Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-11-20
PURCHASE VALUE OF TURKISH Wo-
[From the American Register, Paris. ]

II hA4S aL1tA ASs1A
European society has been aware
for some considerable period that wo
men in the East are sometimes worth
their weight literally in gold. Strange
stories have occasionally been recount
led of beautiful Circassian ladies sold
at private sale for $4,000 piece;
but then, Of course these prices are ex-
ceptions, and the purchasers Viceroy,
Sultans and Ministers Of Finance, to
whom money was no object. Tie
Eastern middle class, comprising such
small fry as Aghas, Ehendis Bashas,
Bimashis, and the like, it is asserted
usually expended sums varying from
81, 900 to $1,000 in the purchase of
their better-halves, but hitherto we
have had no indication Of tile market
value OF women among the working
classes in the East. 1t has been re-
served to Captain Barnaby, in his in
teresting account of ride through
Asia Minor, to enlighten us on the
subject of women considered as mar
ketable commodity among the lowerl
strata of Eastern society, 1t must be |
understood that wesdo not include in
this classification such abnormal peo-
Pile as Kurds, Bedouins, Circassians,
and the like, these people generally |
stealing their wives, just like they |
steal anything else. Captain Barna-
by relates that his Turkish servant.
who was given to such eccentricities
rs praying five times day, and who
nay, therefore, be regarded as a gen
line type of his class, revelled in the
luxury of one wife. Monogamists, by
orce of circumstances, this Turkish
servant had purchased his wife of her
ather for fifty dollars, and she was
bargain at the price, her
ather being an extravagant individu /:
i, over head and ears in debt to mon
y lenders, and disposed to sacrifice
lis daughters for ready money. ltle
low remains TO be seen what the /,
Turkish servants got for his fifty dol
ars in order that we may form a fair ,
dea of the money value Of Eastern
women. The lady in question was a I
rood cook, skilled iu the art of.prepar-
ne soup, and was thus possessed of a
way to the heart of a man of a perma-
tent aud enduring character; she II
ooked two ways at once, which must {
ave enhanced her value, seeing that Z
he bad only one eye disposable at
my one time for the purpose of inves-
igating her husbands delinquencies,
which were numerous, as is usually il
he case with mankind; and, finally, I
he weighed one hundred pounds. II
Women in the East are generally val |.
able in proportion to their weight, /,
which is the great desideratum, other {
Qualities being regarded as mere ac- ;
essories. The wife of the Turkish /
ervant of Captain Barnaby must, {
therefore,, according to her weight, I
ave been worth half dollar per t
ound. Now, if we set aside quar-
er of dollar per poupl for such ex-Ij
raordinary qualifications as the arts
palatable soups and savory
tews, we were forced to the conclu- !
ion that the mass of ordinary Eas- t
eril women, reckoned at their current 7
alue, are not worth more than one
uarter OF . dollar per pound. Now
his is very low figure. anil as no So
iefy can progress where women are
. cheap, it would seem desirable that
.mssia should prevail in her struggle