Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-03-01

Greek women At the Es.t.
A writer In the New York Indspendent, In
an account Of visit 70 the house OF . Greek
merchant at Joppa, aaysi
Ny friends wife occupied the place OF honor
on the dlyan, by the side Of the mistress Of the
house. At her feet and holding her hand,
crouched rather than sat one Of the loveliest
creatures my eyes have ever rested upon
Byrou's Znleika In flesh and blood--in the
person Of the Young daughter OF the house,
whose unveiled face no unmarried man had
ever looked on before. she was betrothed
TO q young Greek, yet even he had not had
that happiness-hsying only enjoyed II at
second hand, from the report Of some estlma-
BILE female relative, mother or aunt who had
Inspected the fair one, and given him .
schedule Of her charms and perfectlons, with
which he must rest content until coming into
actual possession after the marriage core
mouy. And she was very lovely, alter the
oriental fashion, where women IL not en-
peoted or required TO have q soul, and, like
MaEeppa's ateod,
as Wild
Wild as the wild dear, and untauEhp'-
without any Of the culture or accomplish
inents or social training which We deem
necessary for women.
at for the time, and dream d aftsrward.
She was picture Of the old Greek type, and,
like a picture. you might gaze admIrlngly
upon her, aud feast your eyes; but nnd no
response where you strove TO impress her
with your admiration, more than poor Pyg-
mallon did OF the statue his own mad passion
woke 70 life out Of the marble hia hands had
fashioned into female form. This woman
and her sisters were not Of marble, truly, but
very living, tentlent and sensual hesh and
blood, but The rare promise OF face and ng-
ure were belied BY the test OF speech. They
were animated dolls; nothing more. Edo
cation, Intelligence, the very soul o. woman
typo Of the women Of the harem, add the
Greek had no advantage over the Turk In
this vital element Of female influence, which
he, like the Turk, Ignored or desplaod. In
what respect these women differed from the
wives and sisters Of the Turks We could not
see; nor could they, except In the fact that
they had no Intercourse with each other.
Yet their lives, their training, and even their
social habits Aud prejudlces were essentially
the aame We left thls Armida'a bower OF
JANA with the blended sentiments OF pleasure
end disappointment, which this revelation Of
the Christian harem created In our minds.
And this Interior we afterward saw repro
duced In many other Greek houses which we
visited, especially in those portions Of the
Turkish Empire where the prejudlces Of the
Turk or Arab render the secluslon OF woman
and the covering Of her face compulsory, 70
avoid Insult Who're, however, the Greek
aha or Cairo 10 allow IL women christian
nriv,leges he doe. ~ fra.lv and vs,y charra-
ne and aeoomnlIshed women mav IL ionnd
In tho-e cltles AMONG the hetter clas, N aresl
TeaIdsnts. - 80 - "
One thing strikes the stranger as peculiar
10 this mode Of llte-common 10 the Greek
opment and prematnrc decav Of female
okarms. When Ana matnritv ~ womanhood
srrives Al ten year. M ags ana ma,asnIt.
soon follows, the women are withered ana
GA Al the arc when onra Arc in.t In The fnil
hioom ~ womanhood Won 80 oni1 to
eTtremea when me cnrtaIn which vail. IN
Womsn's apsrtmsut IA Iited In ali Fastern
isnas-. hlooming yonng oirls ana shrrnSsn
=, nnormonslS "a IA Somen no sanov
,n.iInm between those eStTe,nes Nalthpsys
nslxSc nor George III, eonld have foand M
fnvorlte tyne M the mneh-lsnded hsrcnn oi
IN. Esst' wh.th.r TnTLIsh Or GreaE The
1sDu,g n tre,lls ans OF The former il an cd
wotnan, the @faIr IA, and FORTY" of the
Iasier literally ga load for a came - and 1
100 mo,hst ''' '~s'' @"N
az eAncatIon thu Clre.l, woman ~ thu love,
olss.. whether Rayah lsubiect Of the suitRnl
or Athenlan. has hide 70 hoaEt. except 10 the
vicinltv ~ M NM. sdmIrahIs schoois
ThsIr strong reilgioua preiadices In favor Of
their own Church have Sensrsily prevented
thelr aenalnv thelr ehildrsn 10 the aohooIs
which Inc American misSlonaries nave estsb.
iIshed Thev nreIer keenIno them in Ivno-
rance 10 fiskin9 4 change al craed
win regnrd 10 dress = cnriouS thing IA oh
seryahle. While ths men are desperste dan
49, AMI mueh given to iayiahing Hi theIr
monev on insry and brave attire' ehs women
sesm n care ysrv Ilttle ahout parsona Al adorn.
ment, ana Won Geonentlv 80 a man etrnttIno
Ne 4 neaeoek in front a. M door' a. gor.
reous N ma plurnage M that vain bird, vRiIe
RIA mata Il soberly and meaniy arrayed a.
the female az that tvnlcal Md sha astually
saems wanting In tSat feminine impulse' ana
tha eootrast between husband and vito IN
M. reSpect /. yery surpriaing totbe stranger,
Tina youpg giris are yery pretty and Meas.
in0. Win gazeile-like ewes OF lustrous black.
and Abundant nj Alta Of long. black hair. with
supple forms and regular Features. Bot, 10
AL the uuyarniahed truth. beauty OF FACE
i more the characterIstlc Of men than OF tlls