New-York tribune., 1903-03-29

81 suppose that must be So"

Il suppose that must be so.
During the interview Mr. Hewitt was un-
diplomatic enough to take Il pencil from his
pocket and make a memorandum upon Il piece
of paper of something the Sultan said. TIL" lat
ter did not appear to have taken any notice u
the act, but after a few moments asked that
Mr.. Hewitt should show him his pencil Mr.
Hewitt explained that it only a common
affair, costing a few cents in the United states.
The Sultan looked it critically. and said a
few words in Turkish to the interpreter. The
latter, after profuse apologies asked if his
majesty might keep the pencil More puzzled
than before, Mr.. Hewitt remarked that it vas
unworthy of being called gift, but the Sultan
welcome to it.
When the conversation had continued 4 lttle
longer the Sultan asked to see the piece OF paper
that had been written upon, which request Mr..
Hewitt, Of course, could not refuse. and when
he had passed it over his majesty calmly folded
1t and put it carefully away in his pocket. Mr..
Hewitt saw the point at once and never again
attempted to make notes of a conversation with
sovereign
Then the conversation turned upon literature,
and Mr. Hewitt having asked which were con-
sidered the most important books in the Turkish
language the Sultan gave him a dissertation
upon the subject, and closed by asking Mr.
Hewitt if he liked books The visitor replied
that he did. very much. and. after admiring i
him. the interview ended and Mr.. Hewitt came
away.
A few months later after Mr.. Hewitt had
returned to his home. he receve ed notice from
the Custom House at New-York that cOllec-
ton of fifteen hundred volumes printed in the
Turkish language had arrived from COnstanti-
pople and awaited his pleasure and the payment
OF duty OF 81 volume AS he could not read
Turkish and had very little use for Turkish
books. Mr.. Hewitt presented the entire COllec-
ton to the Smithsonian Institution and thus
avoided the payment Of the duty. And when he
wrote to thank the Sultap he explained that, OF
course, he understood that the gift not
intended for him personally, but for the AIneri-
can people
His surprise can be imagined when few
months later he received notice of d second
instaiment of fifteen hundred volumes of Turk
ish literature, accompanied by letter from the
Sultan explaining that the original gift not
intended for the American people hut for Mr..
Hewitt, the friend of Mr.. Cox and expressing
the hope that he would accept the duplicates
as i token OF his majeStN'S respect and friend
SLIP. The second collection presented to
the library of Columbia University, but in
knOWledslng them Mr. Hewitt was careful not
to mention their disposition.
AprOpOs of the p prnciI when Mr.. Hewitt
turned to Ne.w-York he purchased three of the
! most elaborate gold mOu lted fountain pens that
he could ind and sent them, through Minister
Cox, at COnStantinOple, Il present to the
Sultan. Mr.. Cox reported that as soon as his
majesty had accept ii the gifts h., called two
of his little children TO his side and gave a pen
TO each. When MIR. Cox left the audience cilan-
Der the Sultan was trying the third on the rough
back of a heavy book. and of the boys
using his to write the wall.