The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16

arcl'S pea cnam DeIS WOhe ullu W1tu eHo
announcement that he had been deposed d
and that he must leave the palace at once
with all his wives and effects and repair
to the fortress Of Top Capon. Aziz ragged
in inarticulate fury, but the palace was
surrounded by troops. and he had no
choice but to obey. 1t was not the inten-
ton of Terasklen Avni to murder him; he
could do better than that. He made 1t his
business to torture and exasperate the de-
posed monarch, goadeu him to fury by all
manner Of petty annoyances, made the
chains of his captivity unbearable, nagged
him to chafe and fret his soul out teased
him with infinite maiices, until he was
like wild beast. In a paroxysm OF rage
he borrowed a pair of scissors from an at
tendant, opened vein in his arm and
let the blood flow till he died.
Then Murad was duly crowned Sultan.
His unexpected elevation brought out
traits in his character which had not been
observed. He was passionate lover of
the fair sex and kept a harem of beauties
10 whom he paid such as,iduous devotion
that his nervous system broke down under
the strain. He sought to build himself
up with champagne and failed.
The political crisis in which he found
himself required cool resolution and
bodily and mental strength; he was in a
constant fever of excitement, nerveless,
and the thought was ever present to his
mind that he would be accused of the
murder of his uncle; lnsinuations OF his
guilt ha6 in part appeared in the papers.
They overthrow his brain. He could not
sleep. He denounced Avni for having
covered him with shame, and declared
that he wished for nothing but death.
The question was, Was Murad mad or
not2 The Constantinople doctors did
not know what to make OF his case. The
ablest alienist of Vienna, DIR. Liedesdorf.
said that the Sultan was suffering from
severe attack of nervous depression, which
had temporarily unsettled his reason,
but that few weeks rest with occupa-
tions which would divert his mind, would
restore him to health. But an Italian
quack named Capoleone declared that the
disease was softening of the brain, and,
though the patients life might bs pro-
tracted by copious blood-letting, leeches.
hot baths and powerful drugs, the case
would terminate fatally within six
months. 1t was Midhat's interest to be-
lieve the quack in preference 70 the
physician.
Early one morning a eunuch entered
Murad's apartment and announced to
him that new Sultan, Abdul Ramid,
commanded him to leave the palace and
go with his family to Top Capon. He
obeyed with perfect istlessness. He took
no notice of surrounding objects, but
cfo ,Ixyf foIl bo ho
him. He paid no attention to the salute
of the sentinels. but entering his harem-
ik, he sat down alphabetically on a sofa.
His mother, who accompanied him, did
not weep nor lament, but said in calm,
sad voice, at is the will of Allah"
This was just at the time when the Rus
SLAMS were forcing the passage of the
Balkans, and the siege Of PIevna was at
tracing the attention OF the world. On
the following day Abdul Hamid was pro-
claimed Sultan in the presence of silent.
frowning crowd, who had not cheer for
their new sovereign.
Murads wives were sent adrift-all but
on" This was lady OF surprising
be who had become deeply attached
to lie sad and melancholy prisoner with
The snow-white hair and the gentle ac-
cents. The Sultan reluctantly consented
to her sharing his prison. He suspected
every one, but he reckoned that his police
would be vigilant enough to prevent her
plotting, and he let her stay. She soon
discovered opportunities Of usefulness and
lost no time in devising means of putting
her schemes into effect.
Constantinople was full of young men,
who were ready for any desperate enter
prise against the Sultan. Every college
graduate was a conspirator ex- -officio, and
a member of the Young Turkey party.
All were agreed that when the time came
for action they would restore to the throne
the dedishado, who was wise and benevo-
lent and thoroughly in touch with the
latest evolution of modern political
science. But Murad was so closely
guarded that it was almost impossible for
him to communicate with his friends out
side. 1t was then that Almeh brought
her mother-wit to bear on the case. In
moments of privacy he wrote letters on
tissue-paper which she rolled up and in
serted in quilts. The auiils were dropped
into water and were carried off into the
drain pipes. Murad's friends tapped the
drains outside and caught the quills as
they passed.
The trick served for quite while. Then
it was discovered. and faithful waiting
woman warned Almeh that her life was
not worth an hours purchase. This SER
want procured boys costume, in which
Almeh managed 10 elude the guards. She
fed with rapidity, under the watchfulness
of members OF the New Turkey party, till
she got safely on board a British steamer.
The police followed her to the vessel and
demanded her surrender. but a British
ironclad happening to range up alongside
with a manifest intention to take part in
any controversy which might arise the
monchards did not think it worth while
to pursue their enterprise. Murad now
conspires alone. JOHN BONNER.