The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-01
AN IMPERIAL HAREM.
.sps LEW WALLACE DESCRIBES
THE SULTAN'S SERAGLIO.

rbe Fnchantress of Many Lovers
paartiful Women Amid Palatial
sn1endors-The Imperial Palace and
Ire Splendors - Caprices of the
Women.
From the Netc York Stor
Through 400 years the Turkish house royal
had unbroken lineal male descent with
ut lateral branch. At Old Seraglio Point
tL;rtv successive Sultans held their sump-
tuo,s state till about forty years ago, when
Che chain of palaces bordering the Mar
mora was burned and the court was re-
moved to Yildiz, on the heights beyond
Pera.
Beautiful for situation is Yildiz, Palace
of the Star Built nobly in park of many
bundred acres, it overlooks an anphithe-
0ter of stately cities with domes, towers,
p,inarets. castles, islands, seas, fleets and in
the distance the .Mysian Olympus-a pano-
rama of vivid color and varied movement
without a peer on the globe. What St.
lanes Palace is to London is Yildiz to the
Trrk-the center of interest in CONSTANT
NOME. the well-guarded, the enchantress of
MANY lovers"
barracks have been added till it is, in
reality. a citadel and there beats the heart
and plots the brain of Islam Within the
walled Enclosure are kioskS of marble and
gold. outbuildings, stables, military camp
and parade ground, cypress groves, unshorn
forests, gardens with every kind of singing
bird-a miniature city, with the delights of
lie country as well--a fortress and a sane
t,lary. The least attempt of an uuauthor-
lied person to enter the buildings appropri-
ated to women is punishable by death 1t
would come as a lightning stroke should
any one try to approach the forbidden
rooms into which one man enlers-the I'M
controlled, irresponsible master of hundreds
of women.
Among them are no family distinctions,
no records, no questions of ancestry, heredi-
tary titles or names. All have started from
the same level, each one has been slave
by the mother or sisters of the Sultan, edu-
Gated to her position and presented to him
on the third day of the Feast of Boiram,
the Night of Destiny, when the Koran de-
scended in a silver roll from heaven. Nor
are they married to him. The Padisha,
being above law, cannot submit to matri-
monial bondage. Since Gilman, illustrious
founder of the empire bearing his name,
girded on the sword, which is the imperial
scepter, but two Ottoman Sultans have
married. Of the mates we call wives only
four hold the highest rank. All have been
chosen for personal charms and are in the
bloom of youth. By far the larger number
are from Circassia, the ancient Colchis,
from whose palace gardens Grecian heroes
stole their bridss in the dim centuries before
The Had was written.
Imagination is bewildered by thought of
such an array of beauties set in palatial
splendOTS.
They live for one sole purpose-the study
Of pleasing him who has lifted the silvery
feet of these daughters of love from the
mire and placed them on cushions of rose
leaves and elder down. Instead Of grinding
toll, they enjoy the sweetness of rest, one
cotton gown is exchanged for bright raj
ment and jewels rare; for black bread and
goats milk they have suppers for sybarites,
honey Of orange flowers, and sherbet of vio-
lets aud sugar. Each odaiisque has her
kiosk, her court, grand officials, boats lined
with satin, gllded carriages and trained
servants shod with slippers of silence, who
minister to them in cool. perfumed cham
hers. Their career depends on their own
tact and grace BY these gifts the ragged
beggar may succeed to the highest rank and
compel princesses to kiss the hem of her
garment.
One will in the harem is supreme as a
:
before which great and small are but dust,
is yielded absolute submission. Says ia
nilla (the Exalted teaching the newly ar
rived Lalel Pink Tulip and Benef1Sh
white Violet: SHOULD the Prince at noon
day say it is night, declare your feet are
wet with dew and that you behold the moon
and the stars"
In February new palace was ordered.
In June it was completed and furnished,
fountains playing, cascades dashing, night
lngaIeS nesting among roses IN bloom. We
know how the Turks furnish In the Sum
mer Palace one room is hung with pure blue
silk, another with Brouss satin, tapestries
Of India and broideries of Persia. There
are no pictures, they encourage profanity
no statues, they lead to idolatry. The
Prophet (he rests in glory was a hater of
idols. In the day of Judgment pictures
and statues will rise and flock round the ar
fists who produced them and call ON the
unhappy makers to supply their creatures
with FOULS.
Humanity is Interchangeable; the King of
a hundred kings, the shadow of God upon
earth, must have his preferences, and natu-
rally the reigning favorite makes the most
OF her brief season of command, Doubtless
tears, clamors, poutings work the same re-
suits In Constantinople that they do in
Washington, and the luxurious harem may
nave some dull corner where the discarded
IaVorlte may weep, neglected, while her
VICTORIOUS rival sweeps by in triumph The
turks are tender III the extreme to animals
ana children, and we must believe they are
also gentle toward women. Sometimes the
capllces of wives have been as costly as the
sultan to the empire. Sultan lbrahim al
l0wed his TO take what they pleased from
shops and bazaars without payment. One
mourn complained; she did not like shopping
by daylight; and at once the Sovereign is
sued an order requiring merchants TO keep
thelr shops open all night, and to have
enough torches burning 10 exhibit goods to
advantage Another whose name means
Little Bit of Sugar, whispered to lbrahim
that she wanted to see him with his beard
1rlnged with gems. The Lord of lords was
adorned accordingly and made a spectacle
OIL himself thus tricked out. Enormous
treasures were lavished on a chariot and,
as IN the days of Solomon, silver was moth
ing accounted Of. But these whims are in
the records OF two hundred years ago, when
the milk-whlte hand of queen frightened
tne bowstrlng for the Grand Nizier, the
Sadln OF two thousand and seven hundred
shawls reigned over two continents and two
seas ana the odalisque of hundred silver
carriages ruled the imperial dIvaus.
=, a conspicuous person about the palace is
the Balran Aga, Keeper OF the Maidens, a
!et biack Nubian probably from tae Sou
uah. de wears gorgeous uniform OF
scarlet and god, has the air of au-
Ihorlty, and on his ample breast displays a
dozen imperial, royal and Christian orders
winch he Is knight Heranks with prime
OF .atar 4