Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-30
INTERVIEWING THE TCHELEBI
American Womnn's Call on Chief of
the Dancing Dervishea.

the Dancing Dervishes.
CONSTANTlNOPLE, May lone OF the
most difficult people to see during these
last few days has been the Tchelebi Eff
fendi OF Konla. whose privilege it is TO
grid the new sultan with the sword Of
Gilman at Eyub mosque. For two whole
days I went from place TO place trying In
vain TO find him.
At the mosque in Pera Of the Mevlevi,
or dancing dervishes. Of which sect he is
the chief, ! was told to 60 to the old Sc
raglio in STEAMBOAT. and here after a long
and tedious wait I was informed that
he was not there. but IL I would go TO
Eyub at . o'clock the next day I would
find him.
When l drove to Eyub the next morning
with an English gentleman, long resident
here, they sent US 10 the house where he
was stopping. Turning down a dirty
smelling alleyway our guide stopped sud
denly at a tumble-down wooden house.
whose door opened for us in some mys-
terious fashion and we entered a tiny
courtyard at the opposite end NJ which
through an open doorway I saw the Golden
Horn.
We were shown into a room off the right,
a tiny, low ceilinged place with no carpet
but a couple Of low divans on which sew
eral khaki robed dervishes in their tail
hats sat chattering quietly. Ny friend told
them I wanted to see the Tchelebi, and
then taking out his sketch book he Of
fered to make a sketch OF one who seemed
70 be the chief. a stout, pleasant looking,
grsy-bearded old fellow.
In the Harem.
At that moment a small damsel with
coal black eyes and dark skin came in and
invited me to go up to the harem. I
wondered II the same poverty-stricken con-
ditions would prevail there. Mounting a
rickety wooden staircase the child pushed
open a door and there, squatting on a
divan barely six inches from the ground,
were four women, who eyed me curiously
and did not at first appear very pleased TO
see me.
All the women wore blouses unfastened
Ut the waist and hanging outside their
skirts. which trailed on the ground as they
walked. One of them, the eldest, rolled
and smoked cigarettes necessarily, and
when she rose / saw her bare feet were
thrust into old heelless slippers. Another
Of them was exceedingly pretty. but too
plump. Three little girls and a boy (prob-
ably the future TchelebD, all about 6 years
old, peered at me from behind their
mother.
When I addressed the women In French
one OF them said she was the only one
who spoke the language a little. a cup OF
coffee was brought me and presently the
spokeswoman. who knew about twenty
words Of French. piled me with questions.
Was the gentleman downstairs my hus-
band7 How many children had I? Where
did / live? Had I a mother? etc.
Away On the Trail.
Presently a woman came in and indi-
Gated that I was TO descend, and we were
told by the old fellow whom my friend
had sketched that the Tchelebi was not
there. but If I would go TO the old seragiio
between / and 4 o'clock ne would receive
US. The probability is that the man was
there the whole time but was not disposed
TO see us, or he may have begun the forty
two ablutions which we were told he had
10 go through before the great ceremony
on Monday.
We passed down the long avenue of
cypress trees and through another gate
way into a courtyard surrounded by vari-
Gus white buildings. many Of which were
decorated with magnificent blue tiles. TIC
the right was the treasury containing UNI
told riches, TO the left the library full OF
rare and ancient books. the throne room
and beyond the celebrated Bagdad kiosk
Here at the door stood a group of off.
Gals in Stambuli coats. These bowed low
and salaamed as we entered the hallway
In the centre of which stood a Mevlevi
our friend OF the morning. dressed in his
loose, flowing khaki cplored robe and tai
felt halt. He greeted US with greater sol
emnity than he had shown previously, ard
it vas difficult TO keep from smiling az
we were ushered by a tiptoeing. palefacet
official into the presence Of the grear
rehelebi, whom It was evident the al
looked upon with awe.
Picture of the Great Man.
The walls OF the room were OF cDloret
marble. Save for the divan. a chair and
an enormous gilt framed mirror and fir
screen the room was bare. A short stout
broad shouldered little man with a round
fat face, close cut black beard and darl
Arab countenance was seated comfortable
with many cushions upon a low couch up
holstered in pink and yellow striped satin
He wore the high felt hat OF the der
visher and a pale pink silk robe with larg,
sleeves, over which, owing 20 the cold, h
had thrown another coat OF black cloth
His little plump hand played incessantl!
with a chain OF beads, and his tortois,
shell cigarette case, mounted in gold, la!
! beside him on the coach.
) He rose as we entered and smilingl,
: shook US by the hand. apparently please.
4 and flattered at our visit. I asked per
2 mission 10 take his portrait for the papers
and he Immediately rose. I might TAX
him standing, sitting or any way / pleased
AS ! was about 20 snapshot him a ser
want crspt in with a gold tray bearin
E three minute cups OF coffee, and I thin.
= his amusement at seeing his chief bein
G photographed nearly caused him 10 dU
the tray. However, he backed out OF n
o room without doing much damage, and
got " or three successful pictures,
; Describes the Ceremony.
: When we were seated once more IN
Tchelebi began 10 describe the ceremon
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