The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-01
Written for Sunday Journal-Copyright
Flowers fade, leaves wither,
But the constant cypress is green for


the soldiery; the crumohne stones mend high
ways. repair walls. and repeatedly have seen
a handsome slab stop hole to keep the wind
away doorstep to tumble down hut
Children play in the sombre alleys, washwomen
hang clothes and stretch lines on the headston es,
and ladies with wells OF suow-drft and mist
drawn closely by henna stained fingers, picnic
and sprinkle sweet basil. for remembrance
above the beloved who have passed from sight.
There is soft air of resignation in tn cir man
ner-the virtue which Mahomet taught Is the
key to all happiness-and they wear mourn
ing. Sinful it is show sorrow for the loss OF
friends. 1t is believed that children of over
mourning parents driven of Paradise
and doomed to wander through space in dark
ness and misery, weeping as their relatives do
earth.
The piny smell of the evergreen and it's resin
Gus sap destroy the miasma OF graveyards and
the fsr-reaching roots absorb poisons from ds-
cayed and decaying human bodies. Not only
without the walls appear the graves in hooks
and corners of the venerable capital are dense
clumps within fenced spaces protecting antique
sepulchres Among the gay villages, kiosks and
palaces that sparkle on the banks of the Bos-
phorus, the mourning-tree waves it's funeral
banner, teaching the old. old lesson: "In the
midst of life are in DEATH" There ringdoveS
COO and murmur ever OF love, and pigeons nest
undsturbed by the Moslem, who never fails in
pity for the dumb peoples of the wing and
hoofp
Christians are mistaken in supposng Paradise
is denied to Oriental women Their tonbstones
carved with flowers. blazoned with texts
from the Koran In blue and gold, and with such
epitaphs the one we copy from the grave of a
young girl in Pera:
The chilling blast of Fate caused this nightingale to
felicity Zababa wrote this inscription and offered
up humble prayer for Zenab But weep not for
herr she has become dweer in the fadeless gardens
of Paradise 1928.
Epitaphs commence with an invocation to
Allah, HE, the immortal" or "Alone. the
Eternal"
Upon a tomb near the Ok Maidany we find:
God the Imperishable.
Pardon me, o Lord, by virtue OF thy Respondent
armament and the Koran's light. Approach my
happy bed of rest write the date with jeelled pen
and breathe prayer for my soul. Rivers of tears
cannot eace the dear hearts image from the sight of
sorrowing husband. 114O.
A peculiar and unique inscription is to be read
upon plain stone by the Rosemarket- 1t may
be translated:
the blessed and pardoned Hadie Mokamned, the
engraver. Pray for him. 1120.
The story goes that the devout and sanctifed
sufferer did not come TO his end by sickness or
battle, famine accident. He had vixen
wife who prosecuted him day and night till she
literally worried him to death. Feeling sure his
hour was come, the engraver engraved his
modest epitaph and resignedly gave up the ghost,
dou btless consoled by thought of the long re-
venge he had on the virago The sweet mother,
Rose of Spring, rest Their memories
forever dear to those who loved them. The
gentle dust or w mite NloloCy Iulp Cn6ok, FoE-
get-Me-Not Eyes, precious to their
vivors. AS we stroll among the moldering
stones, written over with moss-grown records,
we feel the human heart is the same in all ages,
wistfully yearniDg for its kindred. And, again
we ask, where be the bad people buFied3 For
none but the lovely lies here. Nearly all graves
have q stone at the head and feet and upon
them the dread angels, Nakir and Munkir, will
fold their livid wings and stand when they de-
scend to judge the world at the last day.
Beyond the Golden Horn is vast Jewish GEM
etery. which is desolation itself. Bare of verdi
ure, leaf tree the stones lie fat. though
pressing down the restless feet of the scattered
wandering and prosecuted race that is, even in
the sepulchre, denied tho right of an upright
memorial
The grim nakedness of this metropolis is so
forbddIng we turn from it's oppressive gloom to
the cheerful burial grounds, where roses scatter
bloom and perfume and the acacia reddens the
footpath of the pious Osmanli. telling his rosary
beads of amber and murmuring the ninety-nine
beautiful names of Allah. When ten thousand
voices call to prayer from ten thousand NINA
rets and the green stiffness echoes the thrilling
chant he will slowly wend homeward.
What thinks he's OF cool pavilions under the
palms in the golden pleasure fields kept for the
faithful OF soft and white hands beck
onine TO bowers OF bliss, where he shall recline
on green pillows and drink of the happy river,
in the light of the white thronel His faith
,sleepers he seems a dreamer of dreams,
a of visions Should he enter
STEAMBOAT late and the Waterman challenge
he will rouse from quietude, give his name in
answer and reverentlv add There is no God
but Cod A creed which may be written ON the
finger nail dread battle-cry. and the confession
of faith to nine Thousand millions of worship
pers since Radijah knelt with the Prophet in
prayer and said: Il will be thy first believer"
On the grayestone of the laborer is traced
some symbol of his craft In the long lines of
ruin and neglect we have signs of the work left
unfinished Here is the lancet. there tho adze.
an oar an ink-stand, lance and on each stone
10 a little followed space to hold water for the
doves. whose brooding notes of peace more
shilling than silence. Even the unresting birds
of Bosphorus. les ames damne, seek shelter in
the expresses. When storms sweep from the
Black Sea, they s6riily scream and flap their
white wings, heeing like frighted ghosts. Only on
such sempestuous airs shades of the lost al
lowed revisit their buried bodies.
In summer sparks of fire rise and vanish
among the boughs of the trees-phosphorus
spirits of the departed lowering about the scene
of their earthly prison house, reluctant to leave
1t till the Judgment day. Common tombstones
are kept In masons sheds. Better monuments
are made to order, and books of epitaphs
ready for the bereaved to choose the tender
or holy text which expresses his feeling.
In the death-felds of the forgotten imposing
column is a reminder of the many who die to win
a victory for small plot inciosed by
railing, pillar in the center surmounted by q
large turban, around 1t lesser columns, represent
a pasha. hey high magnate lying IN the midst
of his family. Stately mausoleums guard the
aches of sultans, and members of the royal
house repose in kingly magnifcence. Chief
among them is the temple of Mahmoud H. close
to his mosque The eonqueror is alone ID
his Palace OF FSBG6-6 SpienEs0 composite OF
Greek and Italian architecture. exquisite in pro-
portion and detail. rich a jewel The in
terror is brilliant with tiles OF VIVID color, blue
and white arabesqnes. and the lettering Of the
Koran in gold. Priceless mosaics inlay the floor
beneath rugs like brocaded silk. There is
earthly smeil-no CHASTITY suggestion IN the light
and lovely chapel. The raised bier points to-
wards Mecca. and instead of q sable pail 10
craped with Persian shaw!s bright feather
work Candies in great silver standards cheer
the pleasant place, lustres depend from the cell
ing and ostrich egga swing from gilt ropes. en-
blems Of death and life undyipg- In the long
ststeeI COUCH but lies fancy princess
nigh slumber softly piIIowed in her luxurious
chamber, awaiting the call OF the Angel OF tho
Resurrection
Across the Golden Horn. beyond Eyoub. rises
q high plain. oneo military camp where the