Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-06-04
A pAlh1ER IN ceNsrAN1IKoPLE.
The Turkish omcIals VIII Not AlloU
slatehIng Mt Present.


F. Hopkinson Smith contributes a pa
PER, "a Personally Conducted Arrest In
Constantinople, to The Century. In
this he describes the difficulty he enooun-
tered iHSketching in that city. He was
watched by a special dragoman, but occa-
sionally managed to elude his vigilance.
The paper is accompanied by a number Of
sketches of unfamiliar scenes in and about
Constantinople Mr.. Smith says:
Casimir, lifting his hat from his glisten-
ing head, said, with a bow Of apology,
that could not paint-in ConstantinOple,
of course; that lone udder Engleesh wait,
one, two, four week, and ten go way
without permit One Russian have his
machine take way"
"No, effendi, he added. liver sorry
but it eempossible to make tie picture"
"How about an American" l asked.
"Ah, you not EngleeshH You Ameri-
cain? Tat is anudder ting. max par
don," with another sweep of his hat II
t'ink you Engleesh." Then, behind his
hand, in whisper, "Engleesh all time
make trouble"
The lowered voice and furtive glance for
possible Britishers in disguise revealed
like flashlight all the devious ways and
manifold dcrookednesses of thetourist drago-
man Of the east, your servant today, serv-
ing you servilely and vilely, serving some
body else tomorrow, still servile and vile.
The clerk of the hotel agreed with CAST
mir as to my painting-in the streets. SO
did the banker who cashed my first draft.
The banker however, was more lucid. In
the present condition of the Armenian
question an order had been issued from the
palace forbidding any one to reproduce the
guardians of the peace, and there was a
fixed determination, so far as he was con-
cerned, to keep out of theirclutches This,
together, with his desire at all hazards tC
earn my francs day, made Casimir O
very nervous and for the time being q very
uncomfortable parsonage.
selected the open plaza fronting the
Sultana Vhlide because it was blossom
ing field of enormous umbrellas, green
brown and white, beneath which were solo
stuffs and fruits Of every hue in the rnin
bow, and because l thought that my owl
modest and diminutive sunshade might b.
so lost in the general scheme az to be un
dstinguishable.
The population Of that part of Stambou
Thought otherwise. Before 1 had hal
blocked in one corner of the mosque ant
indicated my high lights and shadows,
surging throng of Turks, Greeks jew
and gentiles-perhaps HOttentots, 70
some were as black as coal-had wedge
themselves in a solid mass about my easel
Casimir shrugged his shoulders, throw
ing his eyes skyward, his mouth open lik
that of choking chicken. He had COL
sented, under protest, to carry my sketch
ing outfit across the Galata bridge, haI
ding it as tenderly as if it had been
bomb, and now that it was about to e2
plode he wished 1t distinctly understoo
by the bystanders that the affair was non
of his doing. 1 endured this for awhile
catching now and then whispered wor
dropped in the ear Of an eager locker o
and then called out:
Here, Casimir, don't stand there parf
lyzed. Clear the crowd in front, so thf
can see the steps of the mosque and the
go over to the fountain opposite and fl
this water bottle"
He obeyed mechanically. There was a
opening of the crowd for a moment as
passed, tight closing up again, and tt
curious mob was thicker than ever.
When he returned, he brought with hi
two full hands. One was his own, hol
ing the bottle the other was that of ge
darme holding Casimir.