other in which the rural Turk takes
pleasure, says Constantinopie letter %
the San Francisco Chronicle, It Is in 3
picnic. He has not risen yet TO the
point Of paying twenty-five cents for
ice cream without any milk IN ii and
accepting rain water with d lemon in it
for lemonade, but he will walk three
miles in the hot sun to get to q grove
where there isn't breath Of wind, eat
cold dinner of cake and hard boiled
eggs and lay himself down to sleep on
an ant-hill, with handkerchief over his
face, with as much apparent enjoyment
as any of his American brothers. 1t is
only in the rural districts that the pic
mic fourishes in all its full glory. At
the capital the daily promenades serve
to dull the edge of the metropolitan's
desire for rurality. And truly, their
parks compare favorably in beauty with
any in>Germany or more esthctic France.
Their walks are long and shady They
have broad stretches of COOL green turf.
Fountains and artificial and water
courses are sparkling everywhere, and
when the women and children are
abroad the confusion of bright colors,
the medley of strange tongues, the loose
fluttering Of Oriental draperies and the
air Of mystery given by the covered
faces, all combine to make the scene
more beautiful and picturesque than
an afternoon in Hyde park or the
Bots. But to the country folk these
pleasures are of course unknown. They
take their promenades going to the fields
n xxrrr IN he ri sc lxr
on festival days that they find time to
hunt up the beauties of nature The
chief of these occasions is the picnic
given by the different trades. Trades
unions, or Esuafs, as they are called, are
as common in Turkey as in England.
Every man belongs to one and the num-
Der of apprentices is limited. Once a
year these latter are promoted and this
becomes season of rejoicing. All the
guild with their friends and sympathizers
gather their mats and provisions and es-
cape from the village for the day into
the open country around. Their hospi-
tally on these occasions is unbounded.
and every one who passes, especially if
he be a stranger, is vociferously urged to
tarry awhile and make merry with them.
We came upon one of these picnics about
mile from one Of the small interior
towns settled in the shade of little
grove, through which ran sluggish
stream. 1t was rather large affair, for
the guild was something agricultural and
drew its members from wide extent of
territory. The head man of the union
Immediately came forward, and, with
much flattery, begged to have the honor
of our presence at them Qualification
something that was not hard to obtain.
A carpet was brought to us to sit on af-
ter dismounting and sherbet and sweet
meats were promptly at hard.
The scene was more like fair than
picnic. All the perambulatory mer-
chants, who commonly occupied the
dirty little square in the center of the
village, had moved to the grove in pur-
suit of their regular customers. The
water and sherbet vendors clinlxed their
glasses everywhere, and the sweetmeat
dealers found especially ready bargains.
Almost every tributary nationality was
represented, but the largest sprinkling
were Bulgarians. These latter were dis
tinguishable by black sheepskin caps,
worn instead of the common fez. The
women we're mostly covered by the fe-
reja. the favorite colors being purple and
Mollah green. The centre of attraction
for the moment was level space near
the creek, where a large ring had been
marked out and most of the male pOpu-
lation had assembled. An officious mas
ter of ceremonies kept back the crowd,
and In a few moments two brawny
Turks, stripped to the waist, stepped
into the open space and took up posi-
tions facing each other on opposite sides
of the ring. Their bodies shone as if
they had been creased At word they
moved cautiously forward, each looking
steadily into the others eyes, Then,
quick as a flash, one of them darted for
ward and grapplcd his antagonist for the
under-hold. But the latter was not taken
unawares. There was a sudden bend
ing forward of his body, q sharp,
shunting, outward motion of his
arms, throwing those Of his OPP
ponent away from him. confused
arms-length struggle, closing hug, and
then, after several minutes twisting and
tripping. decisive fall The people,
who seemed to be we'll acquainted with
the champions. went perfectly crazy with
alternate Joy and regret, according to the
varying fortunes of their respective favor
tes. They yelled and groaned, and
danced and slapped each other on the
back, and made remarks about the forms
and personal features Of the actors that
had more Of truth than delicacy In them.
The first pair weresucceeded by second.
and these BIZ others, and at least twenty