The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-26
IN A TURKISH HAEEM.
How the Female Inmates Employ Their
Ti,ne-Slaves of the Master.

How the Female Inmates Employ Their
TiIne--Slaves of the Master.
Correspondence San Francisco Chronicle.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing in Turkey
is the extent and costliness of the harems as
compared with tie incomes of the Turks possess
Ing them How they manage to keep up such
magnificent establishments on such scanty means
is one of the modern mysteries. Ask a Turk
how it is done and he will shrug his shoulders
and return you the invariable answer, God is
great" And truly he must be great to enable a
Turkish water-carrier to support four wives III
luxury on a sum that would hardly help a white
man in keeping one wife out of the poor house.
There are no bedsteads in Turkey, nor anything
to take their place. At night slaves enter the
general living rooms and, dragging out piles of
bedclothes from the depths of cavernous closets
in the walls, make up extemporaneous couches
on the floors, on which the occupants retire
ndiscrminately, as they see fit. In the morning
they rise, and the slaves enter and clear away
the bedding for another day
These eXtemporiZed beds are not so uncom-
Portable, outside of the fact that in most Turk
ish houses the hours of rest have to be largely
divided with the pleasures of the chase Fleas,
reaches and other verI1ln are always present In
variable quantities. There is some tender
hearted superstition about the killing of them
that prevents their determination, and it is only
when the victims are driven to desperation by
their lnroads that the nuisance is abated by a
HOOD OF hot water poured along the floors. The
kitchens of these houses are as remarkable in
their way as any other rooms. They are com
monty quite clean, and generally have one end
or side given up TO stationary range. Most of
the implements are of brass or copper, and are
polished until they shine like mirrors. The
chimneys are defective, there often being none
at ALL and as consequence the rafters are black
ard sOoty, and the atmosphere seldom clear.
There are generally few out-houses and no ar
rangements for drainage, the refuse and garbage
being cast out into the streets to be scat
tered by the dogs. The daily life of the inmates
of the harems is not as idle as the
poets would have one think. 1t keeps the aver
age hanoum in pretty lively rush to keep up
with the wifely procession, so to speak. and see
that no other woman is suppianting her in her
husbands affections. All Turks are compare
lively early rsers, and generally soon after sun
rise the sleepers commence to stir, and then the
master or the house stretches himself, and sits
up and gets ready to make his toilet The
women all vie with each other in brushing up
the old man-one bringing rosewater for his
beard, another towels another holding IL looking
glass for him, and all busy as bees about getting
ready for the morning meal This being brought
in by slaves, the master breakfasts in state, no
one sitting in his presence but the four hanoums,
and no one eating except himself. When he has
finished the women are served and the children
come in from their apartments for their share of
the food. Later the slaves consume the remain
DER, while those who have breakfasted already
indulge in coffee and pipe. Then the master
puts on his street garments and retireS from the
harern, and its inmates are free to follow what
ever vocation they choose for the remainder of
the day.
Some settle down to the inevitable embroidery
frame and bend their minds to the working Of
fancltul coiored patterns The bachelor minister
has no greater embarrassment over the number
of slippers he receives from the hands of his fair
pensioners than does the much married Turk
from the plethora of embroidered vests that
grow under the fingers Of his loving spouses.
Others among the women spend the day in the
Kitchen preparing preserves and pickles, Of
which all Turks are extremely fond, thinking Of
new dishes to tickle the palate of their husband
and scolding each other and the servantS-a
pleasure OF which they never tire. Edibles are
left around in convenient places, and they lunch
at irregular intervals as the humor comes to
them, no regular meals being spread except IN
the presence of the head of the house. In the
afternoons many of them 60 visiting to the
public baths. The latest favorite finds work on
washing day rinsing her husbands clothes. This
she does with her own hands, lest In the prior
washing of them the slaves or women of the
harem should have cast q spell over them which
would supplant her in her husbands affections.
The mental exercise of looking out for and cir
cumverting of charms and spells is the hardest
brain work that the Turkish woman has. Sheis
so superstitious and believes in so many kinds of
magic that she has to be very spry to get safely
around them all. And if she is not working to
keep off the spells set against her. the probabili
GLeS are THAI she Is cOncOcIlnS some charms on
her own account that shall harm a rival.
The most common fetch is bundle Of sticks,
called a buyu boghcha which, placed where the
person to be h0cused will sit on it, is warranted
to prevent the victim from inspiring affection
with her charms. These bundles are very popular
with jealous wives and discarded favorites and
the ruling wife is apt to find dozen or two of
them tucked under her carpet in an evening. 1t
is mistaken idea that the Turk is sedate by
nature. His gravity is mask worn only in
public. When he comes home at O'clock he re-
lakes from the fatigue Of his dignity and settles
himself for enjoyment Loose garments are
assumed, and after supper the lamps are lighted
and the dissipation begins. At least one wife is
always selected for her musical ability and one
or two others for their dancing qualities. These
accomplishments they exhibit ad libitum. and
music is always forthcoming from the musical
missing link above mentioned. The temporary
favorite commonly puts in her time shampooing
the old gentleman's feet-a luxury INDUCED in
by him for hours at time. Often wine is
handed round, and sherbets in abundance They
laugh, and eat. and sing and dance, and make an
evening of it," with bosterousness that would
shock the people of the neighborhood if every
body was not engaged whooping it up himself
About midnight the noise grows quieter and the
beds are laid the floors, and it is not long be-
fore the rooms are held by a silence unbroken
even by snore; for it is the first warranty de-
manded by Turk in his negotiation for wife
that she does not snore and never starts in her
sleep.