Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-04-04
Turkish Discipline.

1
Europeans generally. He was good
natured, well-mannered fellow withal,
and intelligent as Turks go; so it one
day came to pass that he was sent to
st. Petersburg on special mission.
Although no love is generally lost be-
tween Turks and Russians, Mahmoud
Pasha soon became popular in the di-
plomatic circles of st. Petersburg,
owing to his good nature and child
like righteousness. He caught eager
ly at every new idea, and was always
discussing the possibility of introduce
ing reforms into Turkey. The Rus
slams, on their side, were never tired
of exciting his wonder by showing him
the sights of their beautiful city, and
explaining to him the systems of work
in vogue in their different govern
ment departments,
One day he was at luncheon with a
few guests at the quarters of Russian
officer named Birnedof. The CONVEX
sation had turned on the subject Of the
splendid discipline to be found in every
branch of the Russian service. Brine
doff suddenly rang bell. 81 am
going to give you an example of the
methodicity of my orderly" said he to
Mahmoud Pasha. An instant later
trim-looking young officer entered the
room, and, after saluting, stood quietly
awaiting orders. Birnedoff took a
bunch of keys from his pocket, and Sc
Letting one, gave it to the orderly.
eco to my office" said he, land
open the upper right-hand drawer.
You will see there package of papers
tied with blue tape. Bring those pa
pers to me here directly"
The man saluted and left the room.
Birnedoff took out his watch. Keep
ing his eyes fixed on the face, he said !;
"He is going down the stairs-he Is
in the street" And then, after a
long pause, He has reached the War
Ofice-he is going upstairs-he has
entered my room-he has the papers
and has started to come back-he has
reached the street" Another long
pause. "He is down at the door-he
is mounting the stairs-he is here.
At this moment the door opened and
the orderly reappeared. Saluting, he
stepped forward and placed in Brine
doff's hands the key and package of
papers tied with blue tape. Gentle
men !" said the Russian, with bow
and a smile of triumph.
Soon after his return to CONSTANT
nople Mahmoud Pasha was appointed
to a high post in the Turkish Foreign
Office. The opportunity for introduce
ing the reforms that he had so long
talked of had now come, and he went
to work with an energy quite unori-
entail to oil the government machinery
that was under his control, so that 1t
would run with something like predict
able certainty.
A year passed by, and the Russian
was, in his turn, sent to Constantine
pie as a member of a special commits
sion, and, a week after his arrival,
was sitting over his coffee as the guest
Of Mahmoud Pasha.
Count Birnedoff," said the Pasha,
taking advantage of an opening in the
conversation, II want TO show you
what have accomplished in the way
of discipline during the past year
thanks to your teaching. l want to
prove to you that the Turk is as capa-
bic of methodical training as the Rus
sian"
At the sound of a bell a liveried
servant appeared. The fellow was a
thick-set Kurd, with yellow skin and
black eyes, dressed in baggy trousers
and short jacket Of dark blue cloth
Mahmoud Pasha gave the man key,
at the same time repeating to him some
directions in Turkish. When the man
had left the room the Pasha took his
watch from his pocket and looked
steadily at the face.
"Now he is going down stairs-he is
in the street. A long pause. "He
has reached the building where my
office is-he is going upstairs-he is
in my room--he has the papers-he
is coming back"
At this moment the door opened
suddenly and the heavy Kurd reap
peared. "Effendim," said he, with a
low salaam, 81 can't find my shoes. -
HarperS Magazine.