The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-03
A DINNER IN TIE HARE.N.

From the advanced sheets Hornbys work ON CONSTANT
nople]
At the entrance of the dining room stood two Arab
slaves, richly ared To each lady as she entered one
OF these held beautiful silver bowl while the other
poured rosewaer her hands from vase Of the same
richly chased material Two little slave girls presented
hne napkins the ends embroidered in gold, on which
we each shook the rosewater from fingers. The
dining-room was most luxurious apartment closely
aticcd for 1t looked into the streets of Stamboul but
cheerful and rich jn crimson dvans and carved and
painted flowers on the walls and ceiling All had been
done to make the cage bareabe RIA Pacha harem is
am told, one of the most fashionable which ac-
counted for seeing European table adorned with a
handsome centre piece and four beautiful vases of flow
ers and fruit after the French fashion The dinner SER
vice of and beautiful China the silver knives
and forks were extremely handsome the seruen delicate
~ hne the flowers exquisitey arranged and mingled
with oranges and lemons in Eastern fashion, the slaves
were standing round three four Deep awaiting our
slightest sign felt still more in the land of dreams
FIRST OF ALL they placed TO each guest sparkling water
oottle and glass Then fine china plate containing a
iat roll OF kind of rye bread called semeet quite new
and warm and covered with small seed which not be-
ing canary linnet, objected to- Then soup was
serveda great novelty in harem it most excel
lentchcken and vermcelli Then came dish of plan of
chicken and rice done brown next to the chief wife,
on her right hand the slave held the DISH she pointed
out the incest pieces, begging to take them The fair
Crcasslan sat opposite TO me- was curious to if
they really seemed to like the modern innovation OF
knives and forks For the first few minutes they used
them-eyidently to do did but the Circassan
beauty, failing to the particular piece Of chicken
she coveted with troublesome fork and spoon threw
those incompetent auxiaes down. and grabbed
fully and to her entire satisfaction with her fingers
She then looked at and laughed and showed me how
to take piece of bread between my fingers begging us
to cat "a Trque which they all doing themselves
fst aud furiops and to please them, accordingly
picked few chicken homes with our fingers We had ali
three been enchanted with the fair Crcassan AZ have told
youwith her beauty, her winning yet lofty manners
and exquisite grace; had seen her smoke and ad-
mied her still had forgiven her for loving the
barbarous noise in the concert of music but to see
her lick her fingers up to the last joint after each dish
to see her lick her favorite tortoise shell spoon bright a
ter successive and believed enormous platefs
OF sweet pancakes, daubcd with honey and too
luscious for the Knave of Heartsths much for
Venus herself to have done with mpuniy we were per-
fccty disenchanted long before the feast was over
The rest were not SO bad excepting Mad Iston who
might well have trough at , but we began To
feel rather sick after the first few dishes despatched
and the animal passions of of the ladies began to
be reused by their fayoc sweets and cllies which they
tore to pieces with their fingers and threw down their
Threats in large Jumps The jester waited Mt table pre-
sentlng the principal dishes with jokes which caused
bursts OF laughter from the ladies and the slaves in at
tendance, who perfectly at home and on very free
and easy terms with their mstresses notwithstanding
their complete submission to them The lester WINS a
wild and most extraordinary looking woman with an
immensy of broad humor and drollery in her face We
thought it quite well that could not understand the
Jokes at which the fair Crcassan between the intervals
OF licking her fingers and spoon and popping tbits
our plates, laughed complacently and which some
times Obliged the Arabs and eunucs at the door dive
under the to conceal their uncomfortable fits of
mrth