The morning times., 1895-12-26
loEBMl!lRs,A
9tO552 ST.
TURKISH CEMETERY.
The White Building.

Populous City Of Slender Shafts be-
meath Massive Expresses.
London ST. PauTs.
And why do the OsmaDli prefer scntari
as a burial place to any other?'
Because it is there the trumpet Of the
archangel will be first heard. The true
Delivers who lie at Scutari Will first rise
to answer it; next the faithful from other
parts of the earth. After that the Hebrews,
and lastly, the Giaours, WHO follow other
gods"
Thus spoke grave old turbaned Turk.
who stood beneath cypress tree, on the
slopes OF the world-famed cemetery ON the
Sea of Marmora.
IAN know" lie went on, in calm, judicial
accents, that when the last days of the
world are drawing near, the Osnlanh will be
driven forth from STEAMBOAT by the Frank
Then, for space, there will be trouble
and turmoil on the earth; all SONS OF the
faithful will fly to scutari as a refuge;
there they, the living and the dead alike,
will await the day OF Judgment"
With that, thinking ii was a hurt to bis
dignity To parley longer with a Giaour, be
gathered his robes about him, saluted Ina-
iestically, then passed slowly away down
one OF the long, broad avenues leading to the
gates of the cemetery, leaving the stranger
TO wander at his plea sure through thatforest
of tall tomb-stones standing erect.
The coup doeil is picturesque in the ex-
treme. AS far as one can see, the long
slender shafts of marble rise beneath the
shadow Of the massive cypresses-tbe tree
of Allah the Osrnanli call it. which points
its finger to the sky-while the luxuriant
vegetation of the East clusters around the
base of the slabs. emphasizin their snowy
whi.cness and preventing them from being
too dazzling TO the eye.
Each tomb bears its own decoration. A
single leaflet, the dropping petals Of rose,
or graceful frond Of fern Indicate that
female form lies below. furban or q fez
shows that the dead person was q man.
Lamps, ostrich eggs, sashes. fringed and
colored haDdkerchiefs of varied hue. all
have their own signification; whiie here
and there will be some tall stone sculptured
from end to end, its ornainentation in high
relief, encircled by number OF smaller
ones, which proves that the father OF
family-a man OF wealth-rests here, sur
rounded by his wives and children.
A curved scimetar shows that man
OF war reposes there; an anchor marks the
sleeping place OF a sailor; wand of office
proves that the dead man held some place
command SO on, till something is learned
OF all, even though one may not be able
to decipher the fantastic A rabic charac cters
which tell with more detail the history OF
the dead.
The terms in which the Turk expresses
his lamentations are often very pathetic
especially when they refer to the loss Of hii
wife or child.
Here is one taken from the tomb Of
young girl, which effectually conibats tb,
common Western delusion that the Osmanh
believe that women are born without souls
or hope OF n future life:
The cold blasts OF fate caused this night
ingale to wing its way to heaven. There II
has found its awaited bliss. Zeinab is ths
name or her who lies below and for her
Lababa, who wrote these lines, offers hum
bic petition. Weep not for her. for though
dead. she has become a sojoumer in the
gardens of paradise"