The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-27
Turkish Female Dress.

COnSJdnJlnOple Letter.
Some little time ago L mentioned
the issue of an imperial decree re-
speeding the dress of the turkish
ladies. Exception had been taken at
the neat little "bottines" and the dia-
phanous wells which the hideous yell
low "yemenees" and thickly folded
f'yathmaks" of the past had been re-
placed, DIS also the "feridjees" that in
the loWness of their cut and trim
mins were fast developing into the
c.UShs of their Frankish sisters. The
fair daughters of Islam were hidden
to set aside all such vanities, under
the penalty of making the acquain-
lance of the minister of police,
and exhorted to return to the
old form of fashion DISCUSSES.
This decree was followed not long ago
by a second-not that the obedience
shown to the first ore was such as to en-
courage the authorities in any belief
they may have entertained as to their
power to control female taste in dress.
The second edict was aimed at the
"tchartchaf," an article of dress only
worn by the poorer classes. 1t is u
kind of cotton shawl which is thrown
over the head, gathered in at the waist
with bit of belt, and then pinned
across the chin, GYPSY fashion, the
women assisting it in its Office of hid
ing its features by pulling the upper
parts together with the hand when
ever the approach of a man is signaled
in the neighborhood. That is to say,
those of advanced age invariably do,
as also, those whom nature may have
endowed with greater graces of mind
than form; but the young and pretty
are not gifted, apparently, with such
exquisite sensibilities, and in the
charming confusion that ensues upon
theirIsuddeply becoming aware of the
presence of man often afford him a
glimpse of beauty that, to use the
poetical expression of the Turk, makes
his heart feel like an ill-treated piece
of kabob (roast beef-burned up, so
to say, with the fire of love.
Turkish women are not the poor,
tame creatures of Western ideas, sub
missive in every respect to the will of
their lord and masters. | know of
more than one poor hen-pecked Turk
who is as much afraid of his wife's
tongue as any unfortunate "Bene-
Dict of the West, tied TO scold for
life through the laws of his land. 1t
is not the ease with which matrimo-
NAL shackles can be cast off among
Mohammedans that regulates these
matters. There are many considera-
lions that keep Turkish couples to-
gether who would otherwise drift
apart, and though the "harem" is pop
ularly supposed to contain several
wives, as a rule there is but one,
who is quite the mistress of the
house. More especially is this the
case at Constantinople, where the
Young Turk, as a rule, seeks an al
nance that will help him on his career,
+ and the partners thus obtained know
well the use of such threat as turks
in the declaration of an intended APP
peal to their powerful relations. The
Koran sanctions as many as four
wives and the adoption of any number
of left-handed partners; but Jealousy
is by no means an unknown feature
of the Turkish female mind, and nc
Turk who values domestic peace will
think of taking advantage of such
permission.
1t is not to be supposed that women
with such force of character WERE
going to tamely submit to an order
requiring them to throw away good
substantial wearing apparel and go II
for f1imsy "yashmaks" at an expense
they could i'll afford, and so this edic'
is no more being observed than the
last one. The Turkish women hav'
set their faces strenuously against 1t
and, like their sisters of the West
they generally have their own way
when they have made up their minds
to do so.