The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-01-08
ORIENTAL BATHING.
ATraveler Tells OF - Pleasant Experience
ut Conatantlnople.

ATraveier Tells OF - Pleasant Experience
nj Constantinople.
The Americans and Europeans wash
themselves and think they have bathed;
they SILVER under cold showers. and
perform laborious antics with coarse
towels. Tho genius OF the bath, whose
home Ia In the East would be convulscd
with scornful laughter could he behold
that aqueous Diogenes sitting in his
tub As the rose In the east sheds u
rarcr perfume, 40 does the oriental
bath impart more exquisite en-
joyment IL anyone doubts this let
him go 20 the bath of Mahmoud at
Constantiuople and take perfect
bath.
The master of the bath receives MS
courtcously and conducts us TO couch
The work Of disrobing now commences
lie then thrusts n pair Of wooden clogs
upon our feet, and leads us trough u
low door and u warm ante-chambcr in
to the first hall of the bath The at.
tendant spreads n linen sheet in one Of
the vacant places, on IA marble plat
form, puts pillow ut one end, takes
of our clogs, deposits us gently on our
back and leaves MS, and the first breath
we draw gives us u sense of suffocation.
But bit of burning aloe-wo has just
been carried through the hall, and the
steam is penetrated with fragrance. A
dark-cyed boy appears with narghilet,
which he places beside US, offer
ing the amber mouthpiccc 10 our
submissive lips. The smoke we inhalc
has an odor OF roses; and rs the pipe
bubbles with our breathing we feel
that the dews of perspiration gather
heavily upon MS The attendant now
rcappears, knecls beside us, and gently
kncads us with deNtrous hands until
we become plastic in his hands He
turns MS upon our face, repeats the
same process upon our back, aud leaves
us little longer to lie there passivcly,
glistening In our own dew.
The attendant rcappcars, and lead MS
into an inner hall. with stcaming
tank in the center Here he slip Us Off
the brink, and we are submerged, head
and ears in the fiery fluid. Once-twicc
we dip into the delicious heat, and
then we are led into IA marble alcovc, and
seated Hat upon the floor The attend.
ant stands behind MS, and we now per
ceive that his hands are cncased in dark
hair gloves. lie pounces upon an arm.
which he ruhs until, like IA serpent. we
slough the WORKOUT skin, and resume
our infantilc smoothneSs and fairness.
The other arm follows, then the back
and tho rest Of the body. Next, we are
altcrnatively flooded with hot and cold
streams of water. Under this process
the whole frame seems purgcd Of it's
earthly nature, and transformed into
something of u finer and more delicate
texture.
Next foamy mass Of snowy lathcr
IN dashed into our face and the world
vanishes; we have become ncbulous.
Again the basin comes into play. Then
final plunge into the seething tank,
when IA graceful boy comes, with clean,
cool, lavcndored napkins, which he
wraps around our head and waist, and
we are led back to our couch. We sink
gently upon the cool linen and the boy
covers us with pcrfumcd sheet, care
fully drying and rubbing our languid
body. Then the boy knccling, hands
us "a cup of coffee, followed 10y glass
of sherbct cooled with the snow of
Lebanon. He presently returns with
narghilet which we smoke by the eff
fortress inhalation Of the lungs Thus
we lie in perfect reposc, soothcd 10y the
fragrant weed Mind and body are
drowned In delicious rest and we no
Logger remember what we are. The
gentliest sleep lies upon our scnscs-a
half-conscious sleep, wherein we know
that we behold light and inhalc
fragrance. As gently, the clouds dis
sipate into mir, and we are born again
into the world The bath is at an end.
We arise and put On our garment, and
as we walk forth into the sunny streets
OF Constantinople, we feel So light that
we seem to bc capable Of soaring above