The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-11-27
IN THE SULTAN's HAREM.
The Wife OF Minister Wallace
Tells of q Visit to Nour-
mahal.

mahal.
Light Of the Harem.
A broad, low divan of pale blue
silk ran round the apartment. No
pictures on the marble walls, no books
no brio a-brac, no trumpery "collec-
lions" ceramics, aesthetic trash. grave
or gay. nor muffling hangings These
are not Oriental Injuries but, in
stead, a cool. shady emptiness. plenty
of space for the breese to futter the
gausy curtains and carry the echo of
the plash and drip of the fountains.
At the furthest end, and reclining
on pillows of silk and lace, rested the
lady we sought. One little foot, in
q red velvet slipper, was first seen be-
low white trousers of yellow silk,
A loose robe of white silk, en-
broidered with gold thread, was per.
fectly covered by sleeveless jacket of
crimson, dotted with seed yearl a
broad variegated sash wound tue slen.
der waist. Half concea'ing the arms
was light scarf, airy as the woven
wind of the sncients. A head band,
with diamond pendants fringed her
forhead a REVERE of diamonds circled
her bare throat, and here and there
solitary drops flashed in the braids of
her night-bIack hair. Among the bill
.owy cushions and vaporous veilines
rose the young face oh, what a reve-
lation of beauty !-uplifted in { Curl
Gus, questioning way, to see what
manner of women these are, who
come FROM the ends of the earth with
unveiled faces, and 60 about the world
alone, and have to think for them
selves, poor things! the expression
was that of a lovely child waxing
from a summer slumber in the happi.
est humor. ready for play. A seDsi-
tive, exquisite face, fair as the first of
women while the angel was yet un-
fallen. A perfect oval, the lips a
scarlet read, and oh. those wonderful
Asiatic eyes !-lustrous, coal-bIack,
long. rather round, beaming under
the joined eyebrows of which the poet
Ha6z sings.
Nourmahal did not rise, but held
out one jewelled hand. dimpled as a
baby's, and nails and finger-ends dyed
pink with henna-five clustered rose
buds. The magic of beauty made US
her subjects. We kissed the little
hands Loyalty, and yielded ourselves
willing captives ready to he dragged
at her chariot-wheels. My lifelong
notions of the subsection OF a woman
(see Stuart Milf and the wretched-
ness Of the prisoners pining IN palatial
splehdOrs vanished at the first glance !;
went down at a touch, like the wound
ed night in the lists of Templestowe.
She smiled and hoped we were well /;
then followed suitable inquiries as to
health and journeys, and expressions
Of the charm at finding it all out. l
ventured the high assertion that we
had sailed 5000 miles on purpose to
lay our homage at her blessed feet !;
which rhetorical flourish was received
with q childish nod at about what it
was worth. Somehow she did not
seem so enchanted with her new wor-
shippers as they we're with her. 1t
appeared the Beauty had never seen
the sea except from the shore.
At the signal the slaves disappeared,
except one old woman and the negroes,
silent as ghosts, beside the Lahore dra-
perry. In few minutes five slaves re.
turned, each carrying q small round
table of cedar, inlaid with scraps of
mother-ofpearl. Five Others followed.
with lighted cigarettes. lying each in q
silver saucer: and coffee in tiny cups,
about the size of a giants thimble,
resting in silver filagree holder. oct
round with diamonds.
"My new friends have come 80 far"
said Nourmahal, ''they must be tired.
Take cigarette and refresh your.
selves"
Irather awkwardly adjusted the
holder of amber and ventured one
faint Whit Imagine my astouish.
ment at seeing my friend, whose name
With difficulty suppress, puff away
like a dissipated old smoker. The
Armenian was native and to the man.
ner born. Nourmahal smoked, of
course, and a lulling calm succeeded
the excitement of the brilliant CONVEX.
sation reported above. While feeling
round in my brain for a subject Of
common interest, adapted to my
hostess capacity and mine, / tried q
sip of the coffee. 1t was strong