Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-12-23
A CHRISTMAS DINNER
In CONSTANTINOPLE

The wife of the proprietor of the
Levant Times in Constantinople, Mrs.
Laffan-Hanly, wishing not long ago to
show to some of the inhabitants of
that city what an old fashioned Eng
lish Christmas was like and incidental
ly to cement valuable friendships for
her husband in certain influential quar-
ters, sent out invitations for fifty per-
sons There was curious mingling of
nationalities in the guests responding.
Greek, Persian, Turkish. French, Ar
menian, Russian, English. American.
Spanish, Hebrew, German, Italian, AL
bantam and one japanese. Possibly
there may have been more nationalities
represented, but only thirteen different
languages were spoken.
Mr.. Laffan-Hanly's house was situat-
ed in Pera, directly opposite the konak
Of Fuad Pasha. AS the guests arrived,
some on horseback, q few on foot, a
few in coupes, but more in sedan
chairs. the faces of the women in the
konak opposite could be family seen
pressed against the kafass. for Fuad
Pasha was one of the guests and none
of his wives could accompany him.
Hadji Rassim Effendi was another.
There were two Hebrew bank direct
ors, the Persian ambassador and the
Japanese consul.
The house was built originally for a
Turkish residence, and three rooms
were decorated with holly and mistle-
toe brought all the way from England.
The Greek and Armenian ladies were
richly dressed in heavy silks and vel
vets under their fur lined wraps. They
wore a profusion of jewels Of barbaric
design. These ladies riot in bright colors
and dazzling effects, and on this occa-
sion were painted red and white and
had their eyebrows blackened. The
other ladies were handsomely dressed,
but it remained for the two Jewish la
dies to exhibit fine diamonds in ex-
travagant numbers.
In such a mixed assemblage it was
almost impossible to establish anything
like sociability, and the poor hostess
grew haggard with the effort. The
Turks looked on with preternatural
gravity and bowed with exceeding po-
likeness on all occasions. The Persian
ambassador might have been a wooden
image for all the expression on his
face. The Albanian stood in a corner
in solitary grandeur. his stiffly starched
fustanelle standing out like ballet
dancers skirt. The japanese consul
smiled and bowed right and left with
praisewOrthy impartiality. The Eng
lishmen stood in group, while the
Greek, French and Armenian got to-
gether and were soon talking with ami
from their lips as If money was the
only thing worth mention. The Rus
sian, Spanish, Italian and German gen
tlemen paid strict attention to the la
dies, who sat in the two upper parlors
while the men appropriated the main
room.
Miss Laffan-Hanly, the very pretty
daughter of the host and hostess, play
ed Christmas carols on the piano, but
nobody listened, and it was a relief
when dinner was announced. 1t was
understood that this dinner was to be
representative Of the Christmas in Eng
land, and so there was a roast of beet
of astonishing proportions following an
enormous boiled fish on a wooden tray
Two mOnstrous turkeys and chicken
pie filed the table, with the vegetables
and small things, such as pickles
olives, etc. Everything was put on to
gether save the dessert. Wines there
were and pure water for the Turks and
Persians.
At last everybody was seated. The
service was well done by three men
from the big hotel. The Greeks and
Armenians had come to dinner, and
they did full justice to it. The rest OF
the guests were more circumspect OF
had smaller appetites. The amount OF
bread they consumed was astounding.
The Persian ambassador was the
guest of honor, with Hadji Rassim
Effendi opposite. The hadji was al
orthodox Turk of the old school, Fuad
Pasha was the same, but he was in
some ways not so strict in his Observ'
ances, so he took little wine. AS the
first hunger passed, the wine began tC
loosen tongues, and one would have
imagined oneself in new Babel. Jests
and couplets were made and toasts
passed back and forth in all the thir
teen languages spoken.
The dinner lasted nearly three hours
The dessert consisted of great plum
pudding covered with blazing rum and
several fine mince pies. The Turks
seemed to have an instructive fear Of a
pudding blazing with Satanic blue
lights and took mince pie or fruits