MARK TWAIN
thing to do with the temper of these notes, of
course, but in the book written months later he
still had little good to say of St. Sophia. Other
aspects of the city he found more pleasing:
Women rather pretty with their veiled faces and flow-
ing Oriental robes—but flitting about in the magnificent
distances of the dim arches of the great bazaars, look
horribly like the shrouded dead abroad in the earth.
The bazaars of Stamboul—wonderful.
The dogs of Constantinople more so.
Embroidered jackets of gold and purple, blue and crim-
son—splendid. Persian shawls and fabrics—and Turkish
—gorgeous.
Turkish Father Recommends His Son
"Can recommend my son as a smart boy and terrific
liar—can cheat deftly."
New palace on the Asiatic side of the beautiful Bos-
phorus (3 miles wide) is built on spot where Constantine
erected a gold cross to commemorate his conversion.
When Turks took the place and began to build, many
thought he would declare himself Christian when fin-
ished, and waited to baptize their children then. They are
waiting yet.
Russia
Spent a day at Sebastopol. Melancholy place—wilder-
ness of battered down houses—look like forest of broken
chimneys. Not 3 dozen habitable dwellings—they all
new.