Milford chronicle., 1914-02-20
TOOK THREE GIFTS
A Request That Surprised the
Sultan Abdul Hamid.
TALE OF A BADLY USED TURK.
A Truthful Account Of an Experiences
at the Court Of the "llIuminator of
the Universe" That Reads Like a
Story From the Arabian Nights.

Many fantastic stories are related Of
Abdul Hamid. the pX-sultan of Tur-
key, and his court. The following.
however. came to me from a reliable
source. writes a contributor to Cham
bers' Journal aud once when | told
the story in company one of my listen
ers told me that he personally knew r
to be true Ii is worthy uf place
among ScheheraZade's famou~ tules.
Not far from the sultan'S palace lived
a certain Ahmed Rushdi Eneudi. one
Of the hundreds Of clerks employed at
the sublime porte Ahmed's duties
consisted of writing ornate official
communications 70 provincial COVER
nors For this he was supposed 10 re-
ceive salary of 2OO piaSters labout
SS per month Ii. however. he receiv-
ed this salary six times a year he
thought himself lucky
Compared To many Of his colleagues
in the government offices. Ahmed was
I'm comfortable circumstances. He
owned his own house. SO he had no
rent to pay. and he gave his leisure
time TO cutiyatins the tiny garden
that supplied his family with fruit
and vegetables the whole year round.
Ahmed Effendi. not being ambitious.
was a cOntented man.
In his peaceful household there was
only one diScordant note The cause
was dwarf peach tree in Ahmed's
garden that bore every year six or
eight mammoth peaches Early in his
married life his wife dreamed that her
husband would one day attain emf
nence and that the peaches were con
nected with his fortune.
Fifty times each year she urged him
to take the peaches as an offering to
the sultan. I'VE are simple people"
she would say. "Such magnificent
peaches are not for us. Carry them, 1
pray thee. to the palace and present
them to the benefactor Of the world"
But Ahmed would reply:
Wife. no good comes to those who
have relations with the palace 1, who
have always been discreet, do not wish
to fall under suspicion"
But at last. after twenty years. All
med yielded to his wife's Importantly
and carried the beautiful fruit 10 the
palace. There he entrusted the peach
es to the grand chamberlain. who.
knowing the sultan's fOndness for
fruit. promptly carried them into the
presence Of the llluminutor Of the Uni
verse The sultan graciOusly accept
ed the gift and commanded Ahmed to
wait until he was at liberty in order
that he might himself thank the grow
er of such splendid fruit.
1t happened that the reception room
where the scribe awaited the pleasure
of the sovereign was filed with a
band Of suspected bomb throwers. and
Ahmed was presently hustled, away
tionaries He was thoroughly confus-
ed by the rough treatment Of the
guards and could only stammer: Il
am the man who brought the peaches!
am the man who brought the
peaches"
In prison he soon became known as
the man Of the peaches" and was
Ooked upon as harmless lunatic. /
After many months the suspected +
lomb thruwers. including Ahmed. |
we're brought before the criminal /
'Ourt. He told his story to the judge
md asked that the grand chamberlain
,e called to confirm his words The
udge granted his request and was
,reatly surprised when the dignitary
old of the arrival of Ahmed ut the
.alace some months ago and Of his
Mysterious disappearance. The cham
erain took the afflicted scribe to his
wn suit IN tue palace and went to ex-
lain matters To the sultan.
The sultan sincerely sorry for the
nlucky mistake. commanded the
TO promise Ahmed that
ny wish Of his should be fulfilled.
.hmed replied that he would accept
OF one. bnt three gifts. and that he
lust name them to the sultan per
)nally. The sultan was much con
erned and ordered the scribe ushered
ito his private study.
Sire" said Ahmed. Il ask for a
ltchet the sum Of 200 piasters and
copy of the Koran"
Your desire Is granted" answered
le sultan, ION condition that you ex-
ain the meaning Of your singular
quest"
"Sire,' replied our hero. with the
70 piasters shall obtain a divorce
ON my wife. the original cause Of
my trouble; with the Ratchet in
nd to cut down my peach tree, and s
ION the Koran wish TO swear an ~
tn never to enter the palace gates M
ain so long as 1 live" Il