The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-09-16
HOME LIFE IN THE ORIENT.
Row THE TURKS APPEAR IN THEIR
DOMESTIC RELATIONS.
Odd Furniture aud Features of Life
in tho Hnrems-Ap OF
the WOmen-Magic Spells.

CISCO ChfONtCte, Is uOuDle DarTeleuJ 80 "
speak, to allow for the strict separation
Of the sexes. Between the haremlik, or
women's apartment, and the selamllk,
inhabited by the men, there is blank
wall pierced by single door, the key of
which is only In the pocket Of the master
Of the house. The selamlik is the official
residence of the Turk. Here he receives
ell visitors and spends his home business
hours, and to its bachelor quiet he re-
tires when the temporary equalities of
the conjugal road jolt up his dignity in
q manner little too heavy to be com
Portable. But the haremlik is a different
thing. No man enters there except the
owner, or an occasional physician, The
man who meets the wives of native
friend in Turkey does so in the selamlik,
whittier they have been summoned for
the interview. But lady visitors, native
or foreign, have free access to the apart
ments of the women, so there is little
difficulty in getting exact pictures OF
their surroundings and everyday life. The
Turkish house is usually a large, irregular
wooden structure, with court within,
and-where the master can afford it-a
high-walled garden rambling up hill
In the rear. This of course is dwell !
ing of well-to-do man. The poorer
classes live as they can in rooms where
the sexes mingle freely. Indeed, the
poor alone have ''homes" in the sense in
which we are accustomed to use the
word, and the poorer they are the more
closely do husband and wife come to-
gether in plans for thei. mutual support
and enjoyment of life. AS the station Of
the husband rises, the wife becomes
more and more a luxury to be enjoyed
by him only when he has no more seri-
Gus business on hand, until, with the
sultan, the majority of his harem never
see him more than once or twice during
the whole course of their marital eXis-
tence. The selamlik is commonly small,
contains few rooms and is usually poor
ly furnished.
Everything Turk can spare is spent
in beautifying his harem. This is always
large and roomy, with unexpected cor
ners and windows, and commonly a
fountain or two pattering away in the
main rooms. The furniture, in Eu-
ropean sense, is uncommonly scarce, the
only approach to it being the long divans
or sofas that run the four sides of the
room The walls are usually painted or
frescced, and the upholstering is rich
both in color and in fabric. The floors
are of stone or of polished wood, and are
tempered to the bare feet of the fair in
mates by heavy carpets and rugs. Tables
and chairs there are none. Everybody is
expected to sit on the floor or divan,
and all the meals are spread on the same
hito of
however, that serve to relieve the mo-
notony, the invariable embroidery. frame,
and a musical instrument that might
easily be the missing link in the evolution
of the piano. Outdoors the gardens are
perfect masses of beauty, with rare plants
and shady walks, and snug little summer
houses wherever there is a bit of view.
And it is hardly to be wondered at that
the Turk is SO interested in constantly
adding to the attractiveness of his harem.
When he enters it and locks the door be-
hind him, he practically shuts out every
care and trouble he has in the world.
Within its inclosure he is as near a god
as he can ever hope to be. While there
he never has to back up against wall
and wait, with humble face and chat
ing spirit, till some bigger manthan he
passes by. And if he wants to exer-
else his temper by prodding up slave
with club, there is no one to say him
nay. Everything done around him is
projected with the sole idea of his graft
fication and amusement, and there is no
slave in Turkey so rash as 10 venture on
taking in business message to him from
the outside world. no matter how press.
ing the communication might be. For
this last is the unwritten law of Turkey
All Turks are comparatively early
risers, and generally soon after sunrise
the sleepers commence to stir, and then
the master of 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 rose water for his beard, an
other towels, another holding looking
glass for him, and all busy as bees about
getting ready for the morning meal.
This being brought in by slaves, tho
master breakfasts in state, no one sitting
in his presence but the four hanoums
and no one eating but himself. When
he has finished the women are served
and the children come in from thei
iOl u sl4dlC III lnS lOONs 4@dlC
the slaves consume the remainder, whit
those who have breakfasted already in
dulee in coffee and a pipe. Then thu
master puts on his street garments anC
retires from tho harem, and its inmates
are free to follow whatever vocation the,
choose for the remainder of the day.
Some settle down to the inevitable
embroidery-frame, and bend their mind
to the working of fanciiul coloret
patterns. The bachelor minister has M
greater embarrassment over the numbe
of slippers he receives from the hand
of his fair parishners than does the much
married Turk from the plethora of EN-
broidered vests that grow under tn
fingers of his loving spouses. Other
among the women spend all day in tn
kitchen preparing preserves and pickles
of which all Turks are extremely fond
thinking of new dishos to tickle tn
palate of their husband, and scoldin
zach other and the SprVants-a r,laasnr