The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-17
TURKISH WOMEN.
They Are Full of "Nerves," But
Nevertheless Don't Seem 10
Have Much Fun.


The Turkish women's garments are
all of the most brilliant and snowy
pattern, and they wear trousers OF
gayly lowered chintz which reach te
their ankles and are never of gauZe,
as some seem to believe. Above the
trousers they wear a shalvar, or petit
coat, made of four breadths of mater
ial not sewn together, and each a yard
and a half to two yards long. In the
street these are tucked up, but left
to train in the house. Next comes a
chemise of Broussa crepe with long
sleeves and V-shaped neck. No cor
sets are worn. A jacket made of silk
or velvet, and richly embroidered in
gold thread, pearls, Turquoise and
coral beads This is very low
in the neck, and buttons around
the waist with three small buttons,
leaving the entire bust exposed, with
the exception of the doubtful protec-
ton of the transparent crepe chemise
and the rows of brilliantly colored
necklaces. A shawl is folded on the
bias. and wound around the waist
tightly, which holds up the trousers
and Sha1oaa,, but makes a clumsy
looking wad.
This is the national house dress.
When going out, a long, shapeless
cloak with wide sleeves and a wide
flap hanging down the back; and the
veil, with a brilliant-hued parasol,
completes the street attire. At night,
summer and winter, a wadded night
gown is worn, generally outside the
clothes worn during the day.
Only a few families have bedsteads,
preferring to sleep on the pile OF
twenty or thirty quilts on the floor.
Each wife has her suite of three
rooms, and sleeps there with her chill
dren and personal servants; and no
matter how hot the night, the win
dows are tightly closed.
The Turkish women are sensitive
and full of a rather exaggerated sem
sibility, which causes them to shed
tears and faint on the slightest provo
cation. NERVES" as we have them,
they don't seem to know, but they
are ready to keel over in a faint for
almost nothing. Whether this is nat
ural to them, or induced by their
lack of exercise and constant bathing
in such boiling hot water, / cannot
tell. They sit or lie about all day un-
washed and most slovenly, unless
they expect visitors, or are going out,
until six o'clock, when their husband
may possibly pay them a visit, and
so toward evening they let their
slaves brush them up and decorate
them.
Once in a while there will be a des-
perate quarrel in the harem, and then
the eunuch has the authority to whip
the offenders. Imagine fifteen or
twenty women shut in one house-one
DON almost-all having an equal
claim upon the master; give them
nothing useful to do; stuff them all
day long with sweets, nuts, fruit and
rich food; oblige them to huddle close
around the little brasier, or mangal,
in winter, to keep from freezing,
with half a dozen or more different
broods of children to make mischief,
and we have one reason why the
peace loving Turk goes into his harein
so seldom. The law of the Koran al
no woman to make a sign OF her
existence to her husband between the
of sunrise and sunset. SO he is
at peace to attend to his business in
his own part of the house; but it is
pretty hard on the How
weary they get. how their hearts
chafe under this unnatural condition.
none outside can know.-Olioe H0r-
per, in Frank LeSlie'S Popular Month
ly for January.