Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-06-10
RAAAZAN.

The great Mahomedan fast began on
April "a, and throughout Turkey there
will be forty days of abstinence and
forty nights of gormandizing and revel-
ry. Among the orthodox Mussulmans,
that is to say, for there are Turks and
Turks; contact with Westerns has led
to laxity in religious observance; and
the Europeanized Osmanli snesks away
to enjoy in secret the coffee and tobac-
co which are dearer to him than the
MONDAY meal. 1t is the craving for
these, rather than hunger, which trans
forms the bland, affable pasha into a
hurlish bigot, and the Turk becomes
tanatical RamaZan as naturally as a
Constantinople Greek gets tipsy in
Carnival The boom of the sunset-gun
bhanges his frame of mind. The glow
fng charcoal is put to the narghili or
the cigarette, he curls his legs under
him on the divan, draws a long caress-
hpg Whit, and then another, as if TAX,
ing the fumes into the innermost rami-
fcatlons of his system. Slowly the
dense wreaths of smoke curl out of
mouth and nostrils; the ill-humors of
the day vanish with them and the pashn
hs again affable, and ready once more
TO be entertained with gossip or stories
favored to his taste.
Ramazan is the ninth month of the
Mahomedan year, and commentaries
the month in which the Prophet was
wont TO retire into solitude and silence
and devote himself to prayer and medi-
tation. For the rich and idle who can
pass the days in sleep and enjoy the
revels of the nights, Ramazan entails
no sacrifice; but for the poorer classes,
and these, be it remembered, form the
large majoriy, 1t means hard self-denial
to work from sunrise to sundown with
out so much as a drop of water for re-
freshment 1t is just these simple,
laboring Moslems who observe it most
rigldly, and when the guns OF Tophaneh
announce the close of the days fast,
and from every mInaret the muezzin
calls the Faithful to prayer one may
see the workman piously postrate him
self before touching his frugal meal
Frugal, indeed, 1t is with the Turkish
peasant, for it consists of large hunch
of bread, as new as possible, and n
small piece of goat 's-milk cheese, a Gu
cumber, a watermelon, or anything
else that may be in season to give it
relish. The meal is washed down with
copious drsugbts of water from the
nearest fountain, and crowned with the
beloved cigarette. With the opulent,
iftar, rs the meal is called which breaks
the days fast, is far more elaborate
affair. 1t is no longer the custom to
keep open house during the entire
month, but there is great deal of en-
tertaining, the Sultan himself setting
the example, and every night inviting
;he Minister, Ambassadors, or other
distinguished persons to take iftdr at
the Imperial table; and at once, at least,
the whole of the troops forming the
garrison of Constantinople are invited
70 iftdr at Yildiz, when each soldier on
leaving the Palace receives a present of
money. The social duties of the Grand
ViZier are also heavy in this season, as
stiquette requires that he should invite
Ill to his table, from the highest officer
and Minister of State to the mere clerk
N the Porte. Unless distinguished
Christians are present, Turks, who or
linarily affect Western manners, revert
Turing RamaZan to the primitive usages
,f the more orthodox, dining from low
tables and eating with their fingers in
true Osmanlie fashion. A low stool is
placed before the guests, and on this is
vet tray containing a nnmber of tiny
plates of hOrs d'9uUre-thin slices of
moked tongue of beet-ham, olives,
cheese, almonds, pistachios, or caviar
and lemonade. If the family Is not
rery strict, small decanter of rdki
lakes the place of the lemonade. The
quests nibble and sip until soup is
,roupht in When tho sOup is remOyad
here is more nibbling and slipping;
pipes or cigarettes are lighted, and con-
rersation flows on gently till dinner is