The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-07-16


to visit with some friends the daughter
of venerable pasha in the harem- We
were all in a culver of expectation, for it
is no easy thing for a foreigner to gain
admission to Turkish home Of the bet
ter class
We were informed in the beginning that
we need not expect to see half hundred.
or even half dozen, wives; for contrary
to the universal opinion. polygamy has
practically ceased to exist in Turkey. Mo-
hamedans are not allowed more than four
wives, while the laws governing the Mus
sulman marriages make 1t next to impos-
sible for the ordinary Turk to take unto
himself more than one. Before he can du-
plicate his matrimonial alliances he must
be able to support the unusual luxury and
to provide for No. 2 as well and in the
same manner as No. 1.
Our harem was in the ancient town OF
Scutari. on the Asiatic side OF the Bos-
phorus. We came to great double iron
gate of formidable proportions, and. on
pulling a tinkling bell one side slowly
opened, carefully held by man in the
picturesque costume OF the Croats. These
| Croats are strong. powerfully built men.
fearless and feToeious when occasion de-
| mands, and are the trusted gatekeepers
and guards of banks. public buildings. and
public great houses in Constantinople.
Passing through the gateway, we found
ourselves in a beautiful garden, says a
writer in the New York Tribune" care
fully laid out in pretty walks among trees
and flowers The waters OF the Bosphorus.
4 Il II.
strange craft that ply between the Black
Sea and the Marmora were spread out be-
fore US, tapping the foot OF the garden.
I On one side of the grounds was the win
| ter house. On the other was the summer
kiosk Both houses seemed all windows.
an invariable feature of Turkish homes,
which are built with so many windows
/ that there seems scarcely framework
I enough left between to support the stories
above or to hold the structure together.
| If the character of the Turk is usually con-
ceiyed. dark and impenetreble. his home
/ presents the anomaly OF being in direct
contrast for that is as light and bright
as it can be made by windows and bal
comics.
| Met by black eunuch below We were
I conducted up a long stairway. at the top
Of which he struck a wall with his open
I palm, announcing the approach Of visitors
| VoiceIessly ushered into a Turkish salon
hung with bright colored draperies and
| with broad low eivans running part OF the
way around the room, we just had time
| TO glance out over the Incompatible Bos-
phOrus through the Iatticed windows and
| for one brief moment imagine ourselves
Turkish women, hid away from the world
| behind the bars CT such building.
! light step was heard. and the next
| instant we were greeted by beautiful
| creature, dressed in gown Of modern
| cut and fashion, who met Us With all
the ease and grace of a woman OF society
7 in a European metropolis. Her dark hair
was arranged in 4 Psyche knct, and her
soft brown eyes were shaded with long
! Iashes, which fringsd the most dslicately
curved and drooring lids imaginable.
! Her clear olive complexion. with Olly
a hint Of color, was evidently natural AMI
rot result of Turkish art. usually msn lest
even through the ''yashmak' OF most TuF-
| kish women when driving in their car
! riages. She was so beautiful. and had
such sweet dignihed manner and pretty
smile when her red lips disclosed 4 row OF
| perfect teeth, that l scarcely teak my
! eyes off her face the wkole Lour an1 n
] half of Our visit
| There was no trace Of eribarrss -nient at
meeting strangers. end no evidence tnat
! she had not been educated in fashionable
/ boarding school. She had all the ease OF
! belle of an aristoeratic set, except when
! she sat down on the edge OF chair.
| wondered then il it could be possible that
/ she ever sat crcss-legged on the io0T, or
, could prefer rug 70 rocker. Two sis
: tiers, q cousin and their French govcTGess
entered the room and greeted US with dell
cate cordially Then the two young sons
/ CT the fanny in military uniform came.
ard with unhesitatirg step walked straight
| to US, making a graceful bow to each, and
| taking US b. the hand as would any we'll
bred Europeon boy bright and spright-
Is conversation in perfect French was car
ried on with unfiagsing interest and as
naturally as in a French salon.
The mother, who is thoroughly Turkish,
unaffected by European customs or Ian
guage, speaking only her native tongue and
dressing IN the costume Of the country,
| was spending the afternoon at the bath.
The Turkish bath is the most alluring OF
! all the tame excitements and mild dissipa-
/ tions of the native women, who spend hall
a day there. slipping coffee and smoking
cigarettes with their friends. lounging on
the low, broad divans after the hour or
more spent in the steaming hot room at
the marble and alabaster basins. This
mother and her husband We are told by
their friends, were singularly happy and
loverlike. When her liege lord. the old
pasha, returned from the city and his
military duties in the evening, they at once
seemed to be in love with each other.
The eldest daughter was engaged to a
| young hey in the army. She talked unre-
servedly of her fiance. whom she had never
seen, and whom she expressed no desire,
not even curiosity, to see. She showed
US his photograph. which was that OF a
| ine-loCking fellow in military dress. deco
rated with numerous orders, and whom
| she seemed to regard with absolute indif-
| ference, as though he were stranger from
another world. She told us he had no pic
tue of her. as that would be a highly i'm
| proper gift before marriage We after
ward learned from a member OF the house.
! hold that he was by no means unaware OF
/ the beauty of her who was to be his wife.
and for whom he had persistently sued.
We also learned that it has been forbidden
| Turkish women 10 be photographed, in or
| der that their pictures should not come
under profane gaze. The young couple are
| to be married within a month. and their
! home was being furnished for them at the
time OF my visit. Strangest OF all. she had
not seen it, and would not until her we'd
[ ding day. when she would be brought there
1 for the final ceremonies. She talked I'M
| reseIvedly of all the arrangements for the
wedding and Of her new home. and I Won
dered If she did not have a little bit OF
sentiment hid away somewhere behind that
| gracious but indifferent exterior. / hoped
she had.
The religion of hospitality is universal
among the MahOmetans, and no one ever
| crosses their threshold without partaking
OF food and drink. During the conversa-
ton a servant entered the ROOM CARRYING
large tray covered with glasses. and
| spoons and a dish OF preserved strawber-