The Opelousas courier., 1884-12-06
HAREM LIFE IN EGYPT
Women Leading n Life of Ignorance o nd
Childish PastiIne.

Women Leading n Life of ignorance o nd
Childish Pastime.
General Loring throws as much
light as circumstances permit, in his
recent book on Egypt, upon life in the
harem. One can naturally see that
from the peculiar n in which
marriages are made in Egypt there is
little domestic life Of the sort we un
derstand.
1.-THE ladies constituting the families
of the late Khedive, Ishmail Pasha:
and of his numerous sons, are in many
respects an exception to a general rule
in their accomplishments, education
and manners. While they have, in
many respects, European customs and
habits, yet they are modified by II
straints of s~eclusion; and they share
with their sisters of all classes the
odious law of the prophet that they
should be held prisoners under a rigid
surveillance of guardians especially
prepared for the unholy office.
Statements are male that seriou
misunderstanding often occur among
them in consequence of this oppression
There is no doubt that the beautiful
young daughter of the khediye, who
was accustomed until thirteen years OF
age to visit the opera without a veil
rebelled when the time came for incar
ceration, and that she lamented in teas
her unfortunate fate. Marrying soon
after seclusion, she lived but a few
months. Universally the Moslem
women know nothing of life, being
simply pieces of furniture in their
homes. With no education, they are
strangers to the interests and affairs
of their masters; decked out with fine
dresses and jewelry, they are sensuous-
ly content.
"They amuse themselves in crunch
ing melon seeds, eating candy smoking
cigarettes and showing their iewelry
and fine toilets to their friends. Living
a life of Ease and Incidence, they a1e
never supposed to soil their hands with
labor or rack their brains with thought
When they toll, their sole occupation is
to beautify themselves. When young
they are well made; their hands are soft.
white and supple, and they might be
likened to the budding flower which
opens at the first rays OF the morning
sun. Their compilations are white and
their cheeks tinged with rose; their
eyes are sometimes blue, but that is
exceptional; they are generally black
as jet, and when fully open are Of
almond form and full of sensibility
and delicate sweetness. They never
conceal them and gallant men often
confess that they have interfered with
their repose Of mind. 1t is pleasing
to speak of these beauties, for they
have few to admire even this much Of
their comeliness. The houses. many
of them, are elegant, and so construct
ed as to completely conceal the hidden
chances of the fair, who are doomed to
eternal isolation when without a veil,
as no woman can be seen lawfully by
any other mar than her husband. She
is forbidden the homage that all nature
demands. Controlled by a powerful,
hand and bound irrevocably by Gus
tom, she is compelled not only to kiss
the hand of her tyrant. but to hug the
chain which manacles her.
"This despotism is the more extraor-
binary on the part of the men, mas
much as they pretend to feel delight in
beautiful objects of nature; they win
watch the play of birds for hours, and
think it a crime to disturb or deprive
them Of the free air they breathe. Yet
they ~incarcerate the loveliest and most
beautiful of all the Creators works
and think it a great favor to permit
woman's enjoyment of a towering
shrub in some hidden recess"