Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-03-06
THE TURKISH HAREMS.

II AOA AAlEMDe
"nS. LEW WALLACE OPENS TT,
DOORS OF FORBIDDEN ROOMS.
shady Gardens Where Nightingale. s,a.
and Rushing Waters Cool the Air-rurk
"n women and Cosmetics--Bath Room
OF Misunderstanding the Time,
"e "ord harem means the holy or sancti
&C., anu IN a general sense is given to an,
r. pecuiiariy hailowed. was long Will,
;na,. ns mat the name applies to the spaciou
,,.;ao I court about mosques; not a barres
n ou' consecrated ground, revered as /
u,a;nSy, however blank and bare the re
IT, s ~ .he house may be-and usually 1
cording to Moslem fancy. in which 10 co,,;e1
as far as possible, their ideal narodisa =.
adorable palace with a thousand windows
ana before every window a sparkl;no Tom
tain. 'po1 Aiihe Ioun
free light, abundant space. shady garden,
where the nightingale sings among ths rosss
ana rushing waters cool the air. Tbasa a.
'ne iuxuries which foreshadow the coldar
pleasure fields kept for the faithful 6v III
houris. A"''niw ny tne
Inc women, old and young. assemhla IN
.ne sacred rooms, with the children and at.
1ehaahts, and they are the center ~ tbs
wo,ia 70 the housekeeping Turk. who CARE
hoshing Tor travel and never emiprates M,
spare Time and money are spent there and
.ne we Is, In the tender Arabian nhrasa
'i'g Keeper OF her husbands soul.
| Aurkish houses are much alike The On.
trance Is through double door, large enough
.ol horses and carriage. Beyond II Is :
SWING screen, suspended like a gate. which
aiues Inc vestibule, or court, when the
street door opens Two outside staircasas
| aPpeaf, one leading to the mems Apartment
.he o1her 70 the wofnen's At the first land ;
,ns 'ne visitor finds the black aga or puard
oe,ore tne door of the apartment to which
oniy one man Is admitted, and which il for.
oiooen 70 the sight and thought or all men
save that one A''7''
,hele ~ no special place to eat or sleep in
~" oiVah, running round the wall of each
I'm made a bed by night, the clothes
Icing kept In presses by day. In imperial
palaces the coverets are of Lahore stuffs an
oroiaereo with colored silks interviewer wifi
pearls and turquoises, the sheets are Of fine
co1eon barred with stripes OF sill lilo eo+;,,
iiooon- Inc pillows have silk and gold. and
Turing summer mosquito nets OF Trinoli
gauze, spotted with gold, are suspended hn
gnu hoops over the sleeper Nothing pa var
or daintIer can be imagined. Formerlv
cashmere shawls served as ssspreadsu fo, ~,
beds of the rich. 'n'
The small round mirror, framed in vaIvat
Is always at hand for toilet use land tho Low,
ing on OF cosmetics is SO deep that II ia
named face writing" Turkish wonen
Understand the arts of repairing the rayapes
OF time, and their toilet service il variad ana
effective anu
Every Turkish harem has its hath rooms
three in number, if the owner is well IN do
ihe first is square, chiefly of marble lin tho
suitans palace, of Egyptian alabaster,
lighted from glass dome. A large resarvo;r
built against the outer wall, with an openino
into the BATH contains the water half ~
which is heated by furnace below It Hot
air pipes throw intense heat into the room,
fountains lead the water from the resarvoir
and here the rubbing process is conducted
The second room is less heated and furnished
only with marble platform holding mat
tresses and cushions, where the batbers re-
pose after the fatigue of additions too many
for description. Here they smoke cigarettes
eat fruits and sweets and finally wran tben,'
selves in soft burnouses and pass to the cnter
chamber, where they drowze and doze on
downy couches till they recover from the
steaming heat and the languor that follows n
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 famous lady bought with q
great price by a high official of STEAMBOAT
She was Georgian, 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 antlmony drawn on the lids at the root OF
the long lashes added to their luster and tho
witchery of her glance
She wore the yashmak and, as only ladies
were present, 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
l cannot recall her name.
1t 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 very Cupids 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 haem gives much
time for discussion, and many 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: ANY
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.r
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 a sweet frank
ness like unframed young girls, and listen
with interest to accounts of our ways of liv-
ing, how we keep house, do great charities
manage the churches. 'How hard,n thew
say in tender pity, that life may be good
for 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
IN the silky cushions, taste the conserve of
.ose and Of ounce, light their cigarettes and
Ire happy.-Susan Z. Wallace in New York
World.