"Besides these things, the Sultan himself is not a good ruler for his people. He has many wives and hundreds of slaves. Many of his people follow his bad example and buy slaves, both black and white." But little Osman knows nothing of what is said about the Sultan and the people of his land. It has never entered his head that it is wrong to buy and sell human beings. His mother is kind to her slaves, and does not make them work hard. Sometimes, too, she frees one of her slave women. They are happy, she thinks. "But, dear little Osman," you would say, "it is the _right_ of every one to be free. Perhaps when you grow up you will see this, and help to make things different in your country." Let us go back now to the little boy and his father as they sat talking of the Sultan and his palace. "He dresses very plainly," said the Turk. "But in the old days, the ruler's garments were very rich, and his fez fairly blazed with diamonds. If you had lived then, Osman, your eyes would have been dazzled when you looked at him." "I wish I could have seen some of the things my grandmother has described," answered his son. "But I'm glad I wasn't living during the revolution of the janizaries. Everybody must have been scared then. "Is it really true that Sultan Mahmoud's old nurse saved his life by hiding him away in an oven?" "Yes, but he wasn't Sultan then. He was the heir to the throne, however." "What made the trouble, papa?" "Sultan Selim III. was a wise ruler. He wished to improve his country. At one time the janizaries were the best trained and most useful troops. They were chosen from the Christians who were taken captive in war. "But after awhile, men with no training and with selfish motives managed to get into their ranks. Sultan Selim knew they were harmful to the Empire, and intended to disband them. They found out what he was about to do, took the city and palace by surprise, and killed the good Selim. "As soon as his son's old nurse heard the uproar, she hurried to Mahmoud and said, 'Come with me at once; your life must be saved.' She led him to an old furnace in the palace and begged him to get inside. "'No matter what happens, nor who calls your name, do not make a sound until I speak to you,' she told him. "He did as she said. Hour after hour, he stayed quietly inside the furnace while his father and many of his friends were being cruelly killed. "The Sultan's enemies hunted everywhere for him, but he was nowhere to be found. They called his name coaxingly, but he knew better than to answer any one else than his old nurse, so he did not make a sound. "In the meanwhile, the old woman was patiently watching. When the janizaries had gone away, she went to the door of the furnace and whispered to Mahmoud. She told him he now had a chance to gather his men about him and seize the government. "There was not a moment to lose; Mahmoud was quite a young man, but he had a strong nature. His wonderful eyes showed that.