Washington sentinel., 1898-02-19
A strange story.

QuGfGQ DY HS JGWSs ASA
ners storm the steamers, and Jews
In high red fez and fur lined long
gown crowd into the cafes, occupy
the best houses on the sea front,
and drive the best carriages. Greek
merchants were but Just returning,
having all had to leave on account
of the war, but at any time the
principal commerce OF the place is
in the hands Of the Israelites, as
they are there called. Turkish
regiments were passing one alter
another, returning from the seat OF
war. They were said to land their
dead first, and there were $500
Turkish soldiers down with ty-
phoid fever or dysentery in the
Turkish hospital, but Of disorder
or bad conduct one heard nothing.
Ladies who had been at VIOLA and
Larissa during the Turkish occu-
patton said it had been just the
same there, and the general opinion
at Salonica seemed to be that Turk
ish soldiers never misconducted
themselves unless their officers
wished it. Certainly anything
more good humored than the or
dinary Turkish private / never
saw. 1t was difficult to believe
these were the men who had rushed
up the heights into battle actually
singing, with dauntless courage
almost impossible to credit If not
witness. They looked simple sort
of fellows, with very surlY faces.
Some of them were very tall, and a
perhaps foolish fancy to measure
them never elected anything
further than smile and a good
natured readiness to oblige-quite
different from all ones pTecon-
ceived ideas OF Turks. Anything
iunnier than seeing Turkish Off
Ger open a Irritation with a yelled
lady behind the curtain in a tram
way it would be hard to see. Going
into one grand harem, and many
houses OF poor Turks, the latter
seemed positively sparkling in
their cleanliness and tidiness, the
stones OF the garden walk shining
a. with recent washing, and all the
LITE arrangements coquettish and
strongly recalling those of Japan,
especially in the arrangement for
washing the varandahs, as well as
in the habit, common to both coun-
tries, of laying aside shoes before
entering. The Turkish women do
not laugh like the Japanese, but
were very smiling, pretty, small
b0A0dy pl~---.t, listl~ ~s~-SEISS, OItSn
quite fair.
Agentleman, who had overheard
it, told us OF a soldier from Asia
Minor saying to peasant in Mon
astir, "Why are you so wicked over
here that we have to come over
from our country and leave our
families1 Why do you not live in
peace2 Do you not know that all
men are broth srs7" But the strang-
est story is one that l heard from
a gentleman, for many years in the
English Consular Service. Before
the last Russo 7 urkish war, when
ne was acting al ETneroum, the
Russian Consul General there
dined with him one night. Thew
played cards together until an
early hour of the morning, and
separated. He himself was going
to bed, when he was told that the
Russian wanted to see him again;
he was much surprised, and when,
on admitting him, the Russian
said, "Now, will you promise never
10 mention to anyone what | am
now going to say to you, if you do
not agree to it2" He being very
curious to hear what it was, readily
agreed, with the one reservation
that he might speak OF it after he
left Erzeroum. Then the Russian
Consul General said, 81 want a
massacre" "Whatp II want a
massacre" He then proceeded to
name certain Russian tribes under
the protection and direction Of
England, and certain others under
that of Russia, and said, II wish
they should combine and make a
massacre" On the Englishman
expressing horror, he said, Look
hereP' and displayed a blank
cheque on Barring Brothers. 81
can fill this up for so much" and
he named very large sum, "onlY
there is one thing; half is for me,
but you must give me receipt for
the whole, and then we can both
leave the Consular Service. The
Englishman refused Indignantly;
he did not mention the matter till
after he left Erzeroum, but within
the last few years the Russian Con-
sui General, removed to another
somewhat inferior post Cposslbly
because he did not carry his point),
and writing about some quite other
matter, added P. S.-"Ii you had
agreed to what l proposed we need
not both now be in the Consular
Service" This story my informant
vouches for. 1t casts somewhat
lurid light upon many rising Of
so-called turbulent Armenians and
Bashi Bazouks in Asia Minor.
The Russians wanted to be first in
Asia Minor, and they are aiming
more directly at Constantinople
now; till they get it there will be
no peace or rest Tor the variously
clad medley OF nationalities, AL
banians, Wallachians, Bulgarians,
Cretans, &c, &C.. that jostle each
other in that long street of Salon
ica, down which there can be no
doubt St. Paul walked before he,
as the modern Thessalonians de-
clare sbooLr oH the dust oi their