Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-10

The Beautiful but Ignorant Creatures Who
Graced the Establishment of q TeGitLy
Resident of JdHd.

dfdced ktte establishment IOf a. HeGttE2j
Resident of Jah'a.
Jaffa Letter.
One evening we passed in the enjoy
ment of the hospit alities of a rich Greek
who resided in that town. 1t had CHANGED
that in my official capacity I had been
large colony of Greeks residing in Egypt
during the Crimean war, when an edict
for their expulsion from the Ottoman do
minions had been issued from CONSTANT
nopie by the sublime porte and sanctioned
by the Christian powers OF Europe poten-
tial there.
Not representing European power, I
took the responsibility of retaining and
protecting these people in Egypt, and
was ranked among the Fhil-HelIenes
throughout the whole East therefor, be-
sides being made a Knight of the Order
of San Sauveur by King Ohio. AS the
Greeks are scattered everywhere through
out the East, and keep up constant
intercommunication and strict bonds of
sympathy, this stood me in good stead.
Among other benefits, it procured me on
this evening the view of one of the lowell
est women ! ever beheld in any part of the
world-the daughter of our entertainer at
Jaffa. Although the Greeks are most ia
natical Christians, yet in many customs
they, as we'll as all other native Christians
in the East, follow many of the Moslem
usages among others, the absolute seclu-
sion of women from the sight of
strangers. either at home or on
the streets. While walking out they
wear impenetrable veils-at home they
are jealousy 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 bethrothal. His female
relatives inspect her and report her
charms, on viii ch he must form his jIdg-
ment 1t was therefore by a special and
extraordinary favor by which 1 was per-
mitted to look on the unveiled face of this
lovely Greek maiden, whose beauties the
eye of no unmarried man had ever viewed
before, save her future husband. who that
day had first been granted the privilege.
Lies extremes Sc touchent." For here in
Jaffa was practiced the matrimonial brok
erage which prevails in France-the queen
of modern civilization. Mrs. Prime had
bsen passing the evening in this Christian
harem,while we men creatures were solemn
~ smoking and stuffng ourselves with east
ern sweetmeats in the mems apartment
below, and were getting sleepy from
the smoky atmosphere, repletion, and the
conversation under difficulties, diluted
and strained through several languages,
when a messenger mysteriously beckoned
Mr.. Prime and myself from the apartment
-,
steps, we were ushered into the sacred
precincts of the ladies' bower, where we
found Mrs. Prime surrounded by a bevy
of damsels of all ages and sizes, from the
fulfilled proportions of the natron down
to the slender-waisted, gazelle-eyed girls
of eleven or thirteen years of age, just
ripening into womanhood. Then first I
knew where prophet had drawn his Wis
ions of the future state, and
where on earth its hours
might be seen. For those
women were of rare and witchirg lowell
ness, yet loneliness of earth earthly
save those who were very young, around
whom yet fingered the grace and purity of
childhood. The soft bright light of intel
igence, cultivated by education and
thought, refined by knowledge, poetry,an
music, and feminine accom- plishments,
was wanting in those full, dark, brilliant
orbs, which, shyly lifted up from under the
long fringed lashes, shot a ray of light
into your own, then were bent down again.
Yet there was much to attract the senses
in the sweet faces and willowy features of
the younger damsels, the bride-expectant
being very paragon ofloveliness.
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 ill-informed as children, but
full of curiosity and excessively loquaciOns.
They were habited i'll Eastern costume OF
the richest stuffs, exposing the bosom,
and substituting baggy trousers of silk
(shintyans) for petticoats and skirts, while
in their braided hair shone Jewels and
golden coins. They seemed to enjoy as g
rare frolic the presence of two bearded
men among them, and no doubt talked ii
over, as belle would her first ball.
Here, as below, pipes, perfumed mar
gilehs and sweetmeats were the order OF
the evening, and fair dam5els pulled ener-
getically and blew clouds of Latakia
smoke through their nostrils with equal
grace and gravity. 1t was very late when
we left, and the jealousy of our unfortu
nate friends we had left below was vehe
mently kindled when they learned oul
happy fortune.