The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-16


the Turkish lady bringing her husband
no other dowry than her fair self.
When the bride is informed of the
match that has been made for her, as il
duty bound, she receives the necessary
lectures from all the old matrons of hel
| acquaintance on the Importance of the
holy state upon which she is about to
enter. After going to the bath, from
which perfumed and anointed she is con
veyed in great state to the house of hel
husband, dressed in all the magnifcence
of the Oriental costume, and white
veil covering her whole figure. She is
received at the door by him, and conduc-
ted to the apartment of the Harem, where
she makes merry with her female friends
who have been invited to join her. Great
too, are the rejoicings of the bridegroom
and his friends, who have been collected
Music, dancing and feasting, are kept up
till late hour of the night.
The guest (both male and female) de-
part and the groom enters the sanctuary
of his bride, and gazes for the first time
upon her face, and learns whether he has
drawn blank or prize in that great
and doubtful lottery, matrimony.
Where beauty is the sole criterian by
which woman is judged, and which
renders her valuable, it is not to be won
dered that SO many lovely beings are to
be found in Constantinople, or that they
should use every effort, not only to heigh-
ten but preserve those personal charms
which are to make them irresistable.-
Many and varied are the cosmetics they
use. To improve the expression and
brilliancy of their eyes, which they GER
tainly know how to use with such effect,
and must be seen'to be appreciated, they
tinge the ,edgef5fthe eyelid with a black
eye. 10 ielongate the eye they extend
with the same substance the arch of the
eyebrow, which imparts to it that almond
shape so much coveted by the women of
the east To grow " beautifully fat" is
one of the great desires of Turkish bell,
and for this she will take fertilizing por-
tions, and eat the whole day long
Their compilations are exquisitely fair,
and is no doubt owing much to the fire.
quent use of the Turkish bath.
IT'S within the walls of the Harem
that they display the riches of their ward
robes, not only to enchant their beauty
in the eyes of their husbands, but to ex-
cite envy in the bosom of their friends.
The cumbersome and unsightly frigee of
the street is thrown aside, and jealous
yashmac no longer conceals the charms
of their faces, and the awkward yellow
slipper and buckskin are taken off not to
impede the ease and grace of their mo-
tions. IT'S here they assume the rich
and picturesque dress of the East. A
small waistcoat of delicate pink silk, fit
ting close to the figure, displays its ele-
CANT proportions, and fastened only at
the throat by clasp of dimonds or some
other precious stones suffers the beauties
of the bosom to be dimly discovered
beneath the fine laced chemise. Over
this, at times, loose jacket of blue or
scarlet velvet is thrown, extending to
the waist around which is ever entwined
a girdle of rich crimson silk or embroid
cred satin, to sustain full robe which
reaches the knee, and which is generally
made of the finest silk, ofa sky-blue col
or, with crimson satin stripe. Beneath
this are fastened the Turkish trowsers
fitting tightly around the ankle, and
ample folds falling over the foot, con-
cealed an embroidered slipper. They
are usually composed of the same stuff
as the dress. The head is either en-
circled in small gay cashmere shawl, or
a scarlet cap decorated with large gold
tassel is eoquettishly placed on, to display
the beauty and luxuriance of the hair
dressed to suit the fancy of each person.
During winter, loose brocade robe,
lined with ermine or sable, is gracefully
thrown around them to protect them
from the cold. The arm is usually bare,
and loaded with the richest and most
expensive bracelets, whilst the fingers,
the tips of which are dyed with henna,
are covered with rings.
One would NATURALLY suppose that the
Turkish women, living as they do in
state of separation, would suffer much
ennui; but such is not the case. They
pass their lives in a circle of amusement
compatible with their tastes. They are
either paying or receiving the visits of
their friends. Much of their time is
spent upon their toilet, and they amuse
themselves by eating, and dancing
Though they are ignorant of the intel
lectual enjoyment Of reading, their time
does not prove so irksome as one would
imagine. Born and educated within the
precincts of the harem, they know moth
ing of happier life beyond it; and they
do not idly repine for those pleasures of
which they are IL noi onG, and which they
have never tasted. The watchful Wig
lance ofthe euuuch, instead of constantly
reminding them of their imprisonment,
only strengthens their belief of the high
estimate their husbands place upon their
personal charms.
After the labors of the day, the Turk
enters his harem to unbind himself, and
throw aside those stately manners which
he ever adopts in public. IT'S then
his wives and slaves cluster around him
to while away his time, and display be-
fore him their varied charms and graces.
One sings to him some favorite air upon
the harpsicord Another gratiies his
eyes by going through the motions of
some voIuptous dance; whilst perhaps
the favored one will nestle more closely
upon the divan beside him, and gently
narrate some wonderous fairy tale so pc
culiar to the East.
IT'S thus he passes away his evenings,
a stranger to that quiet and domestic
happiness that imparts such charm to
the married life in America stranger
to those fireside pleasures which ought
to canse sigh IN the bosom of abatch-
elor.
Though fraility is punished with death
yet I am told the fair ones of CONSTANT
nople do not possess larger share of
virtue than those of any other great cap