Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-21

with none, gypsy women, lepers and sore
eyed infants. all exhibiting their deform-
tiles and diseases as a Snowman exhibits
his goods,
Some rock themselves to and fro Shrek
ing hideously; others chant verses from
the Coran, and the pious Moslem, being
enjoined by Allah to give aims, gives daily
in the full belief that by so doing a sin
is expiated with each gift. The bridge
is indeed the beggars' paradise.
BeRgar with a Business Eye.
Both here and outside mosque gates
they rave been known to grow rich and
prosperous, and a week or so ago a
visitor to Constantinople was amazed
on hunting up one of these beggars TO
whom she had given a sovereign In mis-
take for a metallik to find him living IN
apparent luxury. He politely handed her
back the sovereign, at the same time
suggesting he would take the metallik she
had intended to give him.
There is little room on the footway
for pedestrians. The road teens with a
heterogeneous mass-donkeys mules
buffaloes, horses, carriages and human
beings in every variety Of costume jostle
one another all day long. There are
officers of all degrces-smart looking men
in light gray capes with red collars, and
others In dark blue or gray uniforms
| but none is too proud to be seen with a
bundle of fish or a couple of newspaper
packages tied up in a red cotton handker-
chief.
There are white turbaned Turkish mol.
labs, softas and hoJas priests and relig-
ious students) in close proximate to jew
ish rabbis; the Merleri and Rup to dancing
! and bowling dervishes) in khaki colored
headgear from fourteen 10 eighteen
inches in height mingie with black skirted
Greek and Armenian priests in chimney
pot hats-many Of the Armenians, vener-
able patriarchs with boards reaching to
their waists, look from behind like women
with their uncut hair fastened for con-
v~enience into a knot at the nape of the
neck and long black wells flowing from
their hats.
tumble of Tongues.
Every variety OF dialect is heard as you
push your way past Turkish women, Arme-
nian hamals, Levantine sailors, merchants
of European nationality. soldiers from every
part of the empire and pilgrims from Mecca
in bright green turbans. Here are proud
looking Arabs: over there are wild looking
Tartars and Circasslsns with belts full Of
knives and other weapons. and in the dis
lance, making a broad passage for him self,
is a rough Albanian shepherd whose sheep
skin coat, kept out on the shoulders by
means of a wooden bar. puts the modest
shoulders Of a stalwart American athlete
to shame by at least foot on each side.
In and out of this motley throng you
are forced to dodge. at the Eame time
keeping your eyes and ears open to avoid
collision with one of the horsemen who
dash madly over the bridge and who often
come TO grief in the middle, knowing no
more how to ride the hired beast on which
they sit than a Turkish captain who has
never been TO sea knows how TO sail the
ship in his command. All day long IL heard
the rumble and clatter OF the arabas (cabs)
with their couple Of WORKOUT horses and
private carriages with their well groomed
pairs as they drive recklessly through the
living mass; while 10 complete the pande-
monium. above the din are heard the voices
OF innumerable hAwkers. who stand Shout
der to shoulder at the edge OF the footway
yelling out the nature. excellence and
eheapness OF their wares.
sunset at STEAMBOAT.
Then, as the sun begins to set behind