The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-01-08
ZENIB'S HAREM,

ZENIB'S HAREM.
Circassian Beauties, Languislins Oda-
lisques and Brilliant Dressing.
constantirople Letter to Philadelphia Press.
Mrs. Heap, wife of our consul.general,
described to me visit paid by her the
other day to Turkish harem-:hat of
Zenib Hanoum, sister of Ismail Pasha,
the ex-Khedive. This lady is. one of
the most remarkable of living Turk
ish women from her intelligence, liberal
ideas and immense wealth. Her "yall,"
a large gray palace, is one of the hand
soonest on the Bosphorous. On alight-
ing from her carriage, Mrs. Heap and
the four ladies accompanying her were
met at the door by some halfdozen
men-cavasses, grooms and eunuchs-
brilliantly dressed. These escorted the
party through the selemlik, or mems
apartments, which in this case, the lady
being widow, are rather bare. They
consisted of four or five rooms. A long
corridor, softly carpeted, and numerous
windows overlooking fine garden, led
to the women's rooms or haremlik. The
door was opened by two handsome Cir
cassian girls, who led the ladies in, fol-
lowed by a couple Of eunuchs.
A magnificent hall was entered,
square in shape, with two alcoves, one
of which was like an enormous bay
window, enclosed on all sides by plate
glass. This room was furnished in true
oriental style. Divans of crimson dam.
ask lined the gayly-colored walls, an ell
egant buhl comfortable stood on the
rich rug that covered the floor, and a
number of little walnut tables, intri-
cately inlaid with mother-of-pearl,
cleaned in the sunlight that streamcd
through the numerous windows. Wo-
men of age and color were grouped
about, chatting and lounging, but the
arrival of the "Franks' silenced them.
In the rear opposite the glass alcove,
ran up wide staircase thickly carpet
ed, of gold and white, joined on a sort
of gallery which extended from end to
end of the room, and up there was q
group of women in bright costumes, en-.
gagged at the loom or in talking and
smoking. all these ''odalisques" rose
at the visitors arrival. A hideous eu-
much brought word that his mistress was
ready to receive, and her two nieces,
daughters of Hamlin Pasha, came to
usher the ladies in. These two young
ladies, much rouged and painted, were
pretty in the sickly and theatrical way
common to harem beauties. They wore
a composite style of dress, half Euro
pean and half Turkish. The head dress
was turban deliberately embroidered,
and the fair Orientals were fairly SPAN
gled with b1illiants. massive earrings and
brooches. A loose skirt and short
jacket of light silk and high-heeled en-
broidered slippers, completed their Co.'S
tune of piquant ensemble.
Zenib Hanoum received in regal state.
She was sitting, or rather squatting, at
tired richly in full Turkish costume, OH
a raised settee, covered with many soft
cushions. After the usual exchange of
compliments, as manifold and ceremo-
NOUS as in China, the lady clapped her
jeweled hands together and the doors
opened wide. Then in came the pro-
cession bringing the coffee. First en-
tered two black slaves, carrying on their
shoulders carved pole, from which
hung by silver chains tiny brazier. of
the same metal. On its glowing
Goals were placed several little long
handled coffee pots, the aromatic Mo-
cha s!eaming and bubbling, and diffus-
icg delicious odor through the apart
ment. These stood motionless. Then
four others, bearing an immense silver
so1 tn thn
itch silk towel, studded with precious
stones and embroidered in gold thread.
Several other females entered, and each
took from the tray small coffee cup
holder or "saf," placed thereon the cup
filled with coffee, and, kneeling before
each visitor, presented it to them.
Mrs. Heap then noticed that her and
the other ladies' ''zafs" were of gold
filigree work, and literally, in the bright
sunlight, blazing with brilliants, in elab~
crate designs Of birds and flowers.
With the same punctilio the coffee was
removed and the compliments recon-
menced ode plus bell" After that
volley of questions followed on every
conceivable subject; some very, to put
it mildly, queer, for harem ideas of
propriety and ours are, I grieve to say.
widely different. When, after visit of
two hours-for to devote less time to a
call would be grave infraction of the
laws Of etiquette-the ladies rose to
take leave. Zenib Hanoum asked
them to wait an instant. No sooner
had they reseated themselves than the
door opened to give admittance to an.
other flock of women, bringing one a
crystal beaker OF delicious sherbet, be-
side which orr hOasted c0ckta;ls wo,,1d