The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18

good natured, as they say. We were like |
sisters together. and indeed called one an |
other by that endearing term.
Gladys was a very talented girl, her !
many paintings. highly valued even by
masters of the craft. testify to her clever |
ness. her love of art and nature. She was
an artist in everything she did, her cos
tunes were dreams of loneliness and good
taste. And. after becoming thoroughly ac-
quainted with it she adored Oriental life
Here in Paris we'll as liz the Pasha's
real home, Zsghuan. she usually wore the
picturesque Tunisian dress that set off
her glorious figure to perfection.
rs il true" asked the correspondent
that Gladys's American friends withdrew
from her after her marriage to the
Pasha?''
They did-for short time" said Mrs.
Russell. No. 1. but during the last year or
so we have seen a great deal of American
society, at the Villa Lumiere as well as i'm
the REVERB, and in Tunis. Last fall. when
returning from Cannes TO Africa the
Pasha's yacht harbored a dozen American
ladies who accompanied us to our great
palace at Biserta. We all had a good time
l believe most of our visitors stayed a
month or longer and no one took offense
because there was more than one wife in
the house"
GLADYS ILLNESS AND DEATH
Poor Gladys died of typhus in it's most
malignant form, and her three co-wives
proved their love and devotion for this
strangely-wedded American girl by turn
ing nurse, despite the danger of contagion.
We could not hear of trained nurses"
said Gertrude. 1--WE trained ourselves in
order to serve our beloved sister in the best
possible way. Two of us were always in
the sickroom, while the third slept to gath
er new strength, and so we changed off
day and night. When, at last it became
evident that death would not let go of its
prize we all FRUSTRATED with grief
The thought that we should hear Gladys's
laughter no more, not see her beautiful
face and kind eyes, the dimples in her red
cheeks was too awful 1t drove us from
this villa and from Paris long before the
contemplated time.
1.-THE Pasha had intended to remain here
until Sister Blidah" dhe fourth wife), had
completed her musical education She is a
very talented girl and was making rapid
progress in languages, as well as on the
piano But GIadys's death killed all am
bitiOn in her for the time being; indeed,
she first to say that she would like
TO return TO the land of her fathers"
Blidah. the Tunisian. is Just sixteen and
one of the sweetest creatures one would
wish to see. She could never be persuaded
to don European costume and who could
blame her, seeing that the Oriental dress
so well harmonizes with her outlandish
beauty? Blidah has never worn a shoe in
her life and her waist and bust are per-
fectly shaped, though cOrsets are not in
her wardrobe. 1 heard her play the piano
once or twice before Gladys died, for since
then she has never touched an instrument;
she plays with true musical feeling. IT'S
her nature" say the great masters, to
whom the Pasha paid enormous sums for
her instruction.
Madame Gertrude. too. is an excellent
pianist and cello player, but musical COM
position is her real forte. She has written
a number of Oriental dances, lullabes and
songs that professional critics declare far
above the average. Still the pasha will
not have them published. His wives are
there to amuse him and his children, not
outsiders"
Madame Juliette claims to have no talents
save as a conversationalist and an appre-
citation of everything beautiful. During
her stay in Paris she was often seen at the
theater, in the great art galleries and
stores, but always heavily yelled. The
veil she wore of the latest mode, to be
sure. but fulfilled the mission OF the
Oriental commodity to perfection.
THE PASHAS CHILDREN.
The pasha's many children, save two
sons who are at college near Boston, ac-
company the family back to Tunis, but
thirteen of the boys will return to Paris
Immediately TO continue their studies The
pashas oldest daughter will probably also
return; she has the reputation of being
the most talented pupil the Racine Lyceum
can boast Of She is a thorough American
girl by the way, her mother being the
daughter of a missionary from the United
States whom the pasha met and welded
some twenty years ago in the far away
country.
As stated. Richard Russell was born in
Brooklyn in the late thirties At the age
of eighteen he left the United States and
made tour around the world trusting to
luck for his travelling expenses He ar
rived in Tunis in 1858, and year later was
heralded far and wide as the most intimate
friend of the new Sultan, Momammed
Sadok. In his Majesty's service the young
American quickly gained great dignities
and riches, and, after a while, the title Of
said, which is equivalent to count or
marquis" was conferred upon him.
Then he settled down and married an
American missionary's daughter who later
joined him in embracing the faith of their
adopted country and their imperial master
Islam. They were admitted to the society
of the faithful with great ceremony at the
Sultan's own palace and so pleased was
the monarch at his friends conversion that
he ordered public thanksgivngs and re-
joicings, occupying a whole week.
A year later Russell and his young wife
went 20 the United States TO visit relatives
and friends, but the news of their adop-
ton of foreign religion havine preceded
them, they were given the cold shoulder
wherever they made themselves known in
their native land; as consequence. they
soon returned TO Tunis. disappointed. but
not disheartened. On the contrary. Russell
became even more settled in his conviction
that Islam was the only true religion,
which circumstance was not without bene-
fetal influence on his official life and his
commercial undertakings.