The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-03-24
THE TURKISH HAREMS.
MRS. LEW WALLACE OPENS THE
DOORS OF FORBIDDEN ROOMS.

DOORS Or FOR6lODEN ROOMS.
Shady Gardens Where Nightinga1es Sing
and Rushing Waters Cool the Air-Turk-
ish Women and Cosmetics-Bath Rooms
of Alabaster-Passing the Time.
The word harem means the holy or sancti-
fed, and in a general sense is given to any
spot peculiarly hallowed. I was a long while
learning that the name applies to the spacious
inclosed court about mosques not barred
prison but consecrated ground, revered as
sanctuary. However blank and bare the re-
mainder of the house may be-and usually is
the forbidden rooms are we'll furnished &C
cording to Moslem fancy, in which is copied,
as far as possible, their ideal paradise-an
adorable palace with thousand windows,
and before every window sparkling foun-
tain.
Free light, abundant space, shady gardens
where the nightingale sings among the roses,
and rushing waters cool the air. These are
the luxuries which foreshadow the golden
pleasure fields kept for the faithful by the
houris.
The women, old and young, assemble in
the sacred rooms, with the children and at
PENDANTS, and they are the center of the
world to the housekeeping Turk, who cares
nothing for travel and never emigrates. His
spare time and money are spent there, and
The wife is, in the tender Arabian phrase,
the keeper of her husbands soul
Turkish houses are much alike The en-
trance is through double door, large enough
for horses and carriage Beyond it is q
swing screen, suspended like a gate, which
hides the vestibule, or court, when the
street door opens Two outside staircases
appear, one leading to the mems apartment.
the other to the women's. At the first land
ing the visitor finds the black aga or guard
before the door of the apartment to which
only one is admitted, and which is for
hidden to the sight and thought or all men
save that One
There is no special place to eat or sleep in.
A low dlvan, running round the wall of each
room, is made bed by night, the clothes
being kept in presses by day. In imperial
palaces the coverets are of Lahore stuffs, en-
broidered with colored silks interviewer with
pearls and turquoises, the sheets are of fine
cotton barred with stripes of silk like satin
ribbon The pillows have silk and gold, and
during summer mosquito nets of Tripoli
gauze, spotted with gold, are suspended by
gilt hoops over the sleeper. Nothing gayer
or daintier can be imagined. Formerly
cashmere shawls served as spreads" for the
beds of the rich.
The small round mirror, framed in velvet.
ing on of cosmetics is so deep that it is
named ''face writing" Turkish women
understand the arts of repairing the ravages
of time, and their toilet service is varied and
effective.
Every Turkish harem has its bath rooms
three in number, if the owner is well to do
The first is square, chiefly of marble lin the
sultan's palace, of Egyptian alabaster),
lighted from glass dome. A large reservoir
hI1ilf i71cft 7for
into the bath, contains the water. half of
which is heated by furnace below it. Hot
air pipes throw intense heat into the room.
fountains lead the water from the reservoir
and here the rubbing process is conducted.
The second room is less heated and furnished
only with a marble platform holding mat
tresses and cushions, where the bathers re-
pose after the fatigue of additions too MANY
for description. Here they smoke cigarettes.
eat fruits and sweets and finally wrap them
selves in soft burnouses and pass to the outer
chamber, where they drowze and doze on
downy couches till they recover from the
steaming heat and the languor that follows a
long, warm bath.
Besides these, there are public baths where
women spend many hours in gossip and the
passive enjoyment of being thoroughly
rubbed, brushed, combed and perfumed
once met a famous lady bought with a
great price by high official of Stamboul
She was Georgian, 1 think, with hair of
reddish gold-the sunbright tresses of Medea
ivory white skin, eyes black as death. the
antelope eyes of the poets The faintest line
Of anthony drawn on the lids at the root of
the long lashes added to their luster and the
witchery of her glance.
She wore the yashmak and, as only ladies
were present, L begged her to remove it so I
might see her unveiled loneliness. She COM
piled without affectation of timidity or
blushing and returned my gaze with smiling
serenity, too well used to open admiration for
embarrassment. cannot recall her name.
it was something which being INTERPRETED
might mean Tulip Cheek. A rivierer of
pearls lay on her neck-snow on snow-and
the exquisite mouth was a very Cupid's bow
My princess must have been a peerless
maiden ten years before, now, unhappily.
growing stout as eastern women usually do:
the result of the luxurious living and much
eating Of sweets. Her manner was soft and
gracious, her aspect the repose of supreme
content
The seclusion of the harem gives much |
time for discussion, and many a question of |
grave import is there debated The women |
are well informed in politics, fond of in
trigue, and so artful that our missionary, DR..
Dwight, of Constantinople, writes: 'EAny |
one who has private scheme to advance a
policy to develop, an Office to gain or to keep,
a boy to provide for, or an enemy to crush,
sends his wife to the harem of a grandee.'
Women here bring about the most astound-
ing results.
Their manner is ceremonious during for
nal calls, and they still kiss the hem of the
garment in Difference to age or superiority.
In familiar places they have sweet frank
ness like unframed young girls, and listen
With interest to accounts of our ways of liv-
ng, how we keep house, do great charities,
manage the churches. Glow hard.n thew
ay n tender pity, that life may be good
or you, but would not be at all good for us.
You are made for work; we are made for
owe: this suits us best" So they lean back
N the silky cushions, taste the conserve of
ose and of ounce, light their cigarettes and