Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12

were Tatars, long of limb and big of
bone. Bearded sun-scorched, they
walked-when it was necessary to walk
at all-with a sWagger and without
turning aside for any one, unless a
Tatar greater than they.
The lot of the sBarlas clan was bad
because it had no chieftain. Taragai,
once head of the clan, was mild man
full of dignity He had listened to the
eXpouIfderS of the law of Islam, and
had withdrawn to monastery to medi-
tate-Taragai the father of Tamerlane.
No one lived in the white clay palace
outside the Green City.
THE world" Taragai told his son, lis
no better than golden vase filled with
scorpions and serpents. I am tired
of it."
At this time Timur-we cannot very
we'll call him Tamerlane-was a young
gentleman of leisure. And leisure with
Timur meant activity. He was powerful
in body, fine physique, wide-shoul-
dered, long-limbed. His head was large
and splendidly poised-a high forehead
and full dark eyes that moved slowly
and looked directly at a man. He had
the broad cheek bones and wide sem
SitiVe mouth of his race, evidences OF
the vitality in him. The energy in him
was little less than ferocious. A youth
of few words, a deep and penetrating
voice. He had no love of foolery, and
in all his life he never appreciated
jest.
In this early world of Islam, hospi-s
tally was an obligation to be accepted
as such and returned only in kind. The
TatarS were great wanderers, and Timur
had the freedom of every tent and
courtyard from Samarkand to the Land
of the Sun. With his handful of COM
panions he might travel a thousand
miles in fortnight, through the noun
tain tracks or down along the deserts
edge-carrying nothing more with him
than his sword and light hunting bow.
The Arabs of the caravan camps
talked to him, being honored by the
presence of a chieftain's son; hillmen.
washing river gravel for particles of
gold, told him their legends and gossip
of their horses and women of other
clans; he played chess with the baronS
Of the clans In their citadels.
'KaZgan, the King Maker of Sail
Sarai, has asked for thee" they said.
And so Tinur joined the camp of
warriors without king.
1t seemed that there was in him a
spark OF sheer eagerneSs that made him
love risk for the sake of its danger.
But, more than that. in a crisis Timur
remained quiet and thoughtful. "a
breeder of action" the bahaturs said.
His overlooking physical energy made
light work of long rides and sleepless
nights. Timur had the qualifications of
leadership, and he liked to lead.
X X X X
4 FTER a while it occurred to
Kazgan to give Timur a wife. And
he chose one Of his granddaughter,
who was also of the reigning family of
another clan.
The chronicle tells us of Timurs bride
that her beauty was like the young moon,
and her body graceful as the young
| cypress. She must have been about
| Is years of age, because she had been
allowed to ride to the hunts with her
father. Her name was, hereafter, Aljai
| Khatun Aghar-the Lords Lady Aljai
At that time the women of the Tatars
went unveiled. They knew nothing as
| vet of the seclusion of harem, sanctuary.
| In the saddle, from an early age, they
| accompanied their lords through the
varying fortunes of journey and cam
paign and pilgrimage. Being children
of conquerors. they had their share of
pride, and the vitality that comes from
life in open country. Their great-grand-
mothers had had the care of all the
! family property, including the milking
of camels and the making of boots.
The Tatar women of Thurs day had
had property of their own-marriage
portions and gifts of their lords. Wives
| of the greater mobiles were miStreSSeS of
! separate establishments, having quarters
, to themselves in the palaces and individ-
ual groups of pavilions on the march
| Unlike their sisters of Europe, they did
not occupy themselves with the embroid-
cry frame or the tapestry or rug loom.
They were companions of warriors, their
duty the care of their young children;
| they took their places at the banquets of
rejoicing, and, if their lords enemies
| prevailed over him, they were part of
the spoils of defeat.
Princess Aljai came down from her
+, home on the northern border escorted
| by her kinsmen and slaves. She pre-
scented herself before the King Maker,
| and there for the first time she saw the
face of the man who was to be her
maSter-the lean and bearded face of
Timur who had come in from an excur-
sion with the bahaturS to be present at
his wedding.
While the men mixed spirits with
their wine to get drunk the quicker and
Aljai walked between them, impasslve
of face erect and frightened, the King
Maker scattered fistfuls of pearls among
the throng, and at his summons the
nakars thundered-the bronze-bound
saddle drums that were the summons to
| rejoicing or war.
| Daylight faded and slaves appeared
| bearing torches. Lanterns were hung
along the bank of the river and under
/ the trees Fresh leather platters of food
| were laid among the guests, who ex-
! claimed gutturally at the sight of smolS.
ing quarters Of young lamb, and