The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-05-01

merry days for them, as such freedom is
rare. A Turkish girl never mar
ries what might be the man
of her choice. The marriage is
arranged by her mother, who gives
description of her TO her future husband,
careful not to keep back one defect or fault,
as after the marriage the husband IS al
lowed to send her home if he discovers
single blemish that the mother has not ap-
prised him of. What risk it is for par
ents TO have girls in Turkey, forsooth!
The groom never sees his brid3 until after
the marriage, and after that he IS so care
full of her that he would not even allow his
own brother to look at her face. When
company is invited the women must keep
out of sight, and for the novelty of it the
Turk is very fond of European women and
many OF the progressive men would like to
see their own women as free.
Outside of the Sultan himself, a Turk is
only allowed a certain number of wives,
but he rarely has more than one as 1t in
wolves too much expense. When Turk is
well enough off to support many wives he
keeps them
IN A HAREM,
to which only the husband is admitted, but
woman curious to pry deeper into the
mysteries Of Mohamedan life has a good
opportunity TO see her Oriental sisters in
spend most of the day in powdering and
painting and primping, each trying to be
prettier than the other SO as to outrival the
others in the husbands affections
The Turkish women are not allowed to
have their photograph S akeD, and all the
photographs shown of them are nothing
more than those of foreign women in Turk
lsh dress, and even these we had TO hide
until we had passed out of the country or
they would have been taken from US. The
Sultan, Also is never allowed to sit for
picture, SO no likeness exists of him, and
neither can he be looked at through an
opera glass, and anything with his name
embroidered on is forbidden to leave the
empire for fear that it might be used as
stcol and thus his sovereign name be sat
upon. This, however, is command but
lately given and difficult to enforce.
The Turks are an indolent people, just as
their government is an indolent one. They
do not particularly interfere with any
ones freedom; donot urge the collection of
taxes with undue severity or great pune
tuallty; but on the other hand they 90 not
expect anything in return; thus no i'm
provement or innovation is made unless it
be by foreigners. For this reason there
are few railroads. ana those few built by
French, German and English capital
PRIMITIVE WAY.
There is short horse car line running
through Constantinople. When the car
turns corner man runs ahead shouting
or blowing whistle for those in the street
to get oGt Of the way. A tunnel cable car
runs under the city for a short distance.
The hotels in the city are not very good and
the prices are above any reach whatever.
1t ia a great fruit place, however, and we
never ate more delicious oranges than those
brought mere from Africa. The apples come
from Asia. The Turkish coffee is made
from the best Mecca and is very thick; it IS
! sweetened when made and drank in small
quantities without milk
The Turks plant tree at the birth and
death of every person, therefore CONSTANT
nople lies hidden in forest of cypress.
Every short distance in the street are foun-
tains for people to wash and drink. The
Turks have no balls, concerts or theatres.
but the Europeans keep up their places of
amusement The streets at night are de-
serted, but the dogs keep up their perpet-
uel bark.
In my next letter want to mention some
of the remarkable buildings and institu-
lions, historic as wen as modern, in which
this queer capital abounds.
VERONA E. POLLOCK.
CoNsTANTINoPLB, March 5, 1892.