Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-11
IN THE PERSIAN HAREM.
Beauty and Youth the Only QuaIillca.
tons Required-The ADJUSTMENTS
Of the Ladies.
Much Coveted Honors-Riding In Glass
Coaches-Getting Rid of Those
who Have Ceased to PIease.


81 Jdlnes GhleLIe.
Under former reigns IN Persia the
rule was that no male person over ten
years Of age should be found on the line
of route of royal wife or daughter. 1t
was death to disobey this order Even
now Europeans wisely avoid unpleasant
ness by turning down side street when
they hear the shouts of "Gitchen" q. e.,
"Begone" in Turkish) from the eunuchs
who accompany the palace ladies'.
The late American minister, Mr.. Ben.
jamin, made great mistake on one oc-
casion by neglecting this plan With true
American simplicity he was accustomed
to ride through the streets with only one
servant. Meeting the procession one
day, he failed to turn out of it's path The
result was that his servant was beaten,
and he himself was hustled into a by.
road. Next day he duly lodged com
plant of this treatment, and had to put
up with the apology "that, naturally, the
royal servants could notrecognize zone
horse minister"
Gen. Gersteiger Kahn, an Austrian
officer OF engineers, many years in the
service oil the shah, was wiser in his gen.
GRAFTON. He met the late queen mother
and the royal ladies when he was on foot,
turned his face to the wall like native,
and as each carriage passed deliberately
saluted from the back of his head. The
ladies screamed with laughter and told
the shah, who persuaded him to repeat
his novel salutes and then congratulated
him on his discretion.
good deal is known of the royal serag-
lilo from those who have had opportuni-
ties OF seeing 1t; but these persons are
lew. A French planiste, Nine. Hadji Abb
bas, an aged French woman who passed
forty years in the royal palace as interpre-
ter to the royal ladies,and an Italian lady,
the wife OF the MustauAul- Mamalek, were
the only persons in Persia who could
really speak on this subject with author
ity. During my long residence in Persia
| only knew of one harem tragedy; in
that case black slave was pistoled and
laoy died. But these accidents did not
occur in the kings palace. l remember
an unfortunate who, while he was en-.
gagged in excavating intercourse, sud
denly found himself in the ROYAL harem
and nearly died of fright But the king,
seeing how the matter stood, pardoned
him.
Fresh acquisitions for the seroglio ar
rive frequently, at times in patches. The
mode OF getting rid of those who have
ceased to please is simple and vet in
genlous' There Is no servings up in sacks,
no casting from towers, no bowstring, no
poisoning Some provincial general is
informed that he will be favored with
wife from the royal harem. To refuse is
Impossible; the Disguised lady arrives and
Is placed at the head of her new hus.
bands household. She usually insists
on his Immediately diyorcing his other
wives, and in any case treats them as in
ieriors. One OF my Persian friends was
Gen. F. Khan. He became the re-
cipient OF one OF these royal favors. She
LED MIN sad life, and he never alluded
TO her but lin Whisper as "the old
camel"
Beauty and youth are the few and sim
pie qualifications for entering the ROYAL |
harem. Various accomplishments, such |
as singing, playing on the hand-drum, the |
Mnoourlne, or the harmonica, are often |
assured AFTER the lady has beer re-
oetEe9 INTO the seraglio. Every lady |
VINO becomes royal wife has q sep !
arate establishment and servants of |
her own in the harem inclos- |
nre. Only the fresh arrivals. and |
thOse who have failed to please. live To- |
gether In sort Of barrack, under the su. |
peryislon OF the Amiu-i-Akdas, an old IA.
vorlte who acts as sort OF i'mother OF |
tne maids" Every Thursday there is a
KIND OF review, the shah personally in
speeding the whole establishment other
I 1nan the recognized wives and favorites.
Inc throwing of the handkerchief is no
tice. 9o V'' "a Piao'
Inc number Of legitimate wives (or
sk1l) lot every Mussulman is four. The
mead vile, the cousin of the Shah, hay-
ing the title Of Shukues. Sultana. is the
great-granddaughter of Futteh All Shah,
a monarch whose family was SO large
mat ITO OF his descendants were alive nj
MS death. This lady is mother of the
crown prince Of Vaiiad. Her marr,aoe
WIN The king was one Of policy. the
next VIE In seniority is the daughter of
sun OF Futteh Ali Shah, She is only
Aao"n 70 rumor as having a some
" wnas sharp temper The third wife and
S Sss actual layorite is the Anys.u .Dowlet.
one mas been legitimate wife nearly ten
yeaIs, Is very lat fairly good-looking, and
, - saiu 10 De yeIy good-tempered and at
s ShNL She actually accompanied the
snan Us lar ms Moscow on his first iour.
h NY 30 Europe; but the attempts to see
nsI ~ tne russians Of all classes were so
Peltinaclous that TO her great dis
ppo'n.ment she was sent back
70 Ieheran. The Apva'n-DowIet
ubc lmmpnsa