The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-09-15
THE RUSE OF
MELEK HANUM
BY HELEN d. JENKINS

Tie heart or fool IS IT, his tongue the
tongue ~ wise man is .n ris hears
Turkish rr verb.
= ULEIAiAN EFFENDI could lot ger
- along with his wife No UNUSUAL
a.. you will say. but uncomfortable,
nevertheless Nelek Hanum had
seemed attractive when he married her
some five years before. she was fat and
white. and made excellent coffee bu-
now he hated her and could scarcely re-
strain his trritability when in her pres
ence. He declared 10 his neighoor Men
met. the grocer. that she was snreN'
scoldinz continually and never giving
him a moments peace. Mehmet tried
Ia soothe his irritation. but in vain. anu
one day he spoke the fatal words Of al
vorce. and Melek Hanum was led weep
ing 10 her father house
For a month Suleiman was gay IN MS
freedom and declared himself the hap-
riest of men to be relieved Of that ciack-
ins tongue. but the next month his
wifeless. childless house was lonely. and
he resolved to take second wife lie
told Mehmet the grocer. Of mis- inten-
tior and asked the service Of Mehmet s
wife. Nahseli. in procuring him SUIT
able one.
when Nehmet told Nashe'i hanufH.
she was sad for her friend Melek. who
was pining In her fathers small ana
crowded house.
..Nelek is a good woman. Mashailah!
she was indeed an angelo. true 70 her
husband. and q sweet creature.
Alehmet Efsndi shook his head con-
uieeratelv. and continued 70 draw IN his
conee with noisy lips.
Nahsen Hanum found Suleiman un-
grateful. and went so far as 10 Eeneraliz2
the statement
-r5- FIVE years she has kept his house
clean and his clothes in repair. and mas
eoofrd excellent meals for him. my
self can tell Of her luscious dolmas and
rich preserves. And she has given him
no trouble. always going carefully
yeiied and looking at no man Men DO
not know when they have a good wife
Nahsei talked to the women Of the
reichborhood when they SAT on me
surnv hillside on Friday afternoon and
Nehmet told his friend al the coiiee
house Of Suleiman's desire for new
wife Much sympathy was excited Tor
Nelek and finally the neiehhors deter
mined trick on Suleiman il they could
win Mel,k's consent and cooperation
Half a dozen OF the neighborhood
called on Melek Hanum. and while me
air was pungent with the smoke OF thelr
cigarettes. proposed their plan 70 net
Che was 10 be passed of 10 Sulelman
a. n new wife and when he found him
SELF remarked to her-'Eh Allah know 5
what will happen. but Il may be for the
hest Nelek Was excited and by turns
cov and eager. but was finally won over.
suleiman was told that a suitable vile
was found for him. one with whom he
would be very happy. a widow. so there
need be no grand wedding.
on the morning Of day three months
after the divorce. the civil marriage was
celebrated. A proxy for the groom de-
clared his willingness to take the won
an. a proxy for the bride declared her
willingness to become his wife. Mehmet
and All the shoemaker. were Witnesses
and Fikret. the inman. read prayer
from the Koran. Neither Suleiman mol
Melek were present.
In The afternoon Nahseli Hanum and
two other neighbors escorted Melek e
her husbands house. and with many
eiegles placed her in the room where
she was TO await him. She vas dressed
I'm a shiny white dress. with a gayly
painted handkerchief tied over her hair
and was heavily perfumed with rose oil
She was very nervous and a little In
clined 10 be fearful. but Nahseli HanuH
pade her take heart. for all would b
we'll
Snleiman dined with his friends al j.
O'Clock Turkish. and at two o'clock
when darkness had settled down upoi
the evening. he was told he could 90 Il
"a his bride But she had imposed
curious condition; for a whole night h'
must not light the candle
when sleimans neighbors had lei
him. laughing in their sleeves at tn
j8ae be entered the dark room. a strOn.
scent Cf rose and a simmer Of white
led him 20 the sad'a where Mclek sat
| crld and ghaktnZ