The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-03-27
LIGHTS OF THE HAREM.
(Relations Of the Chief Eunuch and
His Charges in the Palace.

Constantinople Correspondent of the n. Y. Herald.
1t must no, be supposed that eun-
uchs are a particularly Turkish or
Moham medan institution. They
were known in the East and formed a
portion of the household of oriental
monarchs long before the Arabian
prophecies Of the Turks were ever
heard of. Such guardians were to be
found even at the court of the Byzau-
tine emperors and the founders OF the
Ottoman empire adopted them with
other attributes of sovereign state in
throwing of ali sembIance Of suhjec-
ton to the Seljuckian Sultans. Aping
the example of their sovereigns, the
great Pachas went In for the same
custom. placing the care of their fe
(Anaies under one or more such quail
led guardians. OF late years the emf
ployment OF eunuchs has gone greatly
out of fashion, ordinary attendants
being sent In charge of the ladies
when taking their walks abroad. Tais
is due la measure, [ fancy, to tine
more humane and enlightened ideas
with regard to their family life that
set In with the advent to the throne
of Abdul Aziz. He abrogated the
cruel law by which none of the male
children born of Sultans were allowed
tc survive their birth, and no princess
to have sons that might possibly be-
co..e pretenders to the throne. The
birth of his own son, Yusuf Izzidin. was
kept carefully concealed, aud when
this became no longer necessary he re-
ioiced the fearts of his isters bv Civ
sagthem the same privileges as all Mos
lsm women, whose greatest desire is to
become the mother of male child.
The time, however, is within the
recollection of many persons at Con-
stantinople when no carriage with
Turkish ladies was to De seen unaccOm-
panied by mounted eunuchs, armed
with keen cutting scimitars which
they were apt to use on the slightest
provocation. There is a gentleman
still to be met with out here who OBJ
tanned q handsome indemnity from the
Porte for the severe punishment he re-
ceived at the hands of eunuch for
what the latter considered impertinent
klances thrown by the "Ghiaour" in
khe direction of the fair "True Believ-
ers" promenading the sweet waters
binder his care. To return. however,
30 the subject of the 'Da-usseadet-
Oghasse. This high Office was only
instituted in the reign of Sultan Mu-
rad III. and the first person appoint
I'd was negro called Mehmet Agba.
His successor WAS q white eunuch, for
i was fashion to have them guardians
bf both colOrs.
Several of the keepers of the "Gate
pf Felicity" have been men of marked
ability. and some of them of
considerable attainments. so that it is
not surprising to find that they should
occasionally have been transferred
rom the domestic to the public vice.
Such advancement, however, has new
fallen 10 the lot of other than white
hnuchs Two of these latter even be-
anne grand viziers-the one a certain
4 hadum Messih Pacha in the reign
Of Selim /. and the o'her Kurdjis
dehomet Pacha in that of the first
Sultan A chmet. Others again. have
had the title O. Sadr Azane Grand
Vixier) bestowed upon them without
the Office, and were STYLED highness,
uet as Beiram Agile is in the present
lay. While the Gate cf Felicity"
bas thus led to great honors in the
bast to some of its guardians it has,
the case of others, but proved the
portal Of death by the bowstring and
ataghan, for Ottoman monalchs were
Mighty Jealous of their honor,s and the
Pightest suspicion of anything being
(5png in the harem wont t. send many
70 inmate to the bottom of the Bosph-
rus, together with those who were
imposed to have shown lack of vigil
nee. The chief eunuch enjoys great
over in the harem. and although
be days of the "sack" and "bowstring"
re past it is decidedly bad for the
edy Who falls out with the guardian
the gate, for he can make her a
lose prisoner and deprive her of all
omfOrt.
The Latest Society Craze.