Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-01-12
WHOLE No. 90.

-.II
saeh circnmstances 10 not taken. So
what is the bewildered gallant 30 do bue
cutter the consequences OF his indiscreitons
Ii is not only ont Of doors where tho
Two sexes are separated. Asen ~ home
they occupy disiinc. aud separate apart
ments. The man has his rooms on one
side OF the house. and the other. which 10
called the "hsrem. !" Is occupied BY bic
wife or wives. The window Of the ha-
rem is closely latticed. to prevent the in
mates from being observed by cutsidero.
No male infidel vision ever penetrates in..
to those sacred reeeSses, where. rselninR
luxuriously upon rich. gola-einbrourred
cloth divans, the air glowing with Ara
bias sweetest perfumes, surrounded BIZ
their female attendants, who hearken 90
their every sigh. and hurrisdlyscbey
their every wish. now soothing ihern
with snow-eolored sherbcrt, and anon
lulling their senses with soft oyoluptuouo
music. these. hours vile away the time ia
blissfnl Incidence. a Es0se
Some of the more wealthy Turks have
two or three wives. besides several slaves.
who are generally the fsirest women
from the wales Of Georgia and Circassin.
but a. general thing they have but one,
though the Koran allows them four. The
Sultan, himself, has no moro than thip
last number, but at the same time he hao
between two and three hundred of the
most lovely female slaves. The common
impression among US is. that the Turks
can have as many wives as they please, or
can support-this Is erroneous. as thoy
can never transcend the number specified
in the Koran e9 .'lF aefa
The reason that the privilege extended
to them by Mahomet of having moro thah
one wife, is not more frequently svniled
Of by common Turks, is its expensisensss.
IL is no small matter 10 support ons wife.
to keep around her the necessary atten-
dants, to supply her with diamonds which
she requires in the greatest Abundance 20
deck herself or her children with, 60 fur,
nish her bazar money, which is expended
for the silks Of Persia, jeweled slippers OF
Cashmere shawls; all OF which appear 70
be the indispensable requisitions Of q
Turkish wife. When these expenses
come to be doubled or trebled. it Is not q
matter of any great surprise that the Turk
remains satisfied with one partner ~
u The beautiful vallies that have incl.
dentally referred 10, where the denisens
Of Constantinople, &c, have thsir ksfis
and pic-nics, are, on certain days moss
i excellent places TO see the Turkish uo-
men. The principal are the yallies Of the
Sweet Waters OF Europe and Asia.--
These. every Friday. (ths Turkish Sab,
bath present the most animated and di-
versiied appearance shat can be iconcsi.
we'd of. Hfnt
On the margin Of q small, clear stream
that meanders through she centre OF the
valley, and under the shade Of oyerhang-
ing trees, you viii see spread hundreds of
richly worked Partisan matrasses. upon
which are seated in many picturesque
group the Turkish women, their black.
busy eyes peering out from between tbs
folds Of yashmacks, whose whi,eness 10 Of
virgin purity. Near them are standing.
or slowly coursing along. gaiiy painted or
gilded Arabas, drawn by oxen, and con-
like their friends on the bank. arc chat.
ting, looking eagerly around upon the
crowd, especially serutinizing the Frank
whom curiosity has attracted 10 their, VIZ
cinity, and surveying themselves in small
mirrors which they carry with them on
such occasions. Here and there are chill
dren scauipering about or walking with
ali the dignity OF men and women, their
little bodies almost covered with dia-
monds aud other precious gems. IL 10
only on the little girls that We can soc tho
costume which the fergee and ysshpsek
hide on the adult ths loose psntsloona
descending below long, full skirt opep
in front and festoOned up at the sides, and
their heads ornamented with the grestsss
profusion Of diamonds. 6e. occasionai-
! iy one sees n ynshmsck ON an adults
head so thin that the giittering gems can
be discerned through It's delicate rnateri-
ais. Furtner down the valley an Arnbi-
an juggler has collected around him an
astonisbed crowd of females, who exhi-
bit their appreciation Of his tricks by
shrill bursts Of laughter and an increased
magnitude Of thsir. already amply large
eyes. a..s.lafs
Still further down towards the Bos-
phorus, are gathered the men, the faith
| full representation of whose various cos-
tunes. positions, occupations, DC, would
defy the most adroit brush that ever
made the canvass glow with life. and
render futile any attempt OF my feeble
pen 70 delineate them. Turks, Ameri-
cans, Greeks, Jews, Arsbisns. Albnsinsl
are all there gathered. and in the gAudy
costumes of their respective eountries:
standing. walking. smoking. drinking
sherbert, and all. save the profoundly
grave Turks, breaking out in the most
immoderate fits Of laughter Al the wonder
ful feats and antics of = couple Of Arab
Wizards. who. with Wild looks and sill
wilder gutersl tones, are astonishing their
senses.
In the extreme ugPerporsion ofshs vsi-