Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1908 — A Surprised Scotchman. [ARTICLE]

A Surprised Scotchman.

In the year 1739 the Russians and Turks, weary of war, commissioned two plenipotentiaries—on the Russian side Marshal General Keith, on the Bide of the Turks the grand vizier of the sultan—to make peace. The two diplomatists met and carried oil protracted negotiations through interpreters. When all was satisfactorily settled the plenipotentiaries rose to take formal leave of each other, the marshal making his bow with his hat In his hand and the grand vizier bls salaam with his turban on his bead. These ceremonies of leavetaking over, the grand vizier suddenly straightened himself and, to the marshal's utter astonishment, marched up to him, gripped him affectionately by the hand and In the very broadest Scotch cried: “Dlnna be surprised, man. I’m frae the same country as yoursel’. Weel I mind seeing you and your brither when boys passing by the school at Kirkcaldy.” “Why, who—who are you?’’ gasped the,marsbal, staggering back in his bewilderment. “I am the grand vizier to the sultan of Turkey, but—my father was bellman o’ Kirkcaldy!”