The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-02-05

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and fence was crowded with people /
heard a woman beg a man to "come
down" and go some where else, and he
replied that he was comfortable and
content where he was. looked and
saw him actually balancing himself on
two fence posts. Presently we heard
drums and various noises, which indi-
Gated something, and like everyone
else, we hied for a point of vantage,
making our way thro the crowd. The
word went around. the Padisha is COM
ing, and the brilliant cortege flashed
into view. SAM Pasha, our splendid
Chief of Police, came first on his Arab
steed, followed by all manner of bril-
liancy on horseback. Gold lace, gold
braid, gold epaulets, silvcr lace silver
braid, silver epaulets. Decorations |
Generals, Majors, Pashas, Princes, Ian
GERS on white horses; then an enormous
state coach drawn with lovely horses,
empty; then like popcorn cracking in
the pepper, came the clapping of hands
and the Sultan himself passed; on the
front seat the Grand Vizer and Prince,
on the rear seat the poor, weary, fright
ened Sultan, fairly fiattened out against
the back of his seat hardly glancing up
at his people. Only an instant, and he
was gone, the horses on full trot,
sweeping down the street. The interest
was over as far as we were concerned,
for the time beins, a. we were not #
the favored few who were admitted 10
the Parliament building, so we came
home for lunch. After luncheon We
started out again and had only reached
the street when the Sultan passed as
! again with the same brilliant array.
But the great event is not in the pass
ing of the Sultan, but in the fact that
no longer are the Turkish people crush
ed under despotism; that liberty spell
ed in large letters reigns supreme at
present, and, that there will be sore dis
appointments ahead. We can never 90
back again to the old reign Of terror.
Abdul Hamid's power is broken forever.
Events crowd SO fast one upon theother
il is difficult in these short winter days
to keep up with them, but o, it is glori
Gus to live here now. had come TO
think that there wouli never be any
Improvement here, and I have been
permitted to see this gr4at change The
Lord be praised! Tie good natured
boycotting of Austrian goods by the
custom porters. and merchants is
amusing, revealing another aspect Of
Turkish character. The people simply
won't buy or handle Austrian goods
and threats or persuasions on the part
of the Government can't make them
4 Austria sat up very high and mighty
and swore that she would enter into no
negotiations for compensating Turkey
for her two stolen Provinces, until the
boycott ceased, and the Ambassador
would demand his passports. In old
days Turkey would have chucked down
and kowtowed. But no body was
scared. Then a storm broke out in
Austrian papers. Commerce was being
ruined. Something must be done
Very well do it, )" was the reply they
got. So Austria begins to talk about
negotiations for compensation, and the
boycott continues. Porters poor as
they are, and boat men simply refuse tC
handle goods brought in by Austrian
steamers. Recently in Beirut, Turk
arrived from Europe in an Austrian
boat, and the boatmen actually refused
to take him off. They told him he was
Turk, and should have had more self
respect than TO embark in an Austrian
boat. He had to get the Company to
disembark him. 1t is too splendid We
are all anxious now to see what the
Chambers will do. The Sunday ques.
tion is serious one. There are many
Christians in the lower Chamber, but
naturally the holiday will be Friday
But the Star of Liberty has risen, never
to wholly disappear again.
January 10, 1909.
To the Christmas festivities for oul
school children, we had invited tn,
mamas. The crowd was almost NOR,
than we could handle. More than hal
of them being Turkish Hannum
Qadies). James, acting as Santa Claus
distributed the presents to the 30,
waiting children: throwing non corr