The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-25
EGYPTIAN HARRMs.
The Domestic Life There Described by
Western Woman.

The Domestic Life There Described by a
Western Woman.
ICairo Correspondence New York suu.l
Those harems to which of late have been
enjoying a right of access, do not represent
that type which is best known by literary
tradition. Constantinople and the Asiatic
Provinces have mainly produced these,
which have therefore, for the most part. the
more gaudy and luxurious character of
Turkish life. such as is not found in Egypt
except in the centers of the highest official
society-Cairo and Alexandria. The vast
middle class here, while in some features OF
its manner it sssimilates itself to the domi-
nant. if hated, Turk. gives evidence, none
the less, Of the Arab blood that fills its veins
as well as those of the agricultural people,
in the comparative simplicity of all its hab
Its, even among the women. Ny friends of
EGYPTIAN haute bourgeoisie are in the ma
iority of cases, the single wives of their hus-
bands; dispense with large portion of the
useless retinue of idle Neutrality-suspicious.
even with the Nubian eunuch, who is the in
evitable maitre d hotel of the fashionable es-
adjustments; do little needful and fancy
needle work, and, on occasion, direct per-
sonally and actively the preparation of their
husbands dinner party down stairs or their
own above.
1 wonder now how 1 have spent SO many
hours among the black-eyed women behind
their screens and enjoyed it as much as i
did. for with a dozen single words my
Arabic was exhausted, and our conversation
went forward necessarily by signs in great
measure. 1 generally found them very in-
genious in pantomime, and always graceful
and spirited in it. If they had warning of
my visit, the younger ladies always dressed
deliberately to welcome me, painting their
eyebrows and lids, plating their hair into
innumerable little braids, with gold coin
fastened at the end Of each, so that the bunch
of them jingled behind their backs at every
movement, putting on slippers and some
times even stockings, and over their ordinary
dress a more snowy one Of silk or bright
colored material, always gathered high up
under the arms and hanging plain in front
and at the back. They were evidently
pleased at the occasion for hanging every
available necklace and chain they had about
their necks, and particularly enjoyed my
remarking all the details of their costumes.
In the smaller establishments they re-
ceived me themselves at the terrace or land
ing of the stairs; in the larger ones bevy
of women servants would usher me into the
large sitting-room which is provided every
where for the entertainment of visitors in
the women's regions above, as in the mems
below. | seldom found them alone, but
plunged into the daily reception which goes
in lieu of daily occupations among these
busy gOssippers. They arrive and leave in
little parties, invariably enveloped for the
street in large black silk drspery
(Habarah), from head to foot, with the
burke, long black Grape face piece, hang
ing from below the eyes. 1 have never seen
the white muslin coverings, or yashmaks, of
the purely Turkish ladies outside of Cairo
or Alexandria. These outer conceaing
garments are all torn off as soon as the
retirement of the hsrem salon is reached,
and the visitor is kissed on both cheeks,
if an intimate friend, seated on the line of
brilliant cushions that line the walls here, in
stead of the masculine divan, and matters
proceed quietly until coffee is brought. with
cigarettes. However humble the establish
ment or intimate the guests, this is the &C.
casion of careful ceremony. The coffee tray
is draped with embroidered coverings, and
appears at the door upheld by gaudy ker-
chiefed negress. Here the upper or Arab
servants, or, if there are any, the grown-up
daughters and daughters-in- law, fill the lit
tie cups and offer them on their stands to
the guests in exact order of their dignity,
being instantly rebuked by the hostess if
they make mistake as to precedence.
The drinking is done seriously, the clat-
ter of tongues ceases, there are gurgling
sounds of prolonged slipping all around the
circle, and the handmaidens, Arab and At
rican, arrange themselves in not ungracetul
order about the room, standing perfectly
motionless, with their arms folded before
them carefully, from elbow to elbow. They
are always dressed in a simple gown, gath
cred only under the arms, like their mis-
tress, but trimmed with bands of various
brilliant colors, and also like the ladies and
children in the house, they have snowy
handkerchief tied simply over the head,
with perhaps another, rolled, to bind it
closer. The Egyptians, with their fine
bronze skins and even lines of feature, place
themselves at little distances from the
guests, and the black Africans in statu-
esque row near the door. The little chill
dren of the servants who have trooped into
the room with the children of the family,
when they see their playmstes take the seats
assigned to them among the guests, drop
back with really comical gravity into
their proper position in the social order, AMI
stand straight upright beside their mothers,
the brown ones in front among the brown,
and the black among the black, and fold
their little arms across their fat little per-
sons in evident pride at having place and
an attitude that belongs to them. and that
they csa so creditsbly fill. They look, in
their scant, nigktgowny dresses, just like the
baby Prince James of CHARLES Is
family in Van Dykes pictures, and quite as
important.
The lull of the coffee slipping begins to
vanish, as one by one the little cups are
handed back from hand to hand along the
lines of servants to the tray upheld by the
statue at the door, and the chatter breaks
forth in terrific force. 1t would quiet down
occasionally under the influence Of some're
ference to me. and the impossibility of my
giving the return torrent required in an
swer to the voluSle questions put to me by
any number of them together. 1 was al
most invariably the only Northern woman
that had ever visited these abodes, and my
aspect and enforced silence were evidently
matter for new kind of wonder to them,
for they would every now and then rsmem-
Der it among the discussion of local affairs,
and stop short to again ask some questions,
the meaning of which 1 could as often as
not guess, and, though not quite so often
answer. They would then remark upon
my dress being ALA Franco, and compare
its component parts. materials. and forms
with theirs, and put their black face draper