Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-07-17
HUSSEIN'S SISTER.


stantinople. from one continent to the
other, 1t was my bad luck several times
to fall into the hands of boatman nam
ed AIehmed He was a good enough
oarsman, but had the disagreeable habit
of talking while rOwing-talking end
lessly of his hardships-and furthermore
of always asking for more money, no
matter how literally he was paid. Mere
inertia seemed to cast me into his hands,
since, although | did not like him. he
always presented himself and | always
entered his caique when ] wished to
cross the BoYphorus.
one day. while Mehmed was backing
his caique towards the landing he had to
wait for another boat to discharge its
passengers, and as usual he was grumb-
ling His complaint was against fate.
which makes some men poor and others
so rich that they have to search dill
gently amid handfuls of gold for a
piece of silver small enough to give a
Woodworking boatman. Suddenly boat
man resting on his oars alongside whis-
pered sharply TO the grumbler
shut up that hole in your mouth Meh-
med Some men have the kismet to ride
in boats and some to row them and
botn have their lot from God. who does
that which Is good in his eyes"
The boatman who spoke was a younger
man than Mehmed. also a Turk but with
a smile that was cherry and a very at
tractive alert look about his whole per-
SON From that moment made it
point to disregard Mchmed and employ
the younger man whenever he was to be
found. | soon became acquainted with
him and really admired him. His name
was Hussen. The neatness of his caique
was enough to attract; although few
who saw him could resist the winsomeness
of his 1.-THE figure. dressed in spotless
white, standing in his boat near the land
iV,cr -efa y ~
oars gently moving like the fms OF a
FISH that is inspecting bait. and always
seconding with an eager smile and hope
fulness Of his voice as he called to a
possible patron, "Enendi! Effendi will
you cross The caipue seemed to be a
part of Hussein himself. In fact. 1t
was the one love OF his heart. and. like
Jacob. Hussein had served seven years
to win his beloved The sixty dollars
which the long, slender boat had cost
had been paid in weekly installments,
and some of the instalments were no
more than the ten cents which he could
save by stinting his weekly allowance
OF bread and olives
Although l had abandoned Mehmed,
! did not get rid Of him. 1t was not
long before Hussein told me that Meh-
med was his "cOmrade vino would serve
me when he himself happened to be alb
sent with some other customer The
landing limit its sphere as rigdly as a
blind pool In the eyes of all the boat
men l was Husseins property. and none
but the man designated would offer to
take me into his boat. 4 certain dumb
will-power overcame my rights and pref
erences in the case, like that by which
dog or cat may bring to naught schemes
made by intellectual superiors in the mat
ter of ownership or abode. Even when
called two caiques to carry a party.
Hussein's choice OF Mehmed for the sec
ond did not bring audible complaint from
his numerous rivals. The curious point
in this Strategic situation was that Hus-
sein did not seem to like Mehmed more
than l did. He was always coaching his
'comrade' in proper behavior.
| speak Of Husseins sister with diff
dence. That man does not know the
East who openly wishes TO know the cir
cumstances OF a Mohammedan womans
lie Inquiry is bad taste; interest is
almost insult. Let me at once admit that
my information about this woman came
To- me incidentally and at second hand
through the medium OF the boatman
Mehmed. TIE qualities Of the boatman.
especially those revealed. have given rise
TO painful doubts respecting the woman
whom he described OF these doubts the
reader shall judge. My own attitude
toward the sister Of Hussein Is like that
Of an astronomer using an untried lens
The object watch he sees may be new
celestial phenomenon, or il may be "A
reflection from some distortion in the
medium Of observation.
One day Hussen rowed without his
usual spirit. His cheeks We're pale. and
several times he dropped one oar in order
to wipe his dripping face Finally. with
an effort at cherry smile, he said. You
must not take note of my faults. I can
/ not row well today But. please God
M I xrfn 10 far
Two days later it was Mehmed who
came forward to take me across the
Bosphorus The set smile was gone from
his face.
Where is Hussein?" I asked after we
Were well on our way.
May you live forever" he said. 1t
is the phrase in which Oriental dread of
mentioning calamity takes refuge when a
death has to be announced
What Is Hussein dead?"
God so willed it," replied Mehmed
/ Then he told the story. Ten days be-
fore, Hussein had been sieZed with sharp
/ pains about the heart He refused to
stop working saying, II am n boatman.
| My place is in my boat: perhaps an old
customer might want me-" After row.
/ ing me across the Bosphorus for the last
/ time, he did not wait as usual to pick
up a return fare. but rowing straight
/ back TO his boat house. he floated his
caique upon its cradle, and dragged II
slowly up the sloping sand within.
/ Then. as the other boatmen wanderingly
watched, for il was barely noon, he sud
/ denly fell. And when rough but kindly
/ hands would have helped him up he was
/ dead.
Hussen's sturdy devotion to duty
/ when the clutch of death was already
upon him moved my heart. Mehmed s
/ honest grief. too. won my sympathy. A
common sorrow formed a tie between us
! that / would have deemed impossible a
week before. When Mehmed told me
that Hussein had left sister broken
down by the loss of so capable a bread
winner, and crushed by the expenses OF
! the funeral. IL was but natural for me
I to commit to him "A small sum of money
! for the relief of the weeping woman.
/ This little kindness called forth a series
of the well-chosen phrases used in such
cases by the Turk who is really CRATE
ful:
May you never be lessl May your
one become a thousand. May God be
satisfied with your
Oriental expressions of gratitude are
often held TO balance off what gave occa-
sion for them, much as a promissory
note is held by some to eXtinguish a
debt. I began TO learn this lesson about
a week later. when Mehmed intercepted
me on my way to the ferryboat His
face and his speech were solemn: Hus-
sein's sister had lost interest in life
| Doctors had ordered rest, recreation. ami
nourishing food " She is poor" added
Mehmed, and you know best what
| ought to be done"
one does not like to give charity with
! ont DrOOf that ir is really needed. But