Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

a venomous serpent, and shot into that mighty watery grave, the Bosphorus.” “Monsieur Soyer, do you think that is true?” “I believe such things have been done, madam, for it was pointed out to me the first thing this morning as having been used for that purpose. I recollect some years since reading the same tale either in a French or English work; I believe it was French. At all events, European manners and customs are progressing throughout the world, and have even reached Turkey. I hear from every one, that the Sultan is a most amiable and humane man. I would therefore recommend you to reserve your look of horror and indignation for more modern calamities. You may be certain, if such things have happened, they will never happen again, for, thank Heaven, we live in a civilized era.” “We should, perhaps, doubt such reports.” “You are quite right, madam.” “There is another curious tale related of the Leander Tower,” said the lady. “There is; but my dragoman tells me the proper name for it is _La Tour de la Jeune Fille_, as they say in French, or the Maiden’s Tower.” “I was here when a French tutor came to Constantinople,” said my dragoman, “and the first thing he asked me was--‘Where is the Maiden’s Tower?’ as the English call it. At all events, madam, the story runs thus:--A great beauty, the daughter of some pacha, had her fortune told by a celebrated gipsy, who apprised her that she would never marry, as she was fated to die young. The girl, terrified at the prediction, ran, and in tears related to her father the fatal destiny said to be in reserve for her. He immediately sent for the old witch, and she repeated the fatal prophecy, adding, moreover, that the young girl would die from the bite of a serpent or some such venomous reptile. The pacha having repeatedly asked the old woman if that was the only kind of speedy death with which his daughter was menaced, and having received a reply in the affirmative, parted upon very