The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-22
CIRCAssIAN WOMEN.

s correspondent of the Cincinnati En0Bt
rer, the only native of Circassia wh
: ever became a naturalized America
d so he claims, and / know of no reaso
to doubt his statement. His has bee
romantic career. Born in the Car
| casus. he was at a tender ace tor
/. from his home and people by their Ru,
sian conquerors. baptized into th
Greek church, and educated for mil
tary career. At his baptism he re
| ceiyed the name of Paul Nicholadse
which he still uses, because his Cireas
sian name is scarcely pronounceab bl
/ for English tongues. He is so wear
, old, though he does not look 40. III
is distinguished and striking lookin,
gentleman. He speaks English well
but with some traces of familiarity wit
cultural tones. Mr.. Nicholadse wa
induced by The Enquirer to breal
through his habitual reticence concern
ing himself ana his country, and hi.
conversation is as interesting and al
most as strange as one of Verne's wild
est romances.
/ asked Mr. Nicholadse the othe,
day about the Circassian women: "Ar,
they as beautiful as we are led to sup
pose?n
Said he: "Yes. sir; nearly all are
Ihey have creamy compilations, witt
delicate red tints on their cheeks
rounded shoulders and beautiful necks
very small waists. beautiful busts, and
faultless forms. You should see thei,
arms, which are bare in house costume.
You never saw such arms in a picture.
Their hair is worn long. and is always
4 a IL r.
think of that picturein
''Then the Circassian beauties we
see in the dime museums are all i'm
| postors?"
'Sure; albinos. most of them. Fancy
a Circassian girl with pink eyes and
crimped hair: There are no women in
this country like them. They have the
fresh beauty of childhood, with wo.
mans form. You know they develop
quickly. Mothers - years old are in
my country. A girl is as old there at
IA as she is here at 20. Most women
are grandmothers at so. Then they
decay as quickly; they live long lives,
| but they lose their round forms. Still
they are sometimes attractive in old
age.
''When a girl is born a soft leather
corset is sewed around her waist, and
that stays there till she is married.
Then it is cut off. and her waist re-
mains small and a beautiful shape
They have small. pretty feet and beau
tiful hands, too. That is looked after
as they grow up. They do no hard
work, and their feet are only shod in
loose sandals. with soft covers and
flexible soles. ~
''How do they dress?'
Their costume is very picturesque.
They wear loose silk pantaloons which
! reach the knee. and finely-wrought
stockings Their only upper garment
is close-fitting, sleeveless vest, with
skirts behind, like long coat, and cut
away in front, leaving a small triangu
lar space above the corsage without
clothing. Underclothing is unknown
there and in all eastern countries.
Nearly all the clothing of both sexes is
silk or skins of wild beasts Men and
women alike wear little clothing, and
that loose. though in the mountains at
some seasons it is intensely cold. Some
of the mountain tribes wear fur cloaks.
The women, when in the presence of
any men but their husbands, are close
ly yelled. That is true, you know, in
all Mohammedan countries. The rea-
son is, the Koran teaches we can sin
with the eyes.
Then the Circassians are Moham-
medans?n
80 yes all of them. Yet they show
many traces of a former idolatrous
worship, and their monogamic mar.
riages and respect for women are
among these. These are not taught by
Mohammed. Yet their Islamism was
SO firm that when Russia. after fifty
years of fighting. conquered the tribes,
the entire population moved into Tur-
key rather than submit to Christian
ruler. To-day there is no Circassia
Indeed there never was. The name
was applied to many kindred tribes.
just as you CAN your aborigines In
dians,' and the fate of my people is
much like that of the red men. To-
day strangers till the farms in our val
leys, and our people are wanderers in
a land unsuited to their mode of life.
You will live to see the day when Cir
cassians are known only in history.
and that history written by their tri-
umphant enemies"
ut is strange that some Snowman
has not brought real Circassian women
to this country" / suggested.
THAT could never be. No Moham-
medan could be induced to do it. He
would die first; and it would be death
to a Christian to try. A Mohammedan
woman-at least, a Circassian woman
would welcome death as an alterna-
tive to life among Christians-you have
no women who live half as degraded a
life as that would be regarded.
''It was once so, Mr.. Nicholadse
continued s'that many Circassian girls
were kept in harems in Constantinople
and other cities They were sold, vir-
tually, by their parents to rich Turks.
The Koran allowed that Even in
Circassian marriages the bride was, in
a manner, sold by her parents That
was an old custom, but did not pre-
clude tender love for the girl by her
parents, nor prevent marriages sof
choice. Now there are few Circassian
girls. Most of the white beauties in
the harems are Georgians, who are
much like the Circassians and Arme-
MANS. An Armenian would sell his
soul for gold. Circassians needed no
gold. They took horses, or cattle, or
| firearms. Firearms were cheap,
though, for the English always kept
the warriors in condition to fight Rus
sia- You are surprised, but it is the
exact truth. Our soldiers always had
excellent rifles and abundance of am-
munition. all of English manufacture,
and it cost nothing.
ssAs said, there are few Circassian
girls now. and they are deteriorating,
from their life among the Turks.
Some of the Georgians are beautiful.
But they are not Circassians. A Geor-
gian girl could be brought here. /
| think. They are Greek Catholics, and
do not feel the Mohammedan hatred of
Christians 1t would not cost much to
get a ship-load of Armenian girls.
Some of them you would think beauti-
full. They have slight Jewish cast of
countenance, but good forms and deli
cate compilations.
| The very education that girls re-
ceive who are intended for the harem
would send man to states prison in
this country for the teaching, and
ought to send him to eternal punish
nent. They are taught to regard the
Vilest things as virtues.
A Considerate CoIored Man.
He tapped the egg gently with his