The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-06-12
A MAN IN A
BOAT
BY ETHEL. HOLMES

IL Is DullJ, COuueClluS thc biuSh Seu
and the sea of Marmora. is one of the
most attractive streams of water in
the world. All manner of craft are
sailing and steaming back and forth
and across it, while the shore ON Ell
ther side, especially the European, is
lined with attractive buildings.
On the European side of the Bospo-
rus-the side on which Constantinople
is built-a portion of the water front
is a park or garden free to the public.
One day a Turkish woman. whose
daughter was in delicate health and
needed the air, took the girl to this
place and, seating themselves near the
margin of the water, looked out on the
many boats plying back and forth
across it. They were the only persons
about, and any one passing on the walk
behind them could only see their backs,
their faces being turned to the water.
Lift your veil, dear" said the moth
er, "that you may get the benefit of the
breeze. No boats are passing near US,
and your face cannot be seen"
The girl lifted her veil and. resting
enjoyed the constantly moving pano-
rama and the breeze cooled by the wa
ter At times she closed her eyes for
q brief nap, and her mother fell asleep.
The daughter. after one of her cat maps,
on opening her eyes found herself look
ing straight into the face Of young
man sitting in boat not dozen yards
har tho wla
gazing upon her rapturousiy
Margaritza. the young lady, instantly
dropped her veil, but not soon enough
to shut out the effect of that hand
some, youthful face. those admiring
eyes. The young man. who had ap-
preached without being seen or heard
and had rested on his oars, gazing on
the dazzling beauty, pulled away. but
not so far but that he could keep the
two women In sight. Margaritza saw
him far out in the stream and knew
that to see her, even at a distance, was
pleasure to him.
In time the girl awakened her moth
err They arose and walked away, for
a time keeping ON the shore westward.
then, turning inland, ascending rise
In the ground to the house in which
they lived The man in the boat could
observe them from the water and saw
them go into their home.
1t was not long after this that a
proposition Of marriage was made for
Margaritza's hand. Marriages in Tur.
key are made by the parents of the
young persons, who are not permitted
to see each other until after the wed
ding Margaritza. from whose mental
vision the young man who had seen
her from his boat had never been
dimmed. was filed with grief at this
application. The social standing OF
the suitor and his financial condition
were all that could be desired, and his
suit was met with favor by Margarit
za's parents. so there was nothing fol
her to do but yield to her fate.
And yet, though there was something
dreadful in her marrying with the
memory of the vision she had seer
constantly before her, why should she
not do so? She had no reason to sup
pose she would ever again see the mar
who through that brief vision had cap
tured her heart. And even If she die
he would not see her, for 1t is not per
mitted in Turkey that man shall loOl
upon the face Of any woman excep
his wife or one of his own blood.
While the preparations for the wed
ding were being made Margaritz
showed no interest In them. On tn
contrary she grew thin and pale. He
health, which after her visit to tn
bank of the Bosporus seemed to i'm
prove, was again delicate. Her mothe
frequently took her to the river. bu
without the previous effect. One da
man she had seen before go by in hi
boat, but since all Turkish women. be
ing veiled, look alike, he did not recol
nize her. How she longed to lift he
veil and call to him! But even had he
mother not been present and nov
awake she would not have done 80. 70
this for a Moslem girl would have bee
immodest And what panied her wa
that while she was plunged in grief o
account of him he seemed contente
and happy.
The day of the wedding finally cam
around. The wedding guests were al
sembled In the groom's house-not O
the brides house. as In Christian couI
! taes-and were looking over the wee
ding presents while waiting for tn
bride to be brought. Then 1t was al
nounced that she was at the door. Th
groom passed out to receive her. th
guests lining up within, leaving a pal
sage for the pair to enter.
Margaritza stood yelled waiting fc
her betrothed who in another m'
ment emerged from his house with
look Of supreme happiness on his fac
And behind Margaritza's veil that loo
5 was repeated, though more intense
5 contrast with the dolorous expressio
Y that 1t replaced. For the grOom's fac
I was uncovered, and she recognized I'll
. man in the boat.
Having watched to see where st
went after she had left the bank of II
:, Bosporus, he had only TO inquire VIII
II - a