Wichita eagle., 1888-09-05
gh aaaieta Badly gae1e aaeduesdzu ornng sepemb s. ss
A SIGHT OF THE SULTAN.
An Imposing seene-A slckiy, Anxaous
Faced Monaroh-Ths Harem.

An Imposing seene-A sickly. Anxaou.
Faced Monaroh-Ths Haren.
I have not yet told you about nv Sec
ing the SULTAN. 1t was Friday, the Sab
bath Of the Mohammedans, the day
when the sultan goes to prayers in the
mosque. We secured a team at 10 80
and drove toward his palace. 1t was not
decided when he was to 20; it never il
till few moments before the procession
ton, and he denies the public all lnowl-
edge so - to prevent any plots. Our
driver was perpaexed where to take US.
First came hoxseman mounted on q
white charger dashing down the street
from the palace. and this was hint a. to
the mosque. So he turned, but soon re-
turned. and four times changed his di-
reCtion- At last it was known. and q
position was secured where we. with
other foreigners, could get an outlook
upon the imposing scene.
The army Of the whole city (and it Is
several regimeats) was on duty. The
cavalry were drawn up in military array.
Officers with gittering dress, bedscked
with stars. studded with pearls, signs Of
vaior In the service, darted to and fro on
their steeds. Bands Of music flung the
sweetness of their tones to the air.
Troops Of buglers kept the soldiers in line
and time by their blasts. Richly capar-
isoned horses and splendid turnouts with
all the style and wealth of orient and oc-
cident Were gathered to the scene. The
Gfr 81 - &I
sightseeB. Everything that wealth and
rank could do were brought into requisi-
ton to add to the splendid pageant. At
last, after weary waiting of AN hour,
troops of horses led the advance from the
palace. Then came carriage-magnih-
cent-drawn by fswn colored steeds. in
which was seated the great head of the
Turkish empire. He looked up to the
windows where l stood and / caught a
good glimpse of a slender sickly looking,
anxious, worried man. with pale face
and dark beard, ewes and hair. His
nervous, sickly, restless look inspired in
me feeling of pity for him, and could
not envy him with all his power, wealth
and station.
After him came part of the harem
drawn in covered carriages, bat with
Lifted curtains-the women veiled, but
with SO thin q gauze as not to conceal
complexion or features, and saw clearly
the most beautiful face it was ever my
privilege to gaze upon. 1t was the per-
fectiOn Of nature de 'led out in the per
fection Of art. One face only was all I
wanted to look at l had no time for
others. That was Of such surprising
loveliness as to hold me till it vanished
from my sight anu was gone, leaving
only vision Of earthly beauty that will
haunt nae forever. When this had gone
caught sight of a girl about 10, decked
out In an apparel t at seemed wrought
of gold and having fair girlsh face
which no one could help but love.
waited AN hour for the return, once
more to see the Lad but she came not
that way. The ST. an soon returned,
and this time after ne troops Of horse
men he drove pan Of milk white
chargers, the most splendid i ever saw.
He was alone in the carriage, and sur
rounded on either side and behind by
armed horsemen, from thirty to fifty,
should think. As he came up over the
hill saw the same anxious face, calling
for pity and not for envy, and he vigor-
ousIy applied the whip to his prancing
steeds, as though anxious 70 get into his
gilded prison, where the chance shot of
the assassin could not reach him-EOs-
ton Traveller.