The Colorado statesman., 1917-03-17

O IurktSh pdShG Uh0Se true history
is as wondertM as anything in ro-
nance. This man, AH TepeIenti,
known as the Lion of Janina. is the
subject of the novel from Which to-
days story is Dritten-"Ihe Last
Days of JanissarieS," by Maurus Jo-
kai, the great Hungarian Writer.
Ali Tepelenti, pasha of Albania, was
hard beset. All the violence that had
redeemed his seventy-nine years of life
was rising against him, north, south,
east and west, reincarnated into rebel
lion and revenge. His own wife had
Joined his foes. In Constantinople his
enemies had whispered successfully to
the sultan.
Undismayed, the old lion awaited
the onset in Janina, that fairy city of
minarets and palaces which dominated
Albania and mirrored its gold and
white loveliness in glass-green, deep
Lake Acheruz.
There was ample reason for his con-
fidence. His citadel, standing on an
isthmus formed by the lake and the
river that flows from it, was such
thing as might well defy siege and as
sault. Its secrets were known to none
but himself, for he had removed the
builders from the earth. Deep bitches,
steep bastions, iron-plated draw
bridges and portals, fringes of sharp
stakes, hundred cannon, and horde
of devoted soldiers made the castle of
Janina impregnable so long as it was
guarded we'll.
But was it guarded we'll? The task
lay on his three sons, Mukhtar Bey,
Sulaiman Bey, and Yely Bey; and Ali
doubted. He had hidden them prepare
for war, each in his own field, and each
had made excuses that the old man ac-
cepted with an indulgent smile on his
mouth and fury in his heart. 1t was
the time of the Feast of Bairam, and
Ali knew well that they had planned to
bring their three harems together and
celebrate it in wild revels.
That night he stole out and inspect
ed his fortress. 1t was as he had
feared. The gates were all but un-
guarded. Slaves and officers sat in
hidden corners, drinking. Music and
laughter sounded from the harem. An
army might have rushed in with flying
banners.
With temper cold as steel Ali
turned to the inner portion of the cita-
del and entered the rose-embowered
house of Mukhtar Bey through secret
entrance known to him alone. 1t led
him to a wall whence he could peer
through a hidden orifice at his sons
banquet chamber.
The three brothers were surrounded
by beauties far surprising any that the
angels Monkar and Nal1ir could prom
ise men in the next world. There were
dancers and players. There was for
hidden wine, Ali's heart almost stood
still when Makhtar Bey raised his
glass and called aloud on the prophet
to Join them and taste of wine and
kisses, challenging him to say that
paradise held damsels lovelier than
| theirs.
In the late afternoon of the next day
Ali commanded the three sons to join
him at food in the inner keep of the
citadel, grim round building known
as the red tower which looked down
on Lake Acheruz.
As they were slipping their coffee,
the sound of oars was heard on the
lake. The sons looked out of the sin
gle semicircular window and saw
three enormous flat-bottomed barges
being rowed into the middle of the lake
by muscular slaves.
The faces of the three Beys ex-
pressed delight, for all the damsels of
their harems We're in the boats. They
thought that it was surprise designed
by their father to please them, and
Mukhtar Bey said gaily that they
should invite the old man to the next
| feast.
Ali smiled. "Truly your damsels
are most beauteous," he said, and
stroked his white beard from end to
end. 81 am not surprised that you
like to stay at home here and abstain
from the toll of war. Now, last night
L dreamed a dream. The prophet stood
before me and told me that you had
invited him as your guest" The sons
looked at each other startled, but Ali,
smiling graciously, continued: THE
prophet told me that it was not meet
he should come to your damsels; they
should rather go to him."
"What meanest thou? asked the
three, almost with one voice.
For answer Ali whistled shrilly. The
oarsmen dropped their oars, flung
themselves to the bottom of the barges
and wrested out great wooden plugs.
Then they jumped overheard and swan
ashore.
The water burst in, spouting in little
| fountains. The women shrieked.
/Mukhtar ran to the door. 1t was
locked He hurled himself against the
massive thing impotently, raging. SUI