Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-05-12

thy at home, forbidden all amuse.
ment and diversion out of doors,
ignorant of boyish sports, even OF
riding, probably, the Turkish lad
falls into dissipation. For any
kind of vice he finds liberty
enough at Stamboul. No Chris
tian have l ever met so bold, even
in imagination, as to draw a
picture of the dark places in that
city. But several of these ed
ucated youths have assured me
that the luxurious temptations of
immortality in Stamboul-not Pera
nor Galato-are unequaled in
their not uncomfortable experience
of Europe.
The state of society was re-
vealed to me with rather startling
force one day. l called upon a
Young Mohammsdan whose Eng.
lish education has made him one
of ourselves in every respect saw
ing that it has not shaken his re-
ligious faith. He heldin his arms a
lovely child of two years old or so,
who screamed with passion. A
small Circassian boy, fair haired,
blue.eyed, was trying to distract
her. but the apparition of the
+" Chelebi " was more successful.
The children were presently dis
missed to the harem, and my
friend observed:
81 dread to think Of that boys
departure. Ny baby has the
temper of a little fiend and only
he can manage her."
Knowing the small Circassian,a
slave, l asked why he was leaving.
81 must send him to Robert
College soon," was the reply, "and
get another playfellow for the
child"
Robert College is the American
school where SO many middle-class
youths are being educated-well
educated too, though perhaps, the
training is not in all respects the
best.
l said: "The kindness of your
people toward their slaves is well
known to me, but l did not think
it ran SO far as to pay their ex-
penses at college"
He answered, laughing: Not
as rule, of course. But my In
tention is to marry those two if
Ahmet turns out well. He is
clever and well disposed. The
missionaries will keep him honest,
l hope"
This was such . novel view of
the relations between bondslave
and mistress, that l discussed the
matter at length several times.
My friend told me that. such
matches, never rare in Turkey,
are now quite usual. The state
Of morals is such in STEAMBOAT,
that parents do not willingly take
. daughter or son-in>law from
families of their own rank. They
distrust all the world. It has
lately become q common thing to
choose q slave, boy or girl, to grow
up under their eyes. The first ex-
pense averages, about forty
pounds, and the female child costs
little. She is taught truthfulness
and virtue, fine sewing, the mys-
terry of coffsc-making and of filing
a pipe-the arts of q very simple
housewife. A boy is vastly more
expensive, a. in this case he must
be sent to school, launched upon
some kind Of employment, and
provided for until tho parents are
satisfied that he will mako their
child happy. Then the pair are
married and the ex>slave becomes
a member of the family, though
that makes little change to him.
Ny Moslem friend is on suci
terms with me that ! speak to hi
wife almost a. freely ~ l woult
to a Christians. Remember tha'
he was brought up in England
and speaks the language a. vel
as we. Many readers acquainted
with Constantinople win know q
whom refer.
To my question how the child
mother regarded this idea, he an
swered that it was her own con
ceiying. And then he related "
rious stories Of domestic miser..
and crime within her knowledge