Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-25
RARE TREASURES.
A REAA.izAftoM-OF THE ARABIAN
NIGHTS DREAMS
a Walk Through the Sultan's Treasure
use-Dazxiing Display Of Pre-
cious Stores-The Shah's Throne
Other Treasures
lLieutEw. STURDY. U.sN.J


tan intimates that it would give him pleas
ure to open tie doors Of the treasury for
your inspection, YOU should not lose tho op-
p,rtunity. II is privilege not easily OBJ
taineL Through the august Gate. within
the walls of the old seragiio. you can pens-
trate; over the lawn, and aronnd the tee
OF the janis,aries you can wander; but at
tho Gate of HEALTH Furki,h guard de-
mands your frman-that tali,man without
which all entFeaties are useless. II, after
waiting. this firman is brought in person by
an aid-de-camp OF the sultan, what was
civility becomes Difference. the guards
who a moment ago waved you aside that
black eunich might pass and be saluted,
now present arms tn you, and another
eunich, q tall white fellow, comes forth TO
receive hi highne,,' command
To the treasury Is but step, and whence
all those attendant. % suddenly spring Is
surprising. You are not. as you imagined,
alone With tho Aid-ie-cAmp and the white
ennuch. for here ara twenty or more
guardians Of the treasury ranged on either
side Of the massive doors. The ceremony of
entering is in itself imposing. The locks are
elaborate and the mechanism intricate. The
chief Of the guards unlock one bolt, which
be hand. to the man on his right A pad
lock he gives to an assistant on the left, and
then along the dignifed lire he slowly dis
tributes one piece after another Of the
ponderous combination
The door is thrown open, and the treasury
is before you. At the entrance stands the
famous throne which in 1914 was captured
from the shah Of Persia And it is here that
you utter your first ordinations Of wonde:
and ad Neutrality-suspicious. Of feeling
which increase in intensity as your eyes rest
upon the dazzling display. until words and
thoughts fail to convey even to yourself any
estimate of the wealth about you. This
throne is perhaps three feet high and about
the same across, and is one mass of dia-
monds, emeralds, rubies and turquoises
Over it is suspended golden egg Of mora
than foot in diameter, and this egg sparkles
and glitters with the precious stones with
which it is studded In the cases on every
hand are rare treasures Diamonds ar,
every where-quarts OF diamonds: there ar.
turquoises around and between tbese dia.
monds-pscks Of turquoisss: and this is no
exaggeration There are emeralds of such
wonderful sizs and value - to be beyond any
estfmate. In two cases there are two emer-
AIDS one the size Of q mans clenchei hand.
the other fat and large as hand ex-
tended. There are sword-hilts Of solid en-
sralda Tho famous Jewel Of Bangkok must
be overshadowed in comparison.
To realize the pearls. imagine a table cover
Of beautiful pattern and exquisite embroid-
cry, and then fancy that there has been a
hail Of pearls ten minutes, and that they .
have all chung to this cover. That would
be one piece Of tapestry, and there are scores
Of them hanging in this room; and the pearls !
are as large as peas. That was bead-work
in the reign of some Ottoman ruler.
There are gems in bulk; rare old China
vases filed to the brim with huge emeralis;
Japanese tureens Overlooking with maguifi-
cent pearls; decorated plates heaped up with |
coral beads like ripe cherrie.; golden !
salvers blazing with the light OF hunlreds |
Of immense diamonds; and scattered about
with lavish hand lie .hs pale and beauti- |
full turquoises like blooming flowers. an un-
pretending bed for all this wondrou, |
beauty.
There is the cradle in which ten sultans !
have rocked, and Whose every motion sent |
forth rays "a brilliant as the glory Of their |
career: their little school-bags hang here, |
and It'll simmer in their crust of gem. !
Diamonds, acknowledgements is tins |
glitter Of diamonds. Surely they must havs |
been guardians Of the treasury who first |
dreamsd Of the Arabian Nights" Presents !,
from toreign magna1es rival each other IN
va'ue ana sp'enoor. more Is anotner )e"eied
throne. ana over IL nang a rnny ana an
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