The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-07-21
A Suitana ChaSes Bridge
groom.

From the I.oudou Standards Cores pondent.
CoNoTANTINopLE, } unc The tol
lowing description OF the marriage nf
Nailc Sultana, one OF The two imperial
brides, has been given to me by an En-
gi.sh lady who was an invited guest, and
xiIi be interesting to your aders,
peciaily To those of the gentler sex The
narrator of the lady was as follows :
On arrival at the house, large build
ing situated up steep, narrow street,
not tar from Dclma Baghtche Palace,
we were ushered by halt dozen eunuchS
through an ante room IN whlce lonnged
a few attendants, into Il fine apartment
crowded with slaves There we were
requested TO wit, as the Sultana had
not yet completed her toilet, coffee and
cigarettes being placed before Us to
to while away the time The konak
has been furnished III a very indifferent
oty,e. l1arems, indeed, seldom approach
our Western ideas Of comfort and luXu
ry; but here We noticed an unusual
absence Of taste and flush, and the eur
tains, divans, g. had shoddy, vulgar
'ook, far from pleasing to the eye. We
afterwards learnt that the bride thor
oughly shared our disappointment, but
could yet no attention paid to com
plants. The slaves. fifty or sixty III
number, were clad III silks and Satins,
with small gauze tulbans perched on
the untidy locks but, except in the
huge earrings of the favoWite hand
madenS we did not observe a single
level. Their old fashioned Turkish
dresses, though smart enough, bright
red. orange, and green being the pre-
vailing colours. had, a. Well as the white
pettcoats, evidently been cut with more
regard to gener~l utility than elegance
Of shape, whllst many plainly declared
themselves the cast-off Of mistress
who divides her rather scanty pocket
money between the mIlllners OF Paris.
Sadly Inconvenience seemed these
chattering women by the long trains OF
their holiday garb Some tucked them
across their arm, others huddled them
up In front, as II 10 carry eggs, whilst
the yainel dansels swept about like
4 peacocks, trown!ng Savagely, and scOld
/ lng In shrill tones when mlschevous or
clumsy fellow servants studied over the
trailing finery Scarce pretty face was
To be seen amongst them. The women
were fat aud coarse the girls slim and
sallow all seemed out Of health, all had
the same sullen, submissive, haif-idiotlc
ar which the hard lot Of these pool
creatures nearly invariably stamps upon
them, and which even the excite
ment of the moment could not ban
ish. Not Turkish lady was present
the pr Il. Of Il e frte-born torbiddin!
Al h,-o
mand the Imperial seraghos, wher,
they would have to huniillate themselve
TO mere purchased slaves. But III thei
cad perhaps a couple of hundred gaily
attired attendants from the other palace
mingled with the household as repre-
sentatise es of the Princess relatives.
TIE BRIDEGROOM COMES.
J. We were Just beginning to tire G
watching the throng, when the stl
without proclaimed the coming OF tn
bridegroom. a man OF twenty four year
of age, short, and inclined TO stoutnes,
but not wanting in certain comelnes,
Naile Sultana had herself chosen bin
!, him at the Friday ieIunoik. This powe
OF selecting husband by inspection d
; ii were, Is privilege OF processes {
l., the House oi Othmau, and is carried I
such an exteut that even lfthe tavoure
gentle already possesses wife, b
must divorce her and wed the Sultan,
Gases of this kind ale rare. but 0 le
least occurred during the latter halt ,
G present century. when al oft Ell va
: compelled, much against bis will, I
comply with lhe custom. Being nc.
however he sought consolation ln-keel
ing his discarded love III separate {
tabllshment, IA proceeding which Is sui
posed never 70 have reached the ca
Il of his royal partne. In the presel
instance, on the contrary, Mchemet Bt
was quite ready to en- brace I lie chau'
!. which fortune offered hlm Poor al
without interest, a simple aId-de can
i UNCERTAIN of promotion, he sudden
finds himself the husband OF his 50