The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-06-08
THE ORDER OF MEDuEH.
BY ". II. CHATFIEIn.

You have often asked me why never married,
and the question was one l did not feel could
answer. But somehow to- night, as | sit over the
smouldering embers of the fire, with the rain beat
ing on the windows, and the wind sobbing around
the house. there to be an irresistible impulse
Obliging me to speak.
| believe there is some unseen connection be-
tween the other world and this and often feel the
presence of those who have passed away. There
times like night when the air is full of their
subtle influence, and | can almost the shadowy
forms passing and repassing, and hear the murmur
of voices long stilled, and at such times one seems
compelled almost to open the Utmost recess of ones
heart as do to you now.
Many years ago, as you know, was an attache
at the legation in Constantinople Young moder-
ately good-looking, and with plenty of money,
was at once launched into the midst of the Euro
pean society that is always there The members
of the various legations, attaches, etc. form one of
the gayest and most brilliant lotteries in the world
plunged into the vortex of this society with all
the zeal OF novice, and enjoyed it to the fullest
extent, but something, perhaps the recollection of
my mother, kept me out of any of the compromis-
ing lntrgues in which most of my friends were en-
gagged. Constantinople is the very home and birth
place of intrigue. The customs of its society the
women yelled and kept away from the world tend
to encourage it. The glance of bright eye from
guarded carriage, the wave of white hand,
steathily managed SO as not to attract the watch
full eye of the guard, has meaning and suggestion
In it that would never be thought of anywhere
else. The sense of mystery about the inside of
harem gives young man longing to fathom it,
and he goes to any length to get inside one, and
always finds plenty of chances to try, as the women
are constantly on the lookout tor good looking,
adventurous spirits with whom to exchange smiles
and glances, and often lure them on to danger and
death. The air was full of rumors and occasionally
some one you knew had seen was suddenly
missed He was gone. Where2 Only the eunuchs
and the Bosporus could tell.
OF course had my share of soft chances from
half-veiled beauties, they passed in their car
r1ages, and rose was often dropped over the
shoulder of some one walking, as an invitation to
follow her, but beyond nod and smiles | never
went.
1t was our custom to go every Friday to the
Sweet waters of Europe, where the sultan, court,
and all the wealth and fashion of Constantinople
went after the mosque, and where the most bril-
liant and rarest scenes in the world can be wit
messed. Every harem in Constantinople was rep
resented. There were hundreds of carriages full of
ladies in every style of beauty, with mounted
escorts of soldiers and eunuchs alone according to
their rank. So thinly were they yelled that it
served rather to enhance than conceal their good
looks as they cast side glances at the young men
who lined the roads as they passed. These were
always returned with interest.
There IL no place in the world were such snowy
diversity Of costumes and uniforms can be seen
Europeans, Turks, Arabs, Sheiks, Albanians,
Greeks, Syrians-in the gayest and most brilliant