The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-02
FRIENDLY CALLS IN THE TURKISH
HAHEMs.
Correspondence Philadelphia

tConstantinople Correspondence Philadelphia
press.l
There reigns In Turkish households q
singular duietude. The houses being
divided into the haremttte or women 3
apartment, and the selamhh or mem
apartment, the long intervening hall of
separation Is unoceupied and Ia rarely
traversed but by visitors to one division
or the other. No one can ascend to the
upper story without previous announce
ment, and IL 1t be o formal visit, 1t is
generally notified some time In ad-
vance. The ladies of the harem
like to get themselves up in their
best attire, In order to make q good
impression on their guests. And
then there are the sweetmeats,
the sherbets, the ral,dt l0h0nm and
other dainties that must be prepared
aud are de riGneur on all formal visits
Frank, or foreign Christian ladies are
cordially welcomed, and the more 80 II
they know little Turkish. Wells are.
of course, laid aside in the harem, SO
that giaour and true believer meet face
to face and have an opportunity OF ex-
aiming each others charms. The
| Turkish women fondle their intldel Sis
ters like bales OF precious goods. They
note the shape of their garments, take
| them In their hands TO see how they are
made, ask them to unlock their bracelets
that they may inspect them, get
| them to unbonnet, that they may
| try on their hats, and from the
crown of their heads to the soles
Of their feet there Is not an article
of wearing apparel that they do not
scrutinize. They are never done crying
"mashalldhP' (wonderfuD, IL their guest
be beauty. Or an American lady, fair,
gentle, graceful and fascinating, q Pa
| sha's wife asked how was 1t possible
that 80 comely q person should come
| from the Tent Dunya (the New World).
She new America only by that name,
and 10 her IL was land of forests and
savages. When she was told there were
cities there as large as STEAMBOAT, and
more beautiful even, In her simplicity
she could not refrain from express
Ing her astonishment; "Ayva1lah g,'er,.
be true2" "But your skin is as white as
ours, and what sweet eyes and mouth p
"Fatima guell' said she, clapping her
hands, and In q moment q female slave,
bowling low, stood before her, her hands
clasped on her breast. "KdhOe, Chibo,M
guett." Bring coffee and pipes" She
returned with pipe having an amber
mouthpiece, cherry stem, gilded bowl,
and band of diamonds at the junction
OF the mouthpiece and stem. Ii was
necessary. fol-. politeness sake, to take q
Whit or two, then the coffee, and next q
round OF continues. As hostess and
guest sat side by side on the divan, the
stranger was piled with all kinds Of
odd questions. and everybody looked
on with eager curiosity. When the
stranger rose to leave she was entreated
to come again. Ben siege gtjdeme-
men," II cannot visit you, but you
can me-" she laughingly calculated
The harem apartment was not very ele.
CANT, nor very clean, though perfumed
with all the odors OF Araby. There
were no paintings, of course, no orna'
ments but two large French mirrors
and the furniture consisted only of O
soft, broad divan, richly covered In blue
damask silk, with small stool-tables Ia
laid with mother-of- pearl. It Is suffi
Client for ell purposes, and Is the same
In the imperial palace as in the konahs
Of the Pashas.