The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-08-13
EHarem GIimpses n NJ nj ent :
al Customs.

II
GALVESTON OF New Yorl, bss Just puolishst
ANe-W W"csue e. Syc'e, ,traasisied by a gentleman
OF that city under 'he title "Orental Harems
and Scenery" Princess Belgioioso, the author
ess, visited the scenes she describes in 1852 du.
ring the tour enjoying unusual facilities of 90,
serva'ion The hsrem-pronounc by the
wav, hdf-rscm-that Mohammadan sanctuary SO
hetmetriraly sealed TO all men, was open to the
travelling Princess, who, as she SAYS in her pre-
face, could converse with those mysterious be-
ings whom the Frank never sees but veiled--
could inicrrogate some Of those minds which
never owe flow OF themselves, and tempt them
to precious disclosures concerning an uuexplor.
ed word u' passion and misfortune" Here is a
glimpse of he unknown home of these uniortuu-
ate women of the Esst--a picture of
THE HAREN INTERIOR.
We are familiar with the description of the
harem IN Arabian Nights, and other Oriental
tales we have been told that 1t is the abode of
love and beauty; we have authority for believes
ing that the written description, tho exaggerat-
ed and cmbeliS6ed aIe yet based IN reality, and
that 1t is In these mysterious retreats one Is to
Hnd collected ogether all the wonders OF luxury
art, m iguihcence aud pleasure. What mistak
en- ideag lmsgine backened and cracked walls,
wooden ceilings split ID various places, covered
with dust and cobwebs, torn and greasy sofas,
ragged curtains and everyvh here trnces of oil
and candles. When first entered Cne of these
delightful bowers it almost sickened me. The
mistresses of the place, however, did not per
ceiVe t. Their persons are harmonious with all
this. Mirrors being scarce in the country they
pile on clothes and tinsel hap-hazard, producing
q bizarre effect, of which they have no coucep.
tion. Common printed cotton handkerchief are
wound around the head, aud fastened with dia-
mond and ieweled- headed pins, while nothing
4 81, tI,op batr IL.
great ladies' who had lived at the capital alone
possessing combs
- s to the paint, which they apply immoder-
ately both in variety OF color and in quantity,
its distaibu'on can only be regulated by mutual
consultation, and as all the women living under
one roof are so many rivals, they willingly en-
courage the most grotesque illumination of their
respective faces. They apply vermillion 10 their
lips, red to their cheeks, nose forehead and chin,
white wherever vacant spot occnts, aud blue
around tie eyes and under the nose. What is
yet m re strange is their manner of coustrusting
eyebpows They have teen told that TO be
beautiful their eyebrows should form a great
arch aud from this they conClUde that the arch
must pc more beantiiul according to the width
of its span, never inquting il the place assigned
to il had uot been ire vocsbly fixed by nature
Believing this, they allot all the space between
The two temples to eyebrows, and paint thereon
two immense brows, the root Of the nose end the
temples on either eide serving as piers for their
support. Some eccentric Young beauties who
nraFer strait lines tn crookei oues troce ona sin
Ole rev direct across the brow-but these instan
ces are rare
" That which is undpni,hIe and al tho e,mc
limo denlorablp il the effect of this taste for
nniniing. combined with the indolepce and nm
cleanliness common TO oriental females Every
woman's face is A comnlic ,ted work of art. which
is not to be retouched every morning. There is
not one. daubcd as thew are with the orange
color. even to hands and feet. who does not
drerd the application of water MS an injury 70
beau,y. The crowd OF children and servants
.specially pegrsses. who people the barem. and
the footing Of equality upon which mistrcsses
md domestics live. are likewise aGprayatinp
causes Of the general fifth. Twill not sneak Of
children far everybody knows the monncrs and
customs of these little creatures : but let us i'm
apine what would become of our elegant fnr-
niture in Europe sbould onr cooks and chamber
maids rest at will an couches and sofas of our
saloons, with their feet on our carpets and their
packs against our tapestries. To this must be
added The fact that Glazed sashes are still n GU
riostv in Asia, that the windows are stopped
with oiled psper. and that when this il not TO be
found. they supply its place by discardipr win
dows altogether they seem to be perfectly
content with the light that renetrates down the
chlunneS' lshS ""'P'y Snihe'el' ior s'noh.."s' N.
oIH1ro ""~ h IN Som, ,b ALL
a,io of thno, neil ,S F,i,hfi Il ,SsI,i
p - "
lie toe understood, however, tnat u IL ever
very darN III Ihese "'hao"'esS apartments
Inc houses oelhg Out one story hign' the stack
Oh the chlthhey never rising hgnef IMAM the rool
anu Oe'mg very Wlue' lt 1requenuy happens that
ov oeuo,hg Ior""ru hItie one car, perceive Vi,e
SKY outSiue n"o'e Tue aperture: uaI ts utterly
iach!nS III t"tSe aPH'1,hehVs Is a'r I'VE iaC'eS'
however arc 'ar from IhaI ophloh' Naturally
sensitive 10 colo, ana wlthont the resource OF
creating neat "y exercise ''ey ren'''' sq'HCVeu @
on Tue SFounu oe'ore Tue hre ior hourN' "no"y
ignorant 'h"t me ln'nes OF ,he coal 'heY use
SometiuI's Snuoc''eS 'h'W. 10 rfcl" nhN ,"eSe
ar'luc'a, caFer's' ehcu'hotre" WI, '"ttt,'u "o-
men and ii!-governecd children, almost dePnVes
one oil "reatn. FROM me hot'n,n Oh my hss't
lelC Greauui ~ lhe eNce''ehI hpl,l 'Hherktss
lot nus eN,raoro'hary Ne''pNe! IN taus "paFhe
me from io't! tt'Eht h"urS s"Jour III h's hh'e'n
-ahu SO mnoh we more because ms "os not the
most ud'Iy kept
ihus uoes TINS pau spoken iady uesfoy our
ronDshuc lueaS O. 'he ha,em, ,-
me women VINO ln"ao't ''e l-lsyerIi nhre"'s
are usually accepteu aS Tue types Vi leina'e
oe"H'y' iney arc
THE GEoEqI4E. AxD 15gcAssIAxs.
an ~ ;,orors and oraot . ,Ioui,, oo,,rIoo.
ian r,assos of dn,k Instrons hair the foraheod
hiob nnd fnn tbe ,,ose anniline Immense hlscC
ayes vermillion Iins moSeIled ike tbosa or rec
eta,nas oT ,ha hest Dor;od tain nt,a nnor,s Ie
cp;n ,on t"rna5 a nnrrect ontlipe of fsce-'srch
is tho cn,rL1iar ivrs sncern,v adm;ro tbq
o,o S~C H. rrco. RI Inn, vbon bave ;nd,,lcnG
INV odmjrs,iop turn AWAY and see them no more
si,;or m ,ooe at them AGAIN instasI IcIt them
without either a smile more or less, or tho sight
! est variation of feature in their physiognomy
Let an infant be bern or die. let her lord adore