The Arkansas banner., 1850-10-15

mediasrly commences the ordinary routine of pines and coffse, continued ad ibksa.
 A great number of servants aud taie hangers-o ca
 crowd the houses o, the wealthy and great--there
 pipe bearers ppe-iighters, and eolFse-ha aders
 with almost countless swarm of others whose separate dulles occupy but parteaisrly small DOT.
 ton of their time; but whose presence considered
 absolutely necessary to inc far appearance e m1n of consequence; but it is in his harem, where al
 the pride which he is capable of feeling is concen
 trated that the greatest protus0n Is displayed, and
 the largest number of ase-ss servants coHEregate. The term hafem does net as ,s generally supposed
 with US imply plurality of wives or coneubines
 but IS simply used 10 designate Ihese apartments ia
 the house ghieh arc oscupiod exclusively by the
 women and children.
 Reisioa and etiquette have upited 10 ren Ter thc
 hsTem almost as sacrei in the eyes of ali true Mus
 saImans as the Koran ilssii Tts saRetity is cOnsi
 cred violated by the presence ot brother; boys bansied from if. haliOsed preeaets after attain
 ing certain se-aRd no other man than is happy lord hvr~eif mast its threshh Id. Bat, 10
 present the possibility oi it's tesrerstioa by some
 backslIder ia religion and metals, whose curiosity or something worse should get tue better ot his man neTs, the approaches to this feminine retreat are guarded by black euRachs and numerous dusnHas.
 all armed with sharp poignar,ls and sharper tongues that would bring instant death or exposure, which
 wodid be followed by the sane Tesult upon the dsr- ing intruder. So nice ere fnrkish iieas upon the subject of their hare,ns that the presence of male even m mental capacity ls TegaFaed as danger ous pollution and 10 obvaie this difficulty they have taken the liberty of assisting nature and creating another gender especially to oiiciaie aboIt these mysterious hiding places Of their women Thus guarded by moral principle and eunnch iosee. ihe
 ladies can indulge without eaT of EolestAtioh even from gob'ins of the dangerous sex in tue wildes
 whims and mest reckless fun and iToiic.
 Within the shadow Of the haEem still fingers that taste for dispiay-ihat magnihceRce of orna'nen, | and richness oi costume which once characterized
 the entire East. As the Turks are too much oi
 gentlemen to grnmbie about " 5iils" the laiies n-
 duge, even to excess, their innocent passion for
 silks and velvet, gold embroidery and sweet meats
 jewelrV and gossip, which in other lands
 times deemed expensive. Here they unwind the
 tois oi the yasAmaek that their adtRiIing lords may fully eDjoy those dippsa-iatlSp complications and gisssy biaek-eyes which they have sparingy ex-
 hibi'ed to the passengers in the street. The awak ward yellow bHskins of the street withirawn
 Snd heir naked feet, whose toes, like their 6ngeTs,
 stained with heaaa stuck into richly iked
 siPpefs ot tiny proportions, and gay coioTs, only
 used ior the hOnse Speaking of hsRaG, there IS no greater mistake than io suppose ihat the exquisite
 tint of which poets speak k impafed 10 The nd,is by this Oriental dye. The dark red stains about the ends Q! Turkish womaR'S fingers would much sooner suggest 10 plain her having made
 recent descent upon blackberry -pAeh, than having maglcaly borrowed the exquisite hles Of tine sea. shell or the deiicate bns Ci thr beach, Here thsy
 !p ,ie disii Snrng fsrigee and appear in inc beau ululiy becoming costume oi a TgTkiSh lady. Her
 long glossy haT. tateTwoven wl,h an exquisite iiie cashmere shawl ot the richest eol;fs, twinei in
 piaiis into Sor of iGrhan which giitiets Wiih gems. Her chImese k 0t gagzs the finest lace
 The ciosei-lag vest oi lAe most delicate pink silk, with golden loops and diamond buttons, most ad- | mifaby displays the tuFn Gf the waist, and being
 open at top leaves Inc hall concealed charms ot the bosom eoqueirshiy peeP,ng ierth fom beneath the lace chemIse. H!r crimson Velyet-iacke, mos; 
 girdle of pick silk with heavy gold fringe grace
 tnliy arranged about her waist, and from this gre
 . tga gossAmer skirt ot alternate snipes of elae, whIte, anu gvIn faiis not quits to the kBees The
 lower extrsinies ot her fu pahta0ORs Of blue silk
 are drawn up and tied above the knee, but made
 so as to fall m ample folds 10 the ground. Sueh is l the gsy-tancyiui costume ot Turkish lady when
 once behind the close bars of the harem. But this
 elaborate ,eiiete is no te nded for her bearded pIo pTieior ony for tie adrs % in troops from the har
 en- where they display their ineIy, eat sweet meats,
 listen 10 music, and discuss the ot the day,
 when all these lag some one of the party recIIe ot those romantic tales peculiar 10 the Eist. AL
 though their faces a:e never seen by strange man, yet the iams of superior charms rsI itiy spreads
 among the men through their wiyes-shd they speak
 of the beauty, the belle of Constan.inopie as cen hden'ly as il they were in the habit of seeing her. had ike to have coupled drc0mpiishneais with the charms ot Turkish ladies; but unfortunately they
 are most lamentahly ignorant reading and w'itiag
 are HystefieS 10 them as profound as The motion ot the heavenly bodies-even music and dancing are
 unknown, and they are compelled to resof, 10 hired singers and dancers loT amusement.
 Philosophy and common sense have az e@a in
 most ciyiz@d lands in 6gura'ively drnoaniuali-s
 mallaoRy lottery But m Tlrkey the term ceases 10 De hsnre--iof man has not the slightest con-
 ception ot Inc woman he is about 10 marry except th' the darbtiiii telu ol profession Iaarch maker WI" hrsiitens the chagms of the ir'ehd.d
 iais one with all the eNfavagance ol oTea'si eXtg Seralon. When young srItleHdA aege becomss
 ahl,rd win hylnenial loag,"g', he goes 10 one oi these clI go-hetweens-&ho aie always employed
 upon such ooeasions-acqpaints her Hi.h his ease,
 and describes 10 her the kind Of girl tha, voali spt
 him. She a once visits different lar-ins, where hcT
 arrival, as her PtoiessIon Is everywhere known. IS hailed wth all he excite meat ahd ien bling axieiy which fellows the appearance In d fashionable psTipr oi beau l" worth catching" The marFiasrable young dAmseis atay theaseises nost ohingly,
 and play oil npon iats Inssnsibls od woman all those hiandIsamehts sld " taking ways" which en- 4 acted during '' a morning call" The old woman, conscious oi her own importance. siances with
 disdanIul eye at ihe paradel taseih4iOns ot each, and expresses no eplhioa ot approval; but instead
 looms out into extensive descriptions of the charms
 and advantages of her employer in search of wifi. She describes him as sn interesting yoang man literally made ol niFaeGlos combination of dia
 moRds and gold dust; whose lace Is as beautiful as
 the fall 'aoon, and whose form graceful a wt- ! low Aitrt she has discovered young won who  agrees with The description given her, with srT
 own convenience, she reiarns o repoI; the result of recohnoiteTins 10 the sighing swain. II from heT
 he resolves O take ticket h this lottery
 he goes at cash IH had. 10 the ady's father,
 asceTtains the alaoUnt of the Tequifed dowfy, wieh
 Is sort o puicha money paid ID advance, &nd al once draws up ihs marriage contact Wth '' the eere'aouy." winch Is performed between he fAiteF and ibe loyer inc young dan -t! hersrh st!an%e.y enough has u0jhlu- tn iie wptid ia .lo An eh'ifs week, a,tcs ihe E. happy couple" " have been has
 oddly unlied consumed by indispensable arrange menls for ihs biig--hrAishing house--ptoces- slons b The ba,i--gfayets abiuit0ns, with mahy
 more mysterious ari judgements for ihe holy estate oi rasuimoRy too numerous and complicated to he . mentioned hsie Al the close oi the week, the blushln- bride Ia seaalhe yeI IS conducted by
 female procession 9 the boss Q, si hasb4nd. Wbert
 he etfeitans hls friends m one part ot the hofse
 and heGs 70 a0otlcf with sumplaous Tepas's DurIas
 tle evening. tue sIoon h iulIodaerd To Inc btsae by her mother. 1 have often pictured to iayseli be