The Washington herald., 1912-10-01
Gossip of Americans Life
in a Turkish Harenl

one who. out OF a host Of his ilk, eX-
pressed a desire TO accompany his master
into exile at Saloniki. The Red" Sultan
by him is served faithfully and with pa
tience. Both master and man now are
very old and decrepit Their days are
numbered. The Ottoman officer told my
friend that he saw them both (addins
his ''Vallahi- Billahi'' and stroking his
long beard. but only for a short time. He
was watching from the upper story of the
abode. The shadows of the evening were
setting deeper and longer. The silence
and gloom of the villa opposite were only
enhanced by an occasional barking of a
dog or the watchword of a sentinel
Abdul occupies the upper story. and the
Venetian shutters of the window were
all down. He could see feeble. flicker
ing light moving to and from. Presently
the shadow of a human figure stopped at
corner window. The blind was lifted
and the window opened. He saw first
the black figue OF the eunuch. He could
well distinguish il, as he carried lamp
which illuminated his features.
Soon afterward the figure of the for
mer Padishah appeared II is difficult 10
describe ones feeling. said the Turk,
when thus upon the first time beholding
the former Califa. He almost felt in
clined to shout "Padishahim tchok
NdsIld NlonS Live the But
that would have been fatal He looked
on in perfect silence. using his opera
glasses. Abdul was dressed in white His
sallow. haggard face contrasted strangely
with his jet-black beard. He dyes the
latter regularly and assiduously. His
curbed figure, his nervous movements,
his unsteady step, his wandering gaze
could easily be distinguished. Was he
thinking Of Yildiz Kiosk. of his former
omnipotence, of his victims? Who could
tell?
The rumors that Abdul Hamid has
been spirited away from his Salonki
prison were declared to be as absurd
and without foundation. His whole per-
sonality, from the enormous hooked
nose and deep. piercing eyes, to the Pc
culiarly abrupt staccato manner of
speech. movement and gesture. are 50
characteristic that once seen they never
can be forgotten.
Abdul seems to appreciate the consti
tutional regime. At the anniversary of
its advent he ordered that his villa
should be illuminated. This is one of
the strange, inexplicable incongruities of
the tyrant's characterize regularly cele-
brates the anniversary of his downfall
and bitter exile.
There is another characteristic trait of
his One day he saw from his window
poor. trembling beggar on the other side
of the road. and he at once gave a little
silver coin and ordered that it should be
handed to the beggar. The officer on duty
obeyed, but he gave the beggar not the
coin of Abdul, but an equivalent piece
from his own pocket.
The eX-sultans silver piece was sent
to the home secretary at the sublime
porte. The government has given strict
orders that every article. however insig-
nificent, sent out OF the villa by Abdul
Hamid shall be scrupulously examined.
Sir Edmund de la Pole, who died the
other day. belonged to very ancient
and highly distinguished family. who
have been seated in Devonshire ever
since the Norman conquest The baro-
netcy dates from 1s2S Many heads of the