The state herald., 1890-07-25
LIFE N a HAVEN.
0aAss Harper writes Of the Mysteries
the Houses Of Oru1sht Turks.

that Is either useful OF ornamental
aside from the decoration Of their
own persons, but that Is not altogether
true, az my residence 81 over 1 year
In their country taught me, for they
are really dexterous with tho needle
and do work which is as fine a that
done by the Sisters In the Converts Of
that Of wives Of the fcudai noblemen Of
olden times.
The favorite pastime Of the Turkish
women is tho bath, which brings TO.
gether the wives and slaves Of all the
well-to-do Turks, and Is like picnic Of
school children.
These wives, most Of them very
young--some, indeed, not over II and
IA years old--take their lunch along,
and they cat and steam. plunge and
splash. and play pranks upon zach
other in the widest glee the whole day
long.
No fear of an angry husband haunts
their minds, for they are not expected
to do anything, and their husbands
very rarely enter the harem before 8
o'clock. BY this time they are all back.
rosy and sweet from their bath.
AT the baths there is often an old
woman who has the faculty Of relating
stories, and she is eagerly listened to
by the grown-up children; and the
stories are generally. Of the ARABIAN
Nights" order full Of genil, beautiful
ladies. and charming youths. and jeal-
GUS husbands. Many lesson Is given
rs to how to outwit the most jealous Of
men-a lesson they are neither slow to
learn nor practice.
The way they were watched and con-
fined always made mo think OF the wo-
man who cautioned her innocent child
rem not to put blue beans In their
noses while she was out. The magic
lantern entertainments amuse those L.
norant Gagged birds. Dancing girls,
singing aud playing the lute, playing
with the babies. and occasionally
quarrclling with each other. take up
some of their time; weekly tour Of the
bazaars, and once In while n visit to
the harcni of some other Turk still leave
much time on their hands that the rare
calls Of their husbands. tho eating Of
swectmeats or smoking Of cigarettes
canuot till, and SO they give their poor
little minds to fancy work. They very
seldom learn how to read, or perhaps
books would help them through. aud
they never make their own clothes,
though they do sometimes decorate
them deliberately after others have
made them.
About the only thing l ever noticed
the Turkish women do for their little
children was to make toys for them.
and they make the most grotesque-
looking dogs, lions. cows, rabbits, ele-
plants, camels, aud doll babies out Of
rags for their amusement. They never
nurse their babies, for fear of spelling
poor mothers. rs they are too ignorant
themselves to understand their re.
sponsibilitics or to teach their child
rem. They alternately slap them or
carcss and indulge them. just as their
own humor happens 10 be good or bad.
Tho little girls are taught how to
sew and embroider, how to walk grace.
fully and recline in the most negligent
manner upon the divans, how to play
by ear little ON lutc, and TO sing
their interminablc love songs. Their
songs are like Barbara Allen" Love
ly Young Caroline of Ediuboro' Town"
The Brown Girl or Gypsy Dave"
all long and telling whole romance
to plaintive chant.
never learned to speak Turkish,
but got so that could seize upon tho
meaning of these songs. The singer
always puts all the life and sentiment
she can into her music, and often sheds
tears rs she sings, US do her listeners. l
have even seen one or two Of them
flint Mt fhn ,,ael.tt, -
This Is y very common trait among
Turkish women, and have not yet been
able TO decide whether IL Is the result Of
weak will or extreme scnsibility. but
they faint on every possible occasion.
The Turkish women love music
passionately, and nearly all Of them
can play some instrument with taste
and feeling, though almost always by
ear. Their native music is always sad
and plaintivc. and often full OF such .
piercing sorrow that II Is no wonder
II brings tears. They love towers.
too, and you rarely sec one without .
flower In her hand when it Is possible
to get them. and they arc fond Of
selves. Many Of the Turkish women
show considerable talent In drawing
and painting. though the poor things
never have any chance to learn. They
simply pick Il up"
As found the Turkish wonderland
happened to have obtained. by for
tunate circumstance. a chance to know
them In their homes accorded TO very
few foreign women, and TO absolutely
no foreign man-they are gentle. sub
missive. loving. and with many natural
gifts In addition to their beauty. II
they were educated they would be tho
equals OF any women In Europe. II
does not seem to me that they are un-
happy In their peculiar marriage rela.
tions. They reminded me Of . lot OF
irresponsible young girls In n boarding
school, and the only jealousy such NJ
might be felt OF the teachers pet"
Instead Of the poisoned and vindictive
murder supposed a ways ready TO be
Inflicted upon each other. tho worst
they ever do is 10 pull each others hair
occasionally or box each others ears.
really lazy or indo!cnt, but for many
reasons they appear so. The husband
considers his wife rs mn irresponsible
being. prone 10 mischief (and he Is
rarely mistakenly, and all he expects or
requires Of her Is to look pretty. be
cncerfui nnd Pheasant when ne ~ near,
and II would be n mark OF disrcspcct
for her to do anything In tho way OF
work when no Is present. So these
women arc early taught to DO grace
fully idle.
Girls reach their majority At . and
are frequently married n year later,
though not usually until 10. BY that
time all the education they get ID ac-
quired. Instead Of being taught all
the abr:rusc sciences. she l. taught all
tho carcss.og words and gestures posi-
bic to imugin"-how to walk, sit. look.
and speak so ia to appear the most
seductive In the Syes Of tho husband
who gets her.
No Turkish wife OF tho better class II