The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-30
cOmmiseration.


front of the landing place cafes, one
fine morning, shortly before nv arrival
In the island, and whose case was like
tnemselves), fancy promptly disposed
oil without reference to Constantinople
am not aware of any execution hav-
ing taken place in Turkey since the
hanging of Hassan Bey, the mad officer
who ran amuck, Malay fashion, among
the ministers of state in the palace
yard. He was very speedily and I'M
tremendously suspended to lamp
post on the STAN boul bridge over the
Golden Horn. Thev did not even
trouble themselves to cover his face;
eye-witnesses told me that the circum-
stance that attracted the most general
attention was the preposterous length
OF his tongue, which protruded from his
mouth and stiffened so protrudinr.
after cAe fashion of some of the gro.
tesque gargoyles that adorn early
Gothic cathedrals.
In the event, then, of the removal
or any public parsonage being deemed
by the Sultan'S advisers a matter OF
state exigency, cup of coffee obviates
all necessity for scandal. and all occa-
sion for the possible popular excite
mene--to say nothing Of European
criticism that would be provoked by
an execution, public or private, in due
course of law or by order of the Sultan.
A prominent statesman dies suddenly
or after short and unaccountable i'll.
aess; and you hear his friends remark.
ing under their breath, that the pacha
had taken a cup of coffee"
The poisons used vary according to
the Importance of the case, and the need
for concealment or the reverse.
No great skill is required if the party
to be removed" be comparatively un-
known, or if no reasons exist for avoid
ing an imm ediate denouement But in
the case of a parsonage possibly of Eu.
ropean celebrity, the cause must not be
too rapidly followed by, or 100 clearly
connected with, the effect. Some of the
eunuchs of the palace are credited with
the secret of drug (the knowledge
very probably brought by them from
Africa, whence they were purchased as
slaves), often used in cases of impor.
lance, the catastrophe produced by
which does not come to pass for couple
of months after the fatal cup of coffee
has been rendered and swallowed. II
was thus that was comprised the death
of Midhat Pasha, the able and honest
but too hasty and inconsiderate reform
er. who gave Turkey her first brief Par
lament, very soon and very right;
or Nv ho AL ~
fitted to the circumstances of the EN-
pire and incompatible with the princi
pies of Ottoman government. Not
long before his death, poor Mid
hat, a most estimable and pleas
ant Turk, and, like "Ar:bi the
Egyptian" a true patriot. wrote from
his exile in Syria to friend of mine al
Constantinople, mentioning the setting
in of the rapidly-increasing corpulence
which is an unmistakable symptom that
this drug is at work, and saying that he
knew he had but few weeks to live
The Turk never INDUCES in unseemly
struggles against kismet (fate); his des
tiny is always accepted with the most
exemplary resignation. From the com
mencement of his exile it was a matter
of notsriety that the ''cup of coffee
would be given, sooner or later; so tina.
his many friends took 1t as matter OF
course when the end came. None of the
European powers, whose light and lead
ing he trove to follow, interfered to gel
the place of exile of their fallen disciple
changed to Europe and to comparative
safety. After all, half century earlier,
so complete political downfall as was
his would inevitably have entailed his
being bow-strung or beheaded; SO that
the Turks must not be too harshly
judged for the shifts and expedients te
which the daily increasing force of pub
lie opinion has driven them.
While my yacht was lying off Smyrna
in 1887, | took advantage of the oppor-
tunity to travel in the interior of Asia
Minor, in the old kingdom of Crmsus,
passing close to the tomb of his father,
Alyaltes. On my way overland to Sar
dis J. visited the city of Manissa, the
ancient Magnesia, once the cradle and
the capital of the Ottoman Turks.
On paying my respects to the Gov
ernor, since promoted to the Governor
ship of Trebizond, 1 found myself very
courteously received by no less remark
able parsonage than at once the Wig
orious principal political opponent of
Midhat Pasha and the presiding Judge
at his trial, probably also the actual
contriver of his final disappearance from
this worlds shifting stage. Evidently
man of first-rate ability, crafty and
astute far beyond the average even OF
orientals, stepped as they are from the
cradle In discrimination, he gave me the
idea of an enemy to be dreaded, no mat
ter how long he might have to bide his
time-a foe mot to be denied" as ''the
fancy say of fighting bull-terrier.
However, felt perfectly safe in the
consciousness of my own insignificance,
and had no fear or hesitation in COM
plying as gracefully as in me lay, which
| remember was precious awkwardly)
with the customary formalities of Turk
ish reception etiquette.
So, before bowling my farewell, duly
swallowed the proffered painfully sticky
preserve-except what remained pend
ant to my m ustache-and, without ques-
ton or scruple, took from the delicate
filigree stand in which it was served,
may be by the same fingers that prepared
Midhat's draught of doom-who can
say?-a very satisfactory and refreshing
cup of coffee.-Captain F. s. Dugmore,
in N. Y. Ledger.
A Frenchman's Novel Vocation.
A new celebr. ty is making his appear
ance along the boulevards. He is we'll
dressed, intelligent-looking youth. He
saunters along the terraces of the prin-
cipal cafes, scanning the faces OF the
consommateurs until he catches sight of