Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-14
An Oriental Pastime.
FLEA-cATcHlNG IN coNsrANrINorLE


a writer in Household Words" )" is their
love of fleas. i am obliged to use the word
because all are not Turks that
reside in Turkey; and all are alike in this
respect, whether Armenian, Bulgarian,
w allach, Moldavian, Greek or Jew. They
pounce upon them with cry of delight
wherever they find them, and fondle them
before putting them to death. They show
as much art and address in their capture as
a keen sportsman may evince in trying to
get a shot at flock of wild ducks. The
heas are not ungrateful for being thus held
in honor, and have effected very consid-
cradle settlement in the country, They
are, IN point Of fact, one of the nationalities
of Turkey-the one which has nothing to
ask of the Government, which has no wrongs
to redress or injured interests to buster a.
bout. Most of the houses being of wood,
they find warm commodious quarters which
are utterly inaccessible 10 the broom of the
houseman. use the word houseman, be-
cause there is no such thing as housemaid
in Turkey.
These little animals are so prompt and
ferocious in their assaults, and have, moreo-
yer, such keen appreciation of the delica-
cy of any fresh ARRIVAL from distant coun-
try, that they keep stranger in perpetual
state of liveliness and motion; which is.
doubtless, extremely beneficial to his health,
especially if he be slothful.
No loea of dirt or disgrace seems to at-
tach to house full of feas-these pugna-
cious little animals being looked upon as
recognized proprietors in the country, and
as having as much right there as any one
else. Any attempt, therefor to extermi-
nate them from bed or sofa, would be
laughed to scorn utterly. A Perote lady
land Perote lady is the very essence Of
fine ladyism) will often stop several times
in the course of Irritation, languidly to
catch flea upon her dress, feebly smiling
while she twlddles him in her fingers, and
then, passively dropping him on the floor.
Two grave Galata merchants will stop In
the midst OF bargain sportively to catch a
flea on the skirt front of an acquaintance ;
and, cracking out his crisp life on the coun-
ter, will proceed to draw bill on London
or to discuss the exchange, the depreciation
of Kaines and the rise Of gold.
No individual throughout the country
seems to be able to resist the fascination OF
hunting flea wherever he sees him.
What trapping was to the Red Indians
what the fox-chase was to the squire OF our
childhood hunting is to the Oriental ;
it is passlon-a delight. AS soon as the
lively little game breaks cover, no matter
where or when, the eyes OF the Perote light
up with unwonted FIRE keen sporting ex-
preston passes over his face; he raises his
hand stealthily by sort of instinct; the
certainty of his aim night pass into pro-
verb and the next moment the hand has
descended, and the Perote is twiddling his
finger and thumb with tranquil satisfaction,
and has resumed his occupation, be it what
it may. He would stop to catch flea, on
his way to lie hanged or to be married.
He must have missed appointments, lost
fortunes, by the habit; but it is engrafted
in hls nature, and is unconquerable.
| have gone into rooms where feas lay
thick as dust upon the floor, and each of
INV steps must have killed hundreds of
them but tif ever ventured to express the
smallest distaSte upon the occasion. be-
came as incomprehenslble to the man OF
Para, as if had told Chinese | disliked
stewed dogs.
They will even argue the point with you
if YOU press them closely, and MAINTAIN
at the flea is like the elder Mirabeau-
the friend Of men. They will tell you that
fleas keep up an irritation on the skin, which
is h. .ghly beneficial in hot country, and
prevents the accumulation of morbid hu-
mors. On my demonstrating also with a
hotel waiter about finding them constantly
in the bread, some baked and some alive
that individual. who spoke all the angua-
ges of the world in bad French, assured me
the baker had superstition about them,
and thought them lucky Pumping him
with light hand, found he was not quite
free from the same idea himself, and that
it obtains generally throughout the country.
He said, that to allay the irritation they oc-
casloned, was at all times pleasing occu-
patton that it was to be remarked, that no
fleas ever bite man in dangerous place,
or iniure his eye, or his ear, or opened an
artery, therefore heas were the friend Of
men. He did not know, nor do |, what
many of the Perote gentlemen would DO If
it were not for the unfalling entertainment
supplied by Aeas. He believed that they
kept people who had nothing to do out OF
mischief. He said that the courteous catch
ing of flea upon the person of ofanother Of
fered frequent and pleasant opportunity
of commencing conversation, or begin
nng an acquaintance, that acquaintance so
formed had often ripened into warm and
lasting friendship. He had even known
more than one instance of Perote marriages
brought about by cheerful and inotfenslve
gallantry of thus kind. He was much sur
pri>ed at the unjustiiable anger OF an Eng
llsh lady at dinner upon whose shoulder ne
had succeeded in catching flea by an a.
droit movement of his left hand, while his
right was occupied in presenting her with
dish Of kid stuffed with chestnuts. She
screamed, and her gentleman threatened to
horsewhip him. He confessed his feelings
were hurt and his reason contounded by
this behavior on the part of my country peo-
pie. No Perote lady would have raised
her eyes from her plate during such an oc-
currenCe.
endeavored TO soothe him by saying we
were people who lived in an lncement
climate, and 70 whom, therefore, the utility
OF the flea was comparatively unknown,
but he would not credit it. He could not
bring his mind to bear all at once upon a
fact which appeared to him so remarkable.
was like the Christian knight who told the
African king that he could ride his horse
dry. footed, over some of our rivers in win
ter and who Vas Immediately bowstrung.
remember "A parsonage Of no mean rank