The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-20
A SULTAN'S FAVORITE
IN DESPERATION SHE FLED TO AN
AMERICAN WOMAN FOR HELP.
Got Enough Pointers to Outwft the
Other Wives in the Harem and Her
son Succeeds Muley Hasnn.
New York Mercury.


foreign news of the week has been the
death of the Sultan of Morocco and the ac-
cession to the throne of one Of his sons.
But, though all the world by this time
knows this fact, very few are aware that
American influence. or rather the indirect
personal influence of two Americans. man
and wife, has been a prime factor, not, OF
course, in the death of the Sultan. but in
the selection Of his successor. Yet such Is
the truth. And IL has al; come about in a
perfectly natural, though rather romantic,
and very interesting way. One Of the old
est American families, members Of which
are scattered over this country from Maine
to California, especially in Boston and Phil
adelphia, is the Reese family, and among
the members is a Charles Morton Reese,
who formerly resided for a period on East
Twelfth street, New York city. He was of
a rowing disposition and fond Of excitement
and adventures typical American. He
finally drifted into travelling for a house
engaged in the ivory trade, and in that line
visited Africa and hunted elephants. Lik
almost everybody who under any pretext
visits Africa, young Reese saw the posi-
birities of the Dark Continent and specu-
lated in them, and in the course of his
wanderings HE found himself in Morocco.
Inc OQlldu Ol DloAOSCO was dl the ptTlO0
Of Reese's first visit to his dominion pecul-
iarly hostile to Europeans, whose influence
he dreaded But possibly on that very ac-
count he was inclined to be friendly to all
Americans, who had at least this one ad-
vantage in his eyes, they were not over
officious. Reese. as can readily be i'm
agined. made the most Of his opportunities,
and ere long, relinquishing the ivory bus
mess, he went into commercial business on
his own account, and with Yankee smart
ness he sent for some of his smart Amer
lean relatives to help him in a good thing,
and soon had a warehouse, under his own
management, at the post Of Iangiers, with
M~atzagow, under the charge of a cousin
and a brother. Under those favorable
auspices Reese made money. Then, longing
for a look at civilization once more, his
old rowing instincts took possession of him
and after visiting his family in Boston he
took flight to Paris.
ter of an American millionaire by the name
of Coke, and married her. This lady was
alike a lovely and an educated woman,
and was in the highest sense of that favor
lite American term, clever. Settling down
with her husband to life in Morocco, while
he made 1t pay, she made 1t pleasant In
greater degree than did her husband him.
self; for, by some lucky chance. the Amer
service TO one of the leaders of the Sui
tan's harem, and was invited 10 call on one
of his five hundred wives, a rare honor for
MET THE SULTAN'S WIFE.
Thus she made the acquaintance of the
Sultan's favorfte wife, a Georgian girl,
known as Ayesha, who became very fond
of the clever American woman. Such a
fondness in Eastern and African countries
means a good deal for the favored one,
and the husband, one may be sure, was not
slow to reap the benefits that accrued to
his wife from this association.
The slave-wife, or mistress. Ayesha, was
not only a marvel Of beauty, one or the
very handsomest women in the world, but
she was a woman of great strength of
mind, firm will power and vast ambition,
which latter concentrated itself in schemes
the Sultan's pet, and therefore cordially
hated by everybody else in the royal house
old H. So 2. bitterly ~ was , she herself tr,o hated s
tempted by poisoning, and one day in de-
spair she threw herself at her lord and
masters feet and begged him to save her
Europe to see the world and get an educa-
ton and then come back after the cabal
against her was over. more worthy OF her
lord and masters power.
1t was a strange request, from an East
ern woman to her despot master, but she
made it, and he granted it, all averse to
European influence as he was. Nothing
could show more conclusively than this
how fond the Sultan must have been Of
his IaNOE1Ie, anu II also proves IlaI the
old tyrart was a good deal of a gentleman
after all. And having once determined to
do the thing the old fellow did it thorough
ly. He sent Ayesha off to Paris in good
style. and she did not give him cause TO
repent Of his generosity.
She Travelled as far as possible ~incognitio,
but her Identity was bruited abroad, and
shrewd politicians, French, Spanish and
English diplomats tried TO call on her and
interview her in behalf of their respective
governments. But with that instructive
tact characteristic of a smart woman. the
beautiful Oriental outwitted the European,
listened to everything, smiled on everybody
and committed herself to nobody or moth
ing.
after a two years absence Ayesha -e-
turned TO the Sultan a highly-educated
1t in Paris and Spanish as they speak Ii
In Madrid, playing on the piano, harp and
arettes as any of the boulevard brigade.
INTRIGUES AM CABALS.
But she likewise returned home more
ambitious than ever. more determined than
before that her son should be the Sultan's
successor. But there were in the harem
four other sons whose mothers were SIM
ilarly determined, and there was soon
trouble. Intrigues and cabals become the
order of the day and the disorder of the
night. Even the old sultan, Muley Hasan,
who could stand pretty nearly everything
except European influence, wouldn't en-
dure this, and, as the main cause Of all
TIE DOtHcfs ne DcSdIl 10 look on even MS
pet Ayesha with a certain degree Of dis
like.
In this j~uncture she consulted her Ameri-
can friend, Mrs. Reese, the mi~ssionary's
daughter, who gave the beautiful Georgian
the full benefit of her worldly wisdom,
and proved herself invaluable. About this
time the Sultan fell sick. He was seized
suddenly with "a fever. while or one of
his marches away from his wives. Reese
got news of it and told his wife, who
quickly went to the palace and told Aye
sha, who at once, before any Of the other
wives heard Of it, rushed to the Su,tan's
side and nursed him devotedly.
! The old Sultan recovered, thanks to Aye
sha's care, and he never forgot his obi
cations. From the date of his GONZALES
cence Ayesha was supreme and her son
was heir. Nor did Ayesha ever forget her
obligations in turn to the American
woman, whose husband reaped a hundred
commercial fayors from the favorite's
favor.
And it is said to have been at the secret
instigation of her secret friends and adj
visers. Mr.. and Mrs. Reese, that in 1891
Ayesha requested the Sultan. as a special
mark of his love and esteem, to appoint
her son. then a boy of fourteen years Of
age, Viceroy. Of the kingdom of Fee.
The American missionary's daughter was