The evening times., 1898-06-25
Homage to the sultan.
(Constsniinop.e Correspondence, Indianapoli

(Constsniinop.e Correspondence, indianapolis
Ncws.)
Suddenly in that brilliant mass below
every figure becomes erect, striking
military attitude. while eyes directed to
the door of the room underneath our
gallery indicate that the moment of the
sultan's entrance has come. All are
bowing almost to the floor with a move
ment as if raising a handful of dust
from the earth. and then touching lips
and foreheads with a grace of motion
peculiar to the East. One might expect
to recognize the great ruler from his
royal garb and pageant. but my compan-
ion strikes me dumb with amazement
by whispering: There he is: that lit
tie man with the gray overcOat." The
band sounds a blast. and from these hum
dreds OF throats goes up the cry Of
'Padishahim tchok yasha!" Uong live
the sul;ano
A nervous, delicate-looking man. slight
ly stopped, In plainest dress. with feeble.
almost faltering. step. and unattended
by royal suite or page. advances toward
the dlvan. The only man in all that as
semblage Without uniform. the severity
of his dress alone distinguishes him from
overcoat, bound with a narrow cord of
dark red and which looks old and worn,
without the gold and rich embroidery
which makes his subjects so resplendent.
with not even a brass button 10 relieve
the plainness Of his attire. and with only
the long curved sword of Osman gtrded
underneath the great coat-this inonen-
siye-looking being, this enigma OF the
century" takes his stand before the d.
van.
AL eyes -are. ON. him. as he. nervously
steps on the narrow cushion before the
diyan, changing his position continually.
as though balancing himself, the hands
alternately touching the hilt OF MS SWORD.
half hidden by the long coat, and then
opening and foNdlng the great coat about
| him; This act partly discloses. over the
| ttzhtIy-buttoned black Prince Albert. a
| ribbon of red and green across his chest
hts only mark, of decoration.
BEFORE the sultan arrived we had no
| tIced q queen little .tuIbaned figure In
bright green satin. with long, fun trous-
ers, sitting cross-legged on a stool be-
| hind one of the great pillars OF the hall.
| One foot was so doubled under him that
| he seemed one-legged as he sat there, mo-
tionless and sphinx-iike. Gazing intently
on the Ruler Of Rulers standing there
| so helpless and alone, we had not seen the
parrot green figure unfold and shake out
| its other leg: but here he was. advancing
| with trembling and rickety step. for he
| was a very old man. bowing his body 10
| the floor touching breast, lips ana fore-
| head at every pace with the imaginary
| dust lifted from the earth In a reveren-
| tial salaam, the first to pay homage to his
sovereign
This court ulema epriesD and represent
| ative of the sherins from Mecca. for he
| IT was, finally prostrates himself at. the
! feet Of the sultan and head Of the Mo-
| hammedan religion kissing the hem oil his
| garment, which. In this instance. was a
| corner Of the gray overcoat. The sultan
| making q feint Of resisting this homage
| attempts to raise him to his feet. but the
| groveline figure win mot rise until he has
| several times pressed this particular bii
| OF cloth to his bps. He then stands up
| and. stepping back q few PAGES. facing the
sultan. offers up prayer in soft. low
] voice, invoking divine blessings on his SOW