The Empire County argus., 1854-11-04

he said land never familiar with any body" He
repeated story he had once told to Headly the
historian, of his having Washinton dodge a
spent ball that passed close to his head the bat
tie field and his smiling Immediately as if at his
unsoldierlike weakness in doing so. and turning to
his officers with the remark, 'Ah, the fraility OF
poor human nature"
| Of the Generals dress he gave us minute de-
scription Mrs. Washington, he said, with him
at Newburg. but she was older than the General,
and not handsome woman" Of General Knox,
who was stationed at West Point and of the won
derful beauty of Mrs. Knox, his mention was very
enthusiastic. Knox was large, splendid man. y
The sergeant was often employed to go with boat
to the Point and bring General and Mrs. Knox to
dine with General Washington. He was once or
dered by the imperOus officer to land at certain
place where he knew it was too shallow. He re-
monstrated. but Knox insisted. So they obeyed and
run into the mud and were obliged to sit in the
boat till the tide rose to take them Oft; and the de-
lay was very provoking at the time.
The old soldier gave us thrilling description of
the prvations of the army in its forced march to
the South. 1t was the wettest ever known.
and he had not dry thread on him for weeks but
he never took cold The rations were next to star
vation-often dried herring day and no bread.
At the battle of Monmouth every man in his COM
pany was shot. he himself receiving wound. then
or the other actions he was in during the war; ex
ccpt slight Craze of ball the back of his left
hand. The old man feelings got the better of him
once or twice. in narrating the stirring scenes in
which he had borne a part. and he 'choked off,
hut it evidently gave him great plea to recall
them. He said he had no memory Of things now,
but could remember everything that happened then,
as tit were yesterday. He enlisted at the age OF
sixteen. and was in the army six years Since the
di>bandng. at the Peace he has been Il farmer, ta-
king no part in the war of 1912 His wife died 8
years ago at the age of 70. and his two only chill
dren, daughters. Gone of whom assist. in the sup
port of her father by dress-making) live with him
His pension of SO a month is much to- litte-for
his merits. should think as well as his wants
To see those two men, to whose eyes Washing
tons living features and form had been familiar
sitting together and talking of him with their eyes
bent upon each others faces yet each seeing the
memory picture ot the great man. as he talked or
listened-gave strange impetus to the imagina-
tion. a new one to me. for the conceivng OF what
Washington was. as he breathed and acted 1t was
the Present turned back to the Past, in the magi-
clans mirror AS we drove off felt if we were
turning from place where he had seen times gone
by-though my horses by the unusual length of
the drive and the delay in their dinners doubtless
thought it more like a stretch into the Future.
THE TURKISH HAREM.-A Peep into its Mysteries
-Hou the Women pass their Time domestic Life
Of the Tu,k-Tntue IN Constaminople. Having in
previous letter initiated your readers into the mys
teries of the Turkish bath, shall now conduct them
into the penetralia Of the harem. and disclose the
secrets of the domestic life of the Turk The word
harem is an Arabic one. signifying sanctuary and
is used merely to designate the apartments appro-
prated to the female portion of the Turkish house,
hold No place is more sacred in the eye of the
Turk; its entrance is guarded with much vigi-
lance the shrine of his prophet. No male foot
step. other than that of its lord and master ever
crosses its threshold, treads its floor The green
nvn1 iaa1nuSv with thosp omar
dlans which nature has created, has in the east.
discovered and formed Others whose lynx eyes are
scarcely ever to be deceived These hideous Nubi-
ans of neutralized gender like Cerebus of old are
ever stationed and watchful at its door. But hu-
manty is fral and even they at times slumber.
The apartments of the harem usually the f.
nest and most spacious Those in the houses of
the wealthy consist of large suite of rooms, fur
nished in the Oriental style. and glded and fresco-
ed after the Moorish fashion. Each inmate has
her seperate establishments and there is generally
a common sitting room. its marble floor covered
with rich carpets, and in the centre is fountain,
around which the women collect to while away
their time in listening to its gentle murmurs. The
windows are covered with blinds of exceedingly
close attice-work with small apertures in the Gen.
tire. enabling the fair prisoners unseen to observe
what is passing.
Polygamy is by no means so universal in Turkey
as is generally supposed Though the Koran allows
all believers have four wives very few avail
themselves of the privilege: and though the num-
Der of their Georgian, Circassian, and other slaves
is only limited by the capacity of their purse it is
hut seldom (save the great and wealthy i'ashas)
they possess at one time more than twelve or fif-
| teen.
Marriage is civil institution, and is conducted
entirely by proxy. The happy swain who wishes
to enter into that blissfu state learns what friend
or acquaintance possesses daughter who would
suit his taste. Debarred by the inexorable customs
of the country from seeing his intended bride, he
must be satisfied with description of her charms
from some of the numerous old match makers
with which Constantnople is filled, and whom he
Immediately ensts into his service. His sghs and
his hopes are conveyed to the fair one through the
medium of boquet, and suitable answer is re.
turned by the same lovely messengers. The lady
is denied the sweet privilege Of sending receiving
billet doux, as reading and writing are both mys
teries to her. Should the fortunate lover however
not sigh in vain he socits the consent of the faith
er OF next male relative, and if the settlement he
proposes prove satisfactory they both proceed to the
bride, before whom he acknowledges her as his la W
full wife. and by whom the marriage is registered
the Turkish lady bringing her husband no Other
dowry than herself
When the bride is informed of the match that
has been made for her in duty bound she receive,
the necessary lectures from all the old matrons o
her acquaintance the Importance OF the holy state
upon which she is about to enter After going tC
the bath, from which pcrfumed and annoiDted she
is conveyed in great state to the house of her hus-
band. dressed in all the magnifccnce of the Orien