Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-27
The SuItar1'S Gift
BY Harold Carter.

The little old sultan drove to the mosque
every Friday in his open carriage In order TO
offer prayers.
Covering under his rugs huddled into bis robes
of state, how he dreaded those weekly jour
neys; through the streets Of his capital through
rows OF imrassve, silent soldiers, past WINDOWS
lined with sternly impassive citizens. How
nervously no glanced to right, to left! At THIS
corner the line was partly broken; suppose tnat
some desperate man whom he had wronged
should rush In him with revolver! Sup
pose a bomb were flung from that group upon
the balcony over his soldiers heads!
4, As he drove, bis eyes heavy with the opintes
which he took to bring sleep to him, the car
riage halted abruptly, and he sat up with
scowI. His vizier seated opposite him, spranS
to his feet nervously. wagon had been over
turned in the street. and the procession must
be diverted.
burst through the Gordon OF soldiers and knel'
at the carriage side.
Mercy, sire" he cried, his hands appraised
The troops, seeing that he had already gained
his govereigns ear, hesitated in doubt
'Afy name is Mohamet bin Achmet; spare ms
father. SIRE the man pleaded, kissing the
sultan's hand
The sultan wrinkled his brows in thought.
Then he remembered. That morning. among
the countless death warrants which he had
signed, was for the execution Of certain
Achmet. a veteran sergeant OF many years ser
vice. who had been found guilty OF inc crime
Of desartion. He had been kept on service
several months after the expiration of his ume'
and had gone home TO his family. a.,
ARREST this man." he cried to his soldiers
e
Instantly the man sprang forward and plunged
a long thin knife into the sultan's breast. The
net was done so eNpediuousIy tnat only oHe oron
the sultan still sat in his carriage, erect anu
apparently unframed.
"Drive on" shouted the vIzier, and the car
The dying sultan fixed his dark eyes gloom
lily upon his minister, who. not daring 10 speak,
from him: he bowed bis head with groan and
seemed to pass through all the ultimate mo-
meuts of dissolution.
when he became conscious again the carriage
was already speeding through the DOlma street.
and in the distance the great mosque appeared.
For a moment he could not understand this
curious sensation Of lightness and well-being
Then re realized He was dead then. dead at
last; end, ignorant of his demise, they were
prayers. He stood up his feet and tapped
the visier upon the breast. calling to him. But
the vizier unconscious of his master. sat In
calm silence occasionally casting frightened
glances toward the corpse, which still main
tanned its upright position and gloomy frown.
The sultan stepped into the street, treading'
apparently air, and shOu ed to his soldiers
No replied. The procession whirled away
into the distance, and he found himself alone
AloneI Why, the air was filled with zig,
him. CHASTITY specters, wringing their bony
hands in impreeatlon. There were the souls Of
the gallant men whom he had sent to their
deaths in sacks beneath the turbid waters Of
the seas others with necks still SCARED by
the tight bowstrings others with the protrud-
Ing eyeD0uS ana OihCkcnSu tOhsutS u thuSc VIZ"
had passed through the hands of the hangman.
And there was a woman, beautiful and young
who
He groaned and turned away. He closed his
eyes, but could not shut out those menacfng
ghosts. They clamored- but with voices no
shriIler than the clamOring of bats at night
fall lie ran. pursued by the spirits Of those
whom he had wronged. till he came to the razor
bridge which all must cross to win to paradise.
He took two steps and felt himself falling.
'My name is Mahomet bin Achmet; spare my
father, sire. -
The sultan opened his eyes, heavy from the
opfates. The carriage stood still behind the
overturned cart, and the man still chung to his
hand And overhead the sun still shone; and
he was sultan still.
MAY God, the merciful. forgive me as for
give thy father" he cried
And the carriage rolled away toward the
mosque.