Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-24

Mehmed. T" said Melek Hanum. II have
told the imam, TO recommend you to the
captain of the guard for the place. The
work will not interfere with your other
business, and it will bring us in at least
enough to pay for our clothes"
Mehmed Agha looked rather r~uefully al
this new Development of his good luck,
but the very next night saw him installed
as night Waterman. He had to sally forth
about two hours after sunset, wrapped in
his brown homespun overcoat and with
his feet incased in enormous boots, with
toes sharp and upturned, like the bows Of
a caique. All night long with the iron
shod parochial club he had to pound Gus
the hours in regular succession on the
rough cubblestones OF the pavement. A
short time before day break he would re-
turn to his abode and take a short nap
until it was time for him to begin a new
days work with singing his tray to sell
his beurek cakes about the streets.
The good old imam was a true friend to
Mehmed .Agha. Before very long he found
q new way to help him. One of the muez-
zins Of the mosque of Mihrimah, near the
A%drianople gate in STEAMBOAT, was going
back to his home at Aleppo. "You have
a good voice, p" said the imam, land you
might just as we'll do the work Of this
muezzin. Happily the Bezestan closes
early. There will be plenty of time. All
you have to do Is to run over to Mihrimah
after you get through at the Bezestan.
There you give the call for afternoon pray
ers from the minaret and sing in the choir
at tho service, and then you come home as
comfortable as q cat that is licking her
chops over the last Of the little chickens. u
This was becoming serious, and Meh-
med nearly said that he could not under
take any more work. But as soon ms his
wife heard of the proposal she said: "You
are already in STEAMBOAT in any case, my
lion, and you might just as we'll earn this
money TOO. 1t will provide for our tobac-
CO." So Mehned Agha became muezzin
at the mosque Of Mibrimah in addition to
his other duties.
One day after the Bezestan had closed
Mehmcd ARha was making all speed to
reach the mosque in time, when in cross.
ing the square in front of the mosque OF
Bayezid he squarely ran into a man. What
was his amazement to find that this COLI
sion had brought him face to face with
Osman Agba, a friend of his boyhood at
his old home in Loyeha in Bulgaria. Meh-
med Agha had not seen his friend since
the war, but he saluted him and hurried on.
Osman Agha called after him to stop a
moment, but Mehmed Agha answered,
"No; l am in n great hurry, and I can.
not stop"
"Man alive" cried Osman Agha, II
kuxn i,.ck c4,,>c fuo,, nm fatbor5. ho,,on
and you paes me like a cabinet minister,
with a wave of the hand!' These words
we're uttered in a somewhat disjointed and
jerky fashion, for Osmaii Agha was run
ming after Mehmed. When he had caught
him firmly by tho coat collar, Osman add
ed, swell, how are YOU, and what are you
doing for a liying?'
Mehmed Agha made no attempt to break
away and replied: 81 am all right. For
some time l had no work, but a woman
married me, and she has found work for
me, and now let Inc go and do it"
"But what kind Of work is 1t that will
not let you oven stop to have a cup of COT
fee with your Oldest friend9"
ooh, 1t Ia many works. First thing in
the morning I am beurekj and sell beurek
cakes at Beshiktash. Then I am school
porter there and have to take the children
TO school as soon as the beurek cakes are
sold. AS soon as the children are safely
at school / have to hurry off to STEAMBOAT,
for / am broker in the Bezestan while that
is open, and l sell auction goods about the
bazaars. As soon as the Bezestan closes I
I'm 1nuezzin at the mosque of Mihrimah,
and now I must 60 there to call the people
to afternoon prayers. After the service I
go home, and as soon as l get home I am
night Waterman until 1t is time to sell
the beurek cakes again. Ny wife has
found me work, you seei Why, man, l do
not even have time to eat"
"Well," said Osman Agha Indignantly,
'all I have to say is that il I had a wife
who made me work like that I would d.
yorce her before sunses!'
"That is what I would like to d., " said
Mohmed Agha, now for the first time rec
ognizing his grievances. "Yes, 1t would
be best to divorce this woman. But, then,
l would have to go to the court to tell the
judge that / have divorced her and to give
security for the dowry money. Mercy
Don't you see, Osman? 1t would never do
In the world. IT would take at least two
hours time! l really haven't time to be
diyosced!'
So saying, Mehmed Agha broke away
from his friend and rushed off to the
mosque of Mihrimah to call the faithful
to prayers. New York Tribune.