The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-12-08
The Women Of Cyprus.

The Women Of Cyprus.
n spec al correspondent of the New
York World writes from the island Of
Cyprus as follows: - Isl
Nicosia. the capital, is undoubtedly
the town containing larger proportion
Of Turks than any other part of Cyprus.
The Turkish women there are certainly
beautiful and are very numerous, and
although they were obliged to conform
to MOslem regulations during the Turk
ish rule they have kicked over the
traces since the British occupation.
When Cyprus was Turkish the women
were Turkish in every respect. They
hardly ever went out, and then only to
the hamam, or bath, attended by old
women, servants, or eunuchs, their
faces covered with yasmaks so that
not even a Turk should see them. far
more a Christian. Whenever they met
a man and before he could approach
them they would turn their faces to the
wall and pull their feretzes. or. gowns,
tightly over their heads, while the at
tending servants and eunuchs would
call out to the stranger to make haste
and go his way SO that their "lady"
should pass unmoiesred. They never
appeared at their doors and their
windows were protected with wood
en- cross-bars SO close together
that, although they could see in
to the street, nobody could see
them. Now. however, all is changed.
The Turkish woman, knowing that she
can no more be punished by the re-
ligious authorities. whose power
ceased the day the British troops first
put foot in the island, has openly
thrown off the yoke and claimed her in
dependence, and with Vengeance, too.
Turkish husbands, fathers, and brothers
and friends are frantic with despair at
the turn affairs have taken, and
should Turk come here from any
other part of the Islam he would not
believe his own eyes, for this is the very
first time and place that 1.-THE thing"
as the faithful call the woman, has
dared to act in direct opposition to all
that is dear to Mahometans. Women
belonging to the harem can now be
seen at all hours of the day and night in
the streets and on the ramparts of
Nicosia, retaining their feretzes, but
not covering their faces with yasmaks-
at least the pretty ones do not-and an
officer friend of mine has discovered
the way to find out in the distance if a
Turkish woman is good-looking or not.
If she is pretty she is sure to 90 about
with her face unveiled, but should she
know herself to be ugly she is certain
to have her face closely wrapped up,
leaving the Giaours to Judge of her looks
by the fire of her eyes which
are always uncovered, and as it
is next to impossible to find
a Turkish woman without superb
eyes the uninitiated will at first sight
think he has encountered a houri. Ii,
however, the harem beauties would
content themselves with simply walking
about with uncovered faces husbands
and brothers would not have much to
complain o., Lut unfortunately this is
not all. They talk to the Christians.
and walk arm-in- arm with the English
officers, and even with the soldiers.
They give co Zee parties to which gen.
tlemen only, and they Giaours, are in
vited, and instead of re ewing their
visitors in the selamlik part of the
house. where all men should be re-
ceived, they receive them in the harem
quarters, and when their husbands or
other relatives come home they are
with what they hear and rush
to the harem to find the door closed
against them, and to be told that they
must have made mistake in coming to
the sacred female entrance. rs accord
ing to Mussuiman uSages, which they
so much love. their place is in the sell
amlik. saw them sitting in the cafes
and drinking raki! Actually
drinking. Fancy a drunken Turkish
Surely The world is coming to
an end and Mahomets wife Ayesha
must be turning in her coffin. Take a
seat, SIR" says the cafedgi, or propri-
etor. l stare at him in dismay and feel
certain that am in dream and squeeze
the arm of the friend who accompanies
me. telling him it must be dream.
"Dream be bowed" says he; swat
a m;nute''-which he has hardly
said, when barrel organ starts up.
''Orphee aux ENTERS" and the hanoums
turkish women) dance actually
not alone, but with Tommy
Atkins. and Tommy Atkins of the low
est type. They understand the music.
they know the dance; but what is this?
The cancan! Is this the Mabille, abOl-
ished in Paris to be transplanted in
Cyprus? BY Allah! but this verify can
not be true But say what l will and
think what may. there they were, and
there. understand, they can be seen at
any time. Every Turkish woman in the
island is suing for divorce. which the
husbands are only too glad to grant,
and if the Turks themselves ever expect
TO get wives or a harem again they are
very much mistaken, unless they search
for them among the Christian popula-
ton.
l have lived in Mahometan countries
all my lie, and this is the first time 1
have met the emancipated Turkish
and after careful study of the
subject have arrived at the conclusion
hat the harem inmate is only waiting
for chance to put an end to harem
life. and that if the British occupation
Of Egypt continues for any length of
time and the religious authorities lose
heir hold on the female population,
yood-by to harems and through them to
and to slavery.
EIvss TanpDa