The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1909-05-13
A SUBLIME
S u M NJ O N S
A Story Of Turkey and the Sultan


ders of the sultan He had protested
innocence of all wrong-doins. but with
out avail He had begged for time 10
put his affairs in order, to write a few
notes to friends. to communicate with
the ambassador or with the consul TO
send a telegram. No. all he was to do
was to go with the guards who had
taken him directly To the prison and
locked him up with NO hint Of why or
wherefore
He could not so much rs guess why
he was there Eat then there had
been others. He remembered them
well. Montinet the oriental scholar
who mad lived in peace tor years ana
suddenly had been summoned to be
seen no more among his friends nor
even heard of by them. There was
Salons who never had returned from
the ride he started out upon one after
noon. though his household waited
days and weeks and months. Then
there was Morelli. the musician, and
little Grigo. whom every one had
loved, whose life had all joy and mer-
riment, but who had vanished like the
others as though changed to air.
Now his turn had come, and why?
He could think of nothing whatever
that could have offended anyone hold
ing authority in STEAMBOAT.
With his elbows on the rough table
before him, he looked back to the day
when first he saw the Thespian Bos-
phorus He had come for month
holiday, and the magic scenery, with
its infinity of panoramas, had be-
witched him. The one month had
heightened into u, and the artist in
him had been supremely happy. AS a
physician, too he had been attract
ed by STEAMBOAT, but from very diff
ferent reason than that which had at
tracted the artist, namely, the clty's
filth Where there was so much filth
there must be diseases, probably
strange diseases that western Europe
know nothing Of He had stayed on
account of this filth, and his reward
had been ample, as medals and diplo-
mas in his quarters showed.
The literature of the east had been
another charm to hold him. He had
delighted in it and had translated
much. He also had put some western
stories into Arabic, and had won dis
tinction by so doing.
But it was all done now. His lab
oratory work, his pictures. his studies
and translations were of the time that
has been He should never see his
manuscripts or be in his beloved
studio again. He like those others
whom he had been thinking of had
come to the end. He might have
known it, He had been fool-but
why? Why? Why? He asked him
self with a sort of madness over again
and again, why? Why should it be?
What had he done? Was he not use
full? Had he not done good? Had he
not saved lives? He had. He had
saved many lives. He had taught the
people how they might save them
selves when diseases came. He had
been the friend of all, and had never
so much as thought of politics or ut
He pressed his hands to his head
and tried once more to think. staring
at the duh blank wall before him.
Then the door of the cell opened and
an officer came in.
"You are DR.. Jani?' he inquired.
Il am, but"
You have been translating story
from the French, which has been run
ming as serial in the Weekly Ores
cent?"
Il have been ranslating a story
from the French, a romance, in which
there is not one word that could give
ouense not a word that
AS before he was interrupted
Il am commanded by the sultan,
said the officer. that you are to re
main here until the translation is fin
ished His majesty desires to read
the remainder of the story immediate
ly. Whatever you may require fol
the task will be brought here with the
greatest possible dispatch.
And so it happened that all was not
over for DR.. JAM. Indeed, so eager
was the sublime porte to have the
story that he dispensed with the for
mality of having the story written out
and had the doctor brought into his
study. where the translation was fin
ished orally. The sultan had many
questions TO ask the doctor reat
aloud, which the man of medicine be
ing learned in the literatures both o
the east and of the west, and being
furthermore an artist. was able to an
swer and to illustrate in way tha
gave the sultan the liyeliest satisfac
ton.
Instead. therefore of never seeing
mis- STEAMBOAT home again, the doctor
returned there ON the second day aftel
his arrest wearing an especial deco
ration and driving in royal carriage
with an escort. But he was not quite
himself again for many weeks