The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-17
FOR THE LADIES.
The Pn.h.'s Hnrcm,. Tana,er.


follows in the Century Mdgdsinel for
November ~ -. Ah
We had brought an interpreter, and
knowing that European ladiess were
sometimes allowed TO visit the harem
Of his eminence, we commissioned our
man of words to request this favor.
The pasha, handsome, man of APP
parently sixty years OF age, stepped
from an arched doorway, and, with
many a hirt and flutter Of his volumin-
GUS muslin draperies, seated himself on
the rug-covered divan at the upper end
of the apartment We rose and made
salam respectfully, and Antonio, our
courier, made known our petition,
adorning it with many flowers of his
own Imagination. The distinguished
guests before him, he informed the
pasha, were Of the highest nobility of
America, intimate friends tf Generals
Grant and Washington-the only
two Americans, doubtlt IS, with
whose names the pasha was familiar.
Our request vas granted, and the
lady friend of Washington was led
away by diminutivc Nubian
in the direction of the seraglio. l
entered beautiful court, surrounded
by porticoes supported by antique pill
lars dug from Roman ruins, and used
i'll the construction of this palace Just as
the Cordovan Moors utilized the col
umns of the Caesars in their mosque.
A fountain occupied the center
of the tile paved court, an old woman
was praying devoutIy upon rug beside
it, while from an alcove across the
court issued the musical voices of the
ladies of the pasha, Elegantly dressed
in Eastern fashion, in purple, green
and gold vests, brocade caftans and
variegated scarfs, with silk handker.
chiefs knotted about their black braids,
they were seated upon a raised divan
and engaged in sitting cornmeal,
which lay piled in golden drifts upon a
sheet stretched across the floor. They
received me cordially, slave bringing
a European chair for rue to sit upon
Our medium Of conversation was little
broken Spanish and copious use of
the sign language. A beautiful little
boy of three came and regarded me
wonderingly. His head was shaved,
with the exception of spot behind
one ear, from which depended single
curl-thc lock of youth of Egypt; to
keep the equilibrium. two large hoop
earrings, adorned with a single tur.
quoise, were inserted in the opposite
ear. His name, they told me, was
Selim. He received a coin with sub
lime indifference, and continued his
inspection of the strange lady's CO.'S
tune. The pasha's harem consisted of
ladies of varying ages. Here were
wrinkled crones his matrimonial out
reer-comfortable women i'll the prime
of life, devoted to smoke and sweet
meats, and the odalisque of sixteen,
already two years a wife. They pitied
the lonely life in "harem of one"
snd felt a strong sympathy for the poor
American wives, with no sister favorites
to share their solitude and aid them
about their household affairs. In this
princely house, where there was food
and fnery enough for all, the bevy of
wives seemed to live together with a
merry good fellowship, but We heard
of poorer families where the state of
affairs was not so paradisaical. On the
occasion of new addition to the serag-
lilo, the elder wives are stripped OF
their iewelry to bedeck the bride, and
loud is the cry Of lamentation--Ba'
doura bewailing her bangles, and
Zumroud weeping for her ank
lets. One of the favorites took me
by the hand and led me over the
building-to the pasha's own apartment,
sumptuous with decorated ceiling and
rich carpets, to their own palmer rooms
ana to the neglected garden, where my
guide filled my hands with flowers from
the tangled bushes which had covered
the walks, and where the bees found
the honey with which they had filled
the hollow capitals of some carved col
umns of the arcade. On bidding adieu
to the ladies, they eXerted themselves
with one accord to prevent my depart
ure; the chair was brought forward,
was pushed toward it with gentle insist
ence, and had quite to tear myself away
As I crossed the pavement, their inten
tion was explained by the appearance O
a small Nubian, who darted before ne
clashing together pair of tiny coffee
cups, decorated with a red and golt
arabesque ornamentation, which gavt
them resemblance to Kaga ware.
delicious odor of coffee aided the ex
PLANTATION; they wished me to remain
and partake of refreshments. Not wish
ing to keep the party in the Hall o
Judgment longer waiting, and hardly
knowing whether it would be etiquette
as it would certainly not be kindness
to eat and drink in their presence dur
ing their time of fasting, l declined
their courtesy and took my leave.