ater than their own, and they had to make their
_debut_ at his ball in full dress. But this was, however, soon
forgotten, as it was all _a la Franka_.

Some years ago, the late Sultan, on the occasion of the circumcision of
one or two of his sons, gave a series of entertainments to his own
functionaries, and one to the foreign diplomatic corps, in one of the
valleys on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, called Hyder Pacha. With
the view of properly amusing the foreign legations, _a la Franka_, the
Sultan got up an extemporary theatre, adjoining the splendid pavilion,
in which his guests were assembled. The play selected as best calculated
for the purpose, was the _Milliner's Shop_, the like of which the Sultan
had noticed while passing through the great street of Pera--the windows
filled with bonnets, dress-caps, crinolines, etc., and very handsome
dolls, some quite as 'large as life,' _decolle_, and thanks to the
miniature crinolines, often showing very well-made chaussures and
ankles. The little stage was not much raised above the green sward of
the valley--a ditch had been dug out for the use of the orchestra, and
the counter of the milliner separated this from the audience. As the
whole affair had been got up rather hurriedly, the _entrepreneur_ had
not been able to procure a sufficient number of blocks on which to
exhibit the bonnets and caps, and as men were readily obtained for the
purpose, holes were cut in the counter, through which these thrust their
heads, and on them rested the articles in question. A man also figured
against the wall, on whom to hang up a ready-made dress or two, while
his head also served as a block for a first-rate bonnet with flowers and
feathers to suit the occasion. Now the weather had threatened a change,
and much to the regret of the Sultan and his Court, who had it at heart
to give such an entertainment to the diplomatic corps of Europe as would
tell largely in the papers, and prove the great progress made by him in
civilization, just as the play commenced, the rain began to fall in
torrents. In their pavilion, the foreign ambassadors, etc., were
somewhat secure, but not so the _dramatis personae_. The ditch soon
filled with water, and the orchestra had to hold their instruments above
their heads, while the water rose to their waists, and finally drove
them to open 'secession.' But the man-blocks which supported the
millinery were still more to be pitied. Their heads were fast in the