The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
A GLIMPSE OF THE TURK WHEN
HE is NOT KILLING CHRISTIANS

as he prescribed additions as duty OF
religion. Even the Turk who can well
afford to buy two pairs Of shoes sell
dom can resist the temptation to take
them of whenever he enters q house.
1t is the invariable practice Of the
Oriental when he begins to seat him
self first to take off his boots; second.
to step up on the divan and cross his
legs, and lastly to open q box Of
tobacco and roll a cigarette.
In consequence Of the complete alb
sence Of women. except such as be-
long to his family circle. the Turk
centres all his affections on his harem,
and lately to have more than one wife
has been considered as in bad taste.
As for dances. a Turk once said to
me. How is 1t that you Christians
dance yourselves to death. when with
your money you could make others do
III" He was abiding to the troupes
Of Armenian and Greek dancing girls
family festivals.
Historians accuse the Turks Of hav-
ing contributed in no way to the
progress Of civilization. This notion
is wrong. 1t was in Constantinople
that the first cafes were opened. They
were at first named schools Of instruc-
ton, and judging by their number
one would be tempted to regard the
Turks as a learned people.
The cafes of Stamboul know moth
ing of the luxury of like establish
ments in Paris. Vienna or Berlin. A
small hall about 10 or 20 feet square.
the whitewashed walls decorated with
some pictures Of a highly fantastic
order, furnished with divan,
few roughly finished tables
and chairs; such is the Turk
ish cafe Of the correct style; they
are the clubs of STEAMBOAT. The ca
fedji. or proprietor. very often is bar
Der as well, and the grave Turks.
seated by his door. patiently deliver
their heads in turn to the soap and
the razor.
Religion is the one and only topic
the Turk cares to discuss. 1t controls
his every act. Nothing affects his be-
lief. No reasoning can prevail against
his faith. The Turk. especially the
uncivilized Turk. is very religious and
fanatic l; fanatical be IL understood.
IL you ridicule his religion. He prac-
tises that scrupulously: five prayers
n day.. q pilgrimage to Mecca a.
east once in his life IL possible; such
are the precepts of his religion which
he never fOrgets.
Who has not heard of the dogs Of
Constantinople?
There the dogs reign like masters.
They constitute a second population
Of the city, a State within a State.
They are Of course mongrels, savage
looking beasts: so mixed and crossed
that they have become almost a type
of their own. They resemble wolf.
dog, fox and jackal Their origin is
lost in the night of time.
Their influence dates. IL is said. from
the time Of conquest. 1t seems that
they descend from some dogs brought
over from Turkestan by the suite Of
Mohammed H., the conqueror who
took Constantinople from the Greeks.
In course Of time they have chosen
their special quarters, and having
established themselves make them
selves at home in their respective dis
tricts. In the Christian quarters they
are very badly treated, in the Turkish
quarters they are the picture of
health. The Turk protects them with
touching care; in case of need they
defend them against Europeans and
even against the Government.
Sultan Mahmud the Reformer, who
was not troubled with prejudices. did
not dare to kill them. though he had
not hesitated in eXterminating the
Jarissaries. and was content with eX-
peling them 10 an island in the Sea
of Marmora. Their howls were heard
Ivy night; the people murmured. The
banished band had to be recalled. The
Government, not wishing to provoke
an uprising, left them to peace. Yet
Is the dog according to the Koran is
an impure animal he would defile
"A Turks house; so they live in the
streets, and there they form a repub-
lie of free vagabonds.
LaZiness, keif. is the characteristic
of the dogs as we'll as their masters.
AS the French proverb says. Tel
maitre. tel valet" Five. ten. twenty
in a heap, circled around their elders,
they sleep carelessly, they lie in the
midst of the traffic or hustle Of the
passerby. Neither sun nor cold nor
rain disturbs them. However, they
have in the highest degree the in
stinct of self-preservation.
In the middle of all the noise they
can distinguish the approach Of a car
riage. They look up and watch the
vehicles from the corner of one eye.
But not before the last second, when
the carriage wheel is half an inch
from their heads, do they remove
themselves lazily step further Off
Poor dogs Of Constantinople, they
are so pitiful and so useful too. They
are the living scavengers of the
streets. In the evening the scraps Of
waste food are thrown out and the