THE CAPTIVE SULTAN.
ABDUL HAMID'S LIFE AT SALOXIOA. Abdul Haniid, the ex-Sultan of Tur-i key, is slowly becoming more accustomed to his surroundings and recon-i filed to his captivity. He has cost off his aforetime morose demeanor, no longer gives way to outbursts of anger, and conducts' himself in a quiet and ietired manner.
Repeatedly he expresses his satisfaction at being kept at Salonica, and prays that he may be permitted to live at the Villa Allatini and end his days "like a good old man." For, whatever may be the opinion of his former subjects, the ex-Sultan's confidence in his own virtues remains' undiminished.
"Why do my people say and write suck bad tilings about me and. attempt to blacken luy character?" lie frequently demands. "Why do they revive everything that is bad and never mention al) the good things I have done for my country 1 Alter all, the bad things were not due to me; they were the works of my councillors. Every man I had round me was bad—absolutely bad. I had no opportunity of choosing my advisers." livery morning, early, Abdul repairs to a small ante-roum overlooking a small portion of the main road. Here lie takes up his position at the window. Almost his first occupation is >o give orders to Einil Bey for his day's food. These orders are handed to an agent of the municipality who is detailed off to do the necessary marketing. The dethroned monarch's favorite delicacy is shrimps. He is accorded pens and paper, and he is allowed to walk in the garden at will. He has, however, up to the present preferred to remain cooped ur in his little ante-chamber.
He sleeps hadly, and often paces the floor of his bedroom the whole night through. For this reason every afternoon he retires for a briei siesta. lie takes little pleasure in the society of llis wives, and seldom sees; them, with the exception of the mother of his son Ilamil EH'endi, who i 6 ini almost constant attendance upon Mm. His sole recreation lies in the newspapers, which are liberally supplied, and are read to him by his favorite wife. He takes the greatest possible interest in passing events, but outside of this he has no occupation, and passes ilia day with he utmost monotony. Of late, however, he has had a desire to employ himself with amateur carpentering, and in accordance with this idea a full set of joiner's tools has heen ordered from m Parisian factory.
Various interesting conversations have been the outcome of Abdul Hamid's
newspaper-reading. Wlijen he had been read the account of thte investiture of hi« brother as Sultan asid the acclamations of the populace, be was considerably agitated. "Why is it?" he demanded, "that the people like my brother when tlicy hate nicy" "Because," he., was told, "the people do not like wihat you like, and like what you do nolj." A grmit of disapproval was the esx-SulUui's onlv response.
| One day he was complaining to Fcthv j Bey, hi., chief guardian, of his lack of | occupation. -When I have no papers I to read." he said, "I have jiothing to do; I do not amuse niyseif at all." Fcthy Hey replied, asking hi, n why he did not write the memoirs of liis reign. "You continually aver," sail I Fethy, "that you have boon cruelly n, usjudge'd, and that you have done only good by Turkey. Write your memoirs, and perhaps the people win then understand how they have misjudged you." "Yes," replied Abdul, "that is a very excellent idea,, but I have not he we the necessary notes to compile such a volume. They arc all at Yildiz." For a moment the fallen monarch was wrapped in silent thought, and then he fUldcd "But, after all, I am sure that the* historians will vindicate me, and even if the Turkish historians do not do -o, 1 am certain Uiat the foreign historians will do me justice."
It.is said that as a young man Ahdul Ulaniid was wont to maltreat small animals with the sole object of seeing them fuller. This trait would seem to 3iaye developed in later years to a total lack of sympathy and consideration for those about him.
His wives and attendants are oft-times as hardly put to for something to do as their master himself, and have requested that they, too, may be allowed to read newspapers. "What do you want with newspapers?" he demands; "thev are not fo r you to read"; and. lest hi's desires on this matter be disobeyed, he takes the precaution of destroying all the journals immediately they have "lieeii I read to him. Again, his son Ilamil ]5 r -| fendi bad formed an acquaintance with' some of the Turkish officers charged with his father's safety, and was wont, to converse with; them in the garden. When Abdul heard of this he was ex ceedingly angry, a nd absolutely forbade his son to speak to anybody. But perhaps the worst instances of his hardness of heart and cynical cruelty are the following:—When Abdul llaui.d took train at Constantinople, among the few people present was the womau'wno had been foster-mother lo Ilamil Ellcudi, and who, no doubt because of the blighted future of the youth she had nurtured from birth, was crying bitterly. Perceiving this, the imperial prisoner faced p Us warders and demanded, "What ml that woman doing here; who told harl to come? I do not want her; send Vest away immediately." j Some of his former crimes apparently' haunt the captive, and on more than one occasion ho has referred to Midhat Pasha, who was the father of the illstarred Turkish constitution of thirb ■ years ago, was exiled on the failure c.r that attempt, and afterwards, it is "cud t. ally acknowledged, poisoned at- the ii istigation of Abdul Ilamid. Speaking to Emin Bey one day -recently, he observed, "Mid'hat Pasha, jviis an inlidel." "Will tou allow jnc" replied Emin Bey, "to tell you a liittle story which will show you jiidhat I*: isha in another light?" "Yes," replied A'bdul and Emin went on: "When I was a j ud»e :n Tnit (the place to which Midhat wa« exiled) I was in friendly relations with AH Bey. Ali Bey told me that every day, and two or three times a driy, he used to see Jlidhnt Pasha devoutly praying and reading the Koran with'ffcrvo'r. Ali Bey sympathised with him.. ve,y much, and one day proposed .to al'.ow the I risoner to escape over the moun.tains. "Thank you very much for your kindness," replied Midhat, "but I am very content here. 1 did my <!nty; I used my best efforts for Turkey, and I i rejoice 'o have been even partly succcsslhii. Men have always been true to me, with the .exception of Abdul Ilamid, -(vho, some day, either in this world or the next, will receive just punishment for his ac-! tions. Here I try, day by d,ay, to drawj. nearer and nearer unto Allrili." j
Hearing thfa, Abdul Hamirt Jiecaime deathly pale, left the room, and, banging the door loudly liehiml Ijini, left Emm Bey to reflect n n the result of his story in peaceful solitude.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 181, 4 September 1909, Page 3
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1,209THE CAPTIVE SULTAN. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 181, 4 September 1909, Page 3
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