Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-10-07
Turkish Domestic Life IN he Way of
Ref arm

Ref3rm.
Every Turk Leads two lives. He may
be in the society o. Europeans during six
hours Of every day. He is then well
dressed, vivacious, perhaps intelligent.
But this part of his life is not the part
which forms his motives. 1t Is not then
that the final causes are at work which
govern his acts. His life, when he is IN
the busy whirl Of the world, is superficial
and unreal. How artificial i. is can be
seen In the alacrity with which, on his
return to his hsrem, he lays of the broad
cloth clothes OF his public existence, and
dons the white bsggy trousers, the open
necked vest, snd the long gown dear TO his
heart. He is only ready 10 be st ease when
he releases his feet from patent leather
and from stockings, snd thruss them into
unheeied slippers. Then he is himself,
for ne is at home The hsrem is to every
Turk his haven of refuge. To it he may
flee from every care. About the harem
cling all the sweetest associations OF his
life. All his best feelings find exercise in
that sacred place. His mother, perhaps,
is there, or his sisters There only he en-.
joys the prattle of his children. There
alone in sll the world can the tired man
find the balm Of sympathy. There be has
his books, and can study III peace if he
Will. There he enjoys the riches of his
splendid flower garden. In the domain of
the women, with hills and wales and
moon.touched sea before his eyes, he
dreams away his summer evenings under
the subtle spell OF nature. And here he
meets the controlling Influences of his
life. The women of the harem, mother,
sisters, and wives, wait upon the
man coming YEARLY home from his
struggle with lite. They are to him hum
bic servants or merry companions, rs
his mood is. They please him with his
children, or leave him alone with his
books, at his behest. Sooner or later,
nowe,ri, tney assert their woman's right
OF talking on serious topics, and then
they have him at their mercy. Now these
women who make the home of the Turk
are rarely his equals in mental acquire.
ments. No question OF blood rules the
selection OF wives among the Turks. A
woman born In mud howell often rules
In Pasha's palace. At the very best,
Turkish women rarely have any educa-
ton beyond the primer. They believe in
signs and wonders; IN the active agency
II evil spirits; in the existence of great
dragon who periodically attempts to swal.
low the moon; in charms and incanta-
tons. In short, they are as supersutious
"a they can be after centuries OF heredi
tary Ignorance. But they are positive
IN opinion, and intolerant of opposition.
Moreover, they are, above all things else,
ardent and bigoted Mohammedans Such
are the intellectual surroundings of the
Turk during that part of his lite which
he loves, And when the women of his
house turn the conversation upon public
affairs, the poor man is helpless in
their hands, because he knows
the futllity OF logic in such dig
cussion. Often a pssha meets st home a
petition which he has refused IN his Office
and yielding to sheer importantly on tho
part OF his women, he rewards the sbrewd
ness of the man who has found means TO
invoke such aids. Often ithas happened
that the pasha disappoolnts an ambasss-
dor, and violates his promise To support
new measure because the women of his
household object to the deviation from
custom. He must yield to his home
circle. or break with them entirely,
These women ere under no influences by
which their opinions may be changed
They live in q world of their own, and
Snow nothing OF that outside world to
which they are simply curiosities OF an.
tlque origin.
This glance at the home life of the
Turk and its influence upon him, leaves
little to hope from the Turks in the direc-
ton OF voluntary abandonn ent of old
systems and practices, -Honry q. Delight,
IN Hoyper's Magazine for October.