Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-24
SULTAN'S BEAUTIES
ABDUL HANDS HAREM AND ITS
THREE HUNDRED INMATES.
SLAVES OF A DESPOT
A Wretched, but Valuable Herd of
Cattle-inside Views i'm Book
Which Created a Sensation-Pret-
ty and Graceful Women Best Suit
the Autocrate

(The following description OF the life
led by the inmates of the most secret
institution in the world is from a book
by George Dorys, The Private Life of
the Sultan Not only has Abdul
Hamid Ii endeayored to have the book
suppressed in all the countries CT
Europe, where it appeared, but he has
also sentenced the author of it to
death, a sentence which is not likely
to be carried out, as NJ. Dorys left
Constantinople before the book was
published, and is now in Paris. He
is a son of the late Prince of SamOs
w D was one of the Sultan's Ministers,
and therefore has had excellent OPP
portunities for knowing the secrets OF
the Sultan's court1
Few, nowadays, are those pashas
who, as much by tradition as personal
prediction, indulge in the barbarous
luxury of harem. 1t goes without
the saying that first among these
privileged beings is the commander
of the faithful, Abdul Hamid II, who,
in fact, owns living collection of the
most precious specimens of oriental
beauty.
The curiosity aroused by this mys-
terious word harem, the fugitive vision
it evokes # a fairy-like and unknown
world. unfortunately is apt to make
the western mind forget all there is
cruel and revolving in this wholesale
sequestration of young, beautiful and
ardent women, whose charm, fresh
to one master-a melancholy and de-
formed old monomaniac.
The closest confinement which
renders impossible all communication
with the outside world, a humiliating
part to play, unquestioning obedience
to the most fantastic whims of
feared and detested despot-such are
the sad conditions in which the 800
unfortunates Of the seraglio pass their
entire lives. The Yildiz Harem is
their entire universe. They have
been brought there as children, they
are guarded there like Wretched and
valuable herd of cattle and they live
anu ule tlSIS, lOIulhS vi IIIC
world outside their prison, without
the slightest notion of what life
really is.
The harem contingent is recruited
almost exclusively among the several
varieties of the CircaSsian race, the
most beautiful in the east. but it in
cludes, also, specimens of the Syrian
and Roumeliot races. Chosen for
their precocious grace. the odalisques
are almost all bought at a tender age
by special agents of the palace under
the orders Of the Yessirdji-Bachi
(grand master OF the slaves) Heussein
Effendi. Often, too, the governors of
the provinces, displaying zeal that is
disapproved of nowadays by all
civilized Turks, abduct beautiful
young girls from their parents Oh
purchase them to present them to the
sultan, and the cousins and aunts OF
the sovereign also exert every effort
to find for him rare beauties and dis
play friendly rivalry in seeking the
pearl most worthy to present to him
during the Bairam festival.
When they cross the threshold of
the palace the new recruits admitted
to the imperial harem must abandon
and forget everything-their parents.
| their relatives, their homes, their
very names. Existence begins anew
for them. A special training in al
the arts of pleasing is given to each
H., H. /,
slave) under the supreme control of
the valide sultana.
This course of instruction is quite
special and is intended solely to de-
velOp in the young beauties Of the
seraglio every art calculated to please
the most blase senses. Grace in de-
pertinent, walk and gesture. melOdious
singing, attractive dancing, poetic ana
picturesque speech, eloquent gentle
ness of XpreSsion-everything in
short, that art can add to the natural
charm of woman, is taught by oriental
experience to innocent beauty in the
academy IF love.
Generally this special instruction
lasts two years and is terminated by
solemn examination, presided over
by the vali1e sultana Each of her
pretty pupils must then be proficient
in the manner of waiting upon the
sultan and serving him with his
favorite beverages. She must be
familiar with his preferences, his
antipathies, his caprices and his
manias before she is permitted to con
slider herself member. of the harem
Even then It may be long before she
attracts the imperial notice. She has
800 companions in the harem, possess
ing the same beauty, having the same
ambition, and among her rivals there
are several favorites. Moreover, out
side rivals may enter the lists.
1t sometimes happens that the
Padishah takes a caprice for some
slave of the sultaEas, his relatives, or
the princesses, his daughters. One
night when Abdul Hamid gave a dance
and ballet in his harenl he noticed
among the dancers a young slave
named Meste Alem, in the service of
the Princess Zekkie, his eldest daugh- |
ter. The next day two Of the sultan's
eunuhs arrived in haste at the prin- |
cess palace and informed her that |
they came to fetch the girl, Meste |
Alem. who was to be the object Of a |
signal honor.
Great was the emotion of the young |
Circassian girl, who had little dreamed |
Of ever rising to such dignity. Her
mistress fastened to make her take |
the traditional bath, and surrounded |
nv cJauoc fhp toilet !