National Republican., 1883-03-19
A CHRISTIAN IIAREM.
The Beautiful But Ignorant Creatures
Who Graced the Establishment OF
Wealthy Resilient OF Jafia.

Jd1d Letter.
One evening we passed in the enjoyment
of the hospitalities of arich Greek who re-
sided in the town. 1t had CHANGED that in
my official capacity had been able in Egypt
to accord protection to tho large colony of
Greeks residing in Egypt during the Crimean
war, when an cdict for their expulsion from
the Ottoman dominions had been issued from
Constantinoplo by the sublime porte and
sanctioned by the Christian powers of Europe
potential there.
Not representing a European power took
tho responsibility of retaining and protecting
these people in Egypt, and was ranked among
the Phil-Hellenes throughout the whole east
therefor, besides being made a knight of the
order of San Sauveur by King Otho. As the
Greeks are scattered everywhere throughout
the east, and keep up u constant intercom-
munication and strict bonds of sympathy, this
stood me in good stead. Among other bene-
fits it procured me ON this evening the view
of one of the loveliest women / ever behold
in any part of the world-the daughter of our
entertainer at Jafla. Although the Greeks
are most fanatical Christians, yet in many
customs they, as well as all other native
Christians in the east follow many of the
Mosem usages-among others the absolute Sc
clusion of women from the sight OF strangers,
either ut home or on the streets. While
walking out they wear impenetrable walls
at home they are jealously restricted to their
own apartments, into which no man is ever
admitted, save the members of their own
household. Even the happy bridegroom is
not allowed to see the face of his bride until
after formal betrothal. His female relatives
inspect her and report her charms, on which
he must form his judgment. 1t was there
fore by u special and extraordinary favor
~ w | IN tbn
vcilcd face of this lovely Greek maiden,
whose beauties the eye of no unmarried man
had ever viewed before, save her future hus-
band, who that day had first been granted the
privilege. LES. ertTemes Sc tOuCheRt.n For
here in Jatla WAS practiced the matrimonial
brokerage which prevails in France-the
queen of modern civilization. Mrs Prime
had been passing the evening in this Chris
tian harem, while we men creatures were
solemnly smoking and stufhng ourselves with
eastern swcetmeats in the mems apartment
beloE, and were getting sleepy from the
smoky atmosphere, repletion, and the CONVEX
sation under difficulties, diluted and strained
through several languages, when a messenger
mysteriously beckoned Mr.. Prime and my
self from the apartment, and, following the
messengers shuflling steps, we were ushured
into the sacred precincts of the ladies' bower,
where we found Mrs. Prime surrounded by q
bevy of damsels of all ages and sizes, from the
fulfilled proportions of the matrOn down to the
slender-waisted gazelle-eyed girls of IL or l3
years of age, just ripening. into womanhood.
Then first | knew where the prophet had
drawn his visions of the future state, and
where ON earth its houris might be seen. For
those women were of rare and witching
lOvoliness, yet lOveliness of earth earthly
save those who We're very young, around whom
yet fingered the grace and purity of
childhood. The soft, bright light OF intell-
gehce, cultivated by education and thought
refined by knowledge, poetry, and music, and
feminine accomplishments was wanting in
those full dark brilliant orbs which shyly
lifted up from under the long, fringed lashes
shot q ray of light into your own, then were
bent down again. Yet there was much to
attract the senses in the sweet faces and will
lOwy features of the young damsels, the
bride-expectant being very paragon Of love
illness.
We are bound over to perfect secrecy as to
our visit, but found the ladies much nicer To
look at than to talk TO, being as ignorant and
i'll informed as children, but full of curiosity
and excessively loquaciou3, They were hab-
tied in eastern costume of the richest stuiIs
exposing the bosom and substituting baggy
trousers of silk lshintyans) for petticoats and
skirts, while in their braided hair shone Jewels
and golden coins. They seemed to enjoy as
rare trolc the presence of two bearded men
among them, and no doubt talked IL over as
belle would her first ball.
Here, as below pipes, perfumod nargilehs,
aud swectmGat5 were the order Of the even
ing, and fair dNmsels puiied engrgetically and
blew clouds OF Lataliia smoke through their
nostrils with equal grace and gravity 1t was
very late when we left, and the jealousy of
our unfortunate friends wo had left below
was vehementy kindled when they learned
our happy fVFtanS