The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-16

1 uStainS toShs. .
The women sometimes 20 out Of their
apartments, but with minute precautions.
4" What frightfal disguisss," says Mr.. ubi-
cini. Fancy domino Of largo size
cloth in winter, silk In summer - with
collar falling upon the sholdsn, under
which the woman wholly diappesn. This
Is called fredge. The form Of this cloak,
the kind of stuff, il almost uniformly the
same the only difference Is in tho color.
To the ttrsdge must b added the yaehmaa.
This l. veil or bandage Of white muslin,
composed oftwo pieces, one covering the
throat and lower part Of tho face to half
the nose, while the other reaches from the
eyebrows to the top Of the bead % - 70
'leave only narrow opening for the eyes.
When you meet In the street woman thus
veiled, It is almost impossible TO divine II
she Is young or old. ''Her husband may
pass tsu times BY her side without rscog-
nising her.
In spite Of this state Of constraint within
the harem and abroad the Turkish women
do not complain Of their lot, 20 accustomed
are they TO do 1t. On the contrary, they
pity the lot Of tho Christian ladies. One
day the French ambassadors wife, visiting
the wife Of the pasha, the latter addressed
her many question upon the kind OF life OF
the Western women, and at every answer,
she cried out, (" Alas! alas! must wo-
man in your country bring dowry to her
husband? Must she help him to his lab0rs?
She sews, embroiders, sells in shops, eIer-
cises trade like tho wives Of Jehndi (Jews.)
And you say that your women can endure
such life ? alas alas ~
"But," said the French ambassadors
wife, "do you feel, then, no desire to trav-
el, to see other countries, other mannersf
emo"
But.how do you pass the timer Are
you not weary"
"why?" .
The Turkish woman did not understand
even what weariness was, being 30 utterly
destitute Of ideas; for she saw nothing,
read nothing g-her thought never went be-
yond the narrow circle of domestic life.
The law of the Koran authorizes repudi.
alton the husband can break the conju-
gal tic at pleasure, providing he leaves to
the repudiated woman her dowry. The
wife, on her part, can ask for separation or
divorce, but only in o case determined be-
forehand, and for reasons assigned. Tho
Musulman code goes into strange and dis
gushing details in this respect. The hus-
band can take back the repudiated wife. but
only after she has been married to another
and this other is dead. or has repudisted
her in his turn. Tho Eastern legislator ev-
identity intended to give the female sex some
securities, but the barriers he provided arc
feeble against the passions Of men.
The absence Of women from society in the
East, produces sad effects. The men do not
feel the need Of being polite in their speech
and behavior, Us among Christians. The
art Of conversation Is not known among the
Turks. They are grave. ceremonious, kind
In their intercourse, but dull and taciturn.
They have violated towards tho female sex
the law Of God, and they are punished for
it. 1t is impolite to ask an Osmanli news
Of his wife or daughters.
Some changes begin to appear in Eastern
customs. Last year at the marriage Of .
pasha with the Sultan's daughter, some Of
the women invited, adopted the European
fashions Of clothing and head.dress. II would
seem that these ladies were ambitious Of the
honor of copying the women of London and
Pars. This seems unimportant at frst
sight; but the least inovation in the domes-
tic habits Of Turkey may have serious con-
sequences. We await the effects Of time
and Of European supremacy in the ottoman
Empire. The breach Is made, and West
ern civilization will not rstreat.-N. Y.
Odserrr.