The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-11-28
VOL. XXVII.-NO. 4.

left around the body. She almost invari-
ably carries a parasol matching or harmo-
nizing with the shawl This, we surmised.
was to hold down over the face when the
veil proved insufficient protection, for there
was often no excuse of sun or rain. There
is nothing pretty in this getup beyond the
silk of the shawl. The shoes are generally
slipshod and the ankles ugly. The under
skirts are all drawn up around her and
pinned, bulging out the shawl awkwardly.
THE RUINED SEVEN TOWERS.
The drive through Stamboul to see the
ruined Seven Towers took us through the
heart of the old Moslem quarter. The
houses here were rickety; the windows
heavily screened, the streets where there
were no shops seemed quite deserted
There were even no children at play, as
farther on among the houses of the Chris
tian quarters where women looked out Of
the open windows and boys and girls ran
| about below, These Turkish houses seemed
never to have known paint and each one
looked ready to fall
"lt vexes me, one of our party ex-
claimed, "to see never house actually
down. They are always just ready to 60.
| want to see one on the ground. But
she was not satisfied; they always seemed
ready to go, but never gone.
The Seven Towers themselves were beau
tilul as ruins, but were full of tragic asso-
Citations. Ivy grew luxuriantly upon their
tops and along the walls which Joined them;
the grass was teeming with grape hyacinths
and pink anemOnes. We were shown sin
lister looking dungeons where not CLEAN of
light could enter and from which no sound
could come. We groped up steps in total
darkness, for the old Mohammedan who
showed the way carried the only light and he
could not be induced to wait for us. From
tops of these towers we had fine views of the
the ancient walls of the city-single on the
seaside, but of triple thickness toward the
land, strengthened at frequent intervals by
towers, and, inside of all, moat, long
since fallen into disuse aDd now filed with
vegetable gardens. In this fortress seven
Sultans had been imprisoned by the Janis
saries when they controlled affairs.
BARGAINING.
Whenever we could find vacant half
day we were off for the bazaars. They in.
terested us endlessly. The long streets.
with arched roofs and decorated ceilings,
the little shops, or rather one should call
them stalls, on either side, with their raised
platforms for floors, and their well stocked
shelves behind, the tempting embroideries,
silk and Persian shawls, Turkish bath
gowns, tasselled curtains, richly colored
rugs and all sorts of delightful things Of
fered for sale We came to be adopts at
bargaining, to bear away trophies in the
shape of gilded bottles of ottar of rose of
the first quality when we were TO have the
third to gesticulate, and frown, and smile,
and object, and. reason, and threaten, as
well as the Turks themselves. A bargain
is an amusing thing. 1t takes time. Show
that you wish thing and its price is dou-
bled. You are Indifferent on both sides.
Then follows passage at arms. All
the subterfuges that can be thought of by
both parties are used. By the time the
bargain is to be sealed you begin to feel
yourselves bitter enemies, but at last it is
done And then the scene suddenly
changes the sky becomes clear; the mer-
chant beams with smiles; he begs YOU to
come again, presents you with sandal
wood bracelet, hacksheesh or serves you
coffee. You part as the best of friends,
and wonder what all the storm could have
been about, for you are not criminal !;
you are not cheating him out of all his
profits as he indicated, and, better than all
you have something pretty to take home.
Altogether, you feel exceedingly good-na-
tured
THE SHOPS.
The different trades of Stamboul centred
In different localities We liked especially
to walk through the cabinet makers street
and watch the men in their little shops,
working in their small ways Chairs and
stools they were making, and spinning
wheels and tools for weaving, and children s
toys and all sorts of things The coffee
makers, with their tiny stoves and brass
dippers and dainty cups, were here also,
and were kept busy, for these workers in
wood We're social people and liked very
well, it seemed, to sit around together and
sip coffee.
Then there were candy Shops When
we looked at the great masses of nougat
there came to our mind childhood days
when watching the bread making was one
of the joys, for these mountains of sweet
ness looked like nothing so much as dough
moulded for the first rising. Nougat is
the cOmmonest sweet of Turkey, or would
be if it were not for the rose paste, the fa-
nous Turkish delight" which is rival
Red and white foury chunks of the most
delicious, delectable paste that heart could
desire, is this so-called delight )" but you
are so tired of rose as perfume or fla
voring that candy shops offer no attrac-
tion.