South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-08-12

For fifty years he secured the earth, his iron heel
crushing towns and states elephants foot
brushes anthills Red rivers of blood flowed IN his
tracks wherever he went. de built high towers or
the bones of conquered peoples he destroyed Life,
wing with the might of Death on whom he took
revenge for having robbed him of his son Jhangir.
lie was a terrible man, for ne wanted to deprive
Death of all his Victims TO leave Death to die or
hunger and ennuil
From the day on which his son Jihangir died and
the people of Samarcand, clothed in black and light
blue their heads covered with dust and ashes, met
the conuueror of the cruel Getes from that day until
the hour when Death met him In Otrar, and over
came him-fOr thirty years Tlmur did not smile. lie
lived with lips compressed, bowling his head to no
one and his heart was closed to compassion for
thirty years
Let us praise Woman Mother, the only power to
which Death humbly submits Here shall tell
the true tale of mother, how Iron Tamerlane, the
servant and slave of Death and the bloody scourge
of the earth, bowed down before her.
This is how it came TO pass. Timur Bek was feast
ing in the beautiful valley of Canigula, which is
covered with clouds of roses and jasmine, In the
valley called Love of Flowers" by the poets of
Samarcand, from which one can see the light blue
mnarets of the great town. and the blue cupolas Of
the mosques
Fifteen hundred round tents were spread out fan
wise in the valley looking like many tulips Above
them hundreds of silk flags gently swayng,
like living flowers.
In their midst like a queen among her subjects,
was the tent of Gurgan-T imur. The tent had four
sides each measuring one hundred PAGES, three
spears length in height; its roof rested twelve
golden columns as thick as the body of man.
The tent was made of silk striped in black yellow
and light blue five hundred red cords fastened to
the ground There a silver eagle at each of the
four corners and under the blue cupola, dais
In the middle of the tent, seated a fifth eagle
the all-conquering Timur Gurgan himself the King
of Kings.
He wore loose robe of light blue silk covered
with no fewer. than five thousand large pearls. On
his gray head, which was terrible to look upon was
a white cap with a ruby on the sharp point The
ruby swayed backwards and forwards; it glistened
like fiery eve surveying the world.
The face of the Lame One was like broad knife
covered with rust from the blood into which it had
been plunged thousands of times His eyes
narrow ana small, but they saw everything; their
CLEAN resembled the cold CLEAN of Tsaramut - the
favorite stone of the Arabs which She infdels cali
emerald and by of which epilepsy can be
cured.
The king wore earrings of rubies from CeylOn
which resembled In color pretty girls lips
On the ground, on carpets that could not be
matched were three hundred golden pitchers Of wine
and everything needed for the royal banquet Be-
his kindred; kings and princes and the commanders
of his troops; by his side was no one.
Nearest Of all 10 him the tipsy poet Hermann
be who onceto the question OF the destroyer OF the
world Hermann how much would you give for
me II I were to be soldi" replied 10 the sOwer OF
death and terror:
twenty-five aslers "
s'But that is the value of my belt aloneP' ex-
claimed Timur, surprised.
Il was only thinking of the belt replied Ker-
mani "only of the belt; because you yourself are
not worth a 3arthing
Thus spake the poet Hermann TO the King OF Kings
&c the man of evil and terror Let us therefore value