Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1889-06-22
Life in the Harem.

Life in the Haren.
From the New York Herad.l
You ask me what Abul Hamin is like. Well, in
appearance he is little above the middle height,
of slight but wry build, with sensitive face, very
dark and rather mournful looking eyes and very
carefully trimmed beard and mustache. As far as
his clothes 90 he could give points to the most of
our well-dressed young men on Fifth Avenue and
Broadway. Abdul Hamid always had great lik-
inc for perfect fitting trousers and coats. All his
clothes are made in either London or Paris, and
he nearly always wears patent-leather Shoes In
an ordinary way the only distinguishing mark of
his nationality in his dress is the red Turkish fez
or cap.
His disposition? Well, If he were man in Or
binary life he would probably describe as very
plain straightforward, easy-golng fellow One OF
his chief characteristics is dislike of too much
nomn and ostentaton, ane he has upon various
occasions displayed an inclination to lay aside GER
tain Turkish customs and traditions and adopt
various European manners, which he recognizes as
improvements upon habits in his country.
For instance. it has always been the custom at
the Turkish court for subject to PROSTATE him.
Golf fat mon his face upon first being ushered in
20 tha Sultan's presence Abdul Hamid has done
awav with this and simply exacts low bow, which
be contrary to former custom, gracously returns
Nearly all the Turkish ladies nowadays wear
Enroneap dresses beneath the outer cloak which
enyelops them, and on their heads' peneaVn the
vorv thin wells. they wear Partisan made bonnets
There are probably few such charming Spots In
the world as that which the Sultan mas CHOSEN as
the site of his permanent residence. When ABDUL
Hamd came to the throne he determined TO Turn
his back upon the melancholy magnllcence OF
Volma-Bagche, the former palace, ana pullt ior
himself residence after his own heart on tne
picturesque heights of Yildlg.
The palace he has reared for himself Is one OF
rarest beauty. From the terraced roof he can at
his pleasure look upon the snow-coVered crests OF
distant mountains, upon the blue sparkling waters
Of the Rosnborus and upon the hazy outlines OF
islands dotting the Asiatc coast lie can see Cne
domes and minarets of Stamboul, ana through the
rich foliage of the park are to be caughC glilnpSes
Of the Golden Horn and the streets anu Vilias VI
Pera. tall wall, hidden from slghC pehealn
mass of ivy and creepers and frlnged ny aaVc
palms and towering trees, lhcloSeS poCn Pai"oe
and park. Inside the palace the furnishing ID "
dream of Oriental luxury
How many wives does he maintain we weI H.
tbaro arc between two and three hundred ladies IN
the harem, but only those who are mothers really
hold tbe rank of wives. In the Sultan's harem,
though, as in every other Turkish harem for that
matter there is always one who is the favorlte.
She IS virtually the Sutana, and she generally
manages to keep the head of the household pretty
VOL 70 herself. Turkish women are not much dlt-
farent from anv other women IN their leanings to-
wards MONOPOLY as regards the possession OF
man. There are many women III One ~ poi .'1
harem who have never exchanged ten words with