New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-02
A COW4RD BECOMES COURAGEOUS.
HOW MAHOMETAN WAS LED TO BELIEVE
THAT THE PROPHET WAS EVER WITH
HIS PEOPLE.

eyes. I'll tell You a yarn. boys said gray
haired cIub-man the other day to crowd of kindred
spirits around the bay window of comfortable but
quiet uptown club.
You know held n commission as captain in an
infantry regiment under Osman Pacha during the
Russo-Turkish war. The regiment TO which l was
attached the 18th Guards Of the Sultan and was
composed almost entirely Of Arnauts race OF
Mahometans inlabtlng what was ancient Macedonia.
queer lot they were and deuce OF lot OF trouble
we had with them. Some OF these fellows were the
most devish towards and had to be dragged INTO
battle with rope around their necks and bayonets
behind Them one Of them especially, who had been
u farmer In the interior. was the worst coward ever
heard or Achmct Khan and
typicallookng Oriental he Small gltterng eyes,
a fierce, bUslry, black beard and turban as big as
a horse-collar he was very great warrior-to
look at
one day he had signally dsgraced himself, for
while out foraging with the sergeant, a Dig huru
named Ben ESner, and another private, the party
had met a couple of Cossacks. As soon as Achmet
saw the Russians lie dropped two geese and sack
of corn and cut for home, leaving Ben Esner and
MI, comradc to do the lighting This they did very
thoroughly leaving one rascal for dead and bringing
in the other a prisoner. We were then TWO mics
from Plevnl, and all knew that both the WHITE
General (Skobeef and Osman had determined to force
the issue at this point, and knew our work was
Rumanian Light Horse (twothilds of the officers were
French or men of English.spcaking natons), DICK
Wills of my own corps, and were chatting In my
font and my orderly Pat O'Nel The was killed at
Belgrade, poor chap, was polishing up our XII,
sent for Achmet. There is only one way to deal
with these people, and / started right off,
Come in, you jackal,' / shouted as the rascal
entered
He gave the military salute, ana as soon Is lie
saw us he began TO grovel on the floor
Aehmet' said /, you are a coward.
Captan.' he answered, with that slight Eastern
evaporation and imagery which Is SO DELIGHTFUL
CAPTAIN great leader from the West, am dog
and the child Of many generations Of dogs. but to-
morrow | will fight even as hShtetl the wild ass
of Arabia Pctrca when her younga re SIAM
see that YOU do said, for IL you don't, by
IN. ord Harry III shoot YOU You. this pistolP
.It was one OF those vile Turkish things which
vou can buy in the bazars in Constantinople about
a foot and a half long. muzzle-loadns. aud as heaVy
as A Greeks conscience Is light.
d. Achmet acknowledged that he observed the
weapon referred to- :,
Well, said /. Il shall keep that for you. IL
Won run away tomorrow III kill you with IT. IL
Won behave like a man III give it TO YOU
e. Achnets eye sparked = he looked at the gold
trlotd work Oh the stock, and he SAID Thou shalt
see. then how | will fight
Go, them
Pat said /, Il load the thing up with paste.
board and powder and tomorrow wen nave S''''
fun .
81 Pat obeyed orders, ard next day colonel got
orders from Osman TO hold certain position Oh lii
portance and later to forward. II was rhSo"e
enough standing there with nothing 10 do OUT receive
the Russian tire and the order to advance was ree'
A, the brigade moved forward glanced arouhu "' Avn
met lie was white sheet. but he Kept MS eSo ."
the pisto in my left hand and he moved on III ''0p
with his comrades But when reached the brow Of
hill and saw body Of imperial srenaders at .e oa'e
among the trees the stout heart OF te Anaa tse
way and with a shrek OF Blsiniiia.'' '' i " w
A. he passed mo discharged the pistol nun a, MS
breast He fell down aiiu rolled; then niulng mat o
T,snt dead he rose and let perfect howl OF JOY
and triumph. IN, "a. ,ao,le he shreled
yshomet hath turned the bullet OF tie olaor nVni
Tie heart of tie faithful BLESSED DC r s,e aWy again
snperstltion did what shame could not anu imo mces
alter he WAS promoted for conspicuous sA''A"'' y"
a.. aid