The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-19
HOW TURKISH WOMEN LIVE
THE SULTAN,S HAREM DIVIDED
 INTO FOUR GLASSES.
PoIygamy Now a Costly Luxury in
 Turkey.

The east is but fieeting show, and
 the fairy tales of its wonders and de-
 lights which thrilled the hearts of our grandfathers are fast fading, like a
 summer mist. Turkey-nay, Islam it.
 self-is waking up. aping western GUS
 toms, donning Christian garments. and
 generally marching with the times.
 The picture we used to conjure up of a
 Turkish interior, it's soul-stealing att
 mosphere, its exquisite luXury,and the stately enchantress, whose eyes were
 of unhOly blue, toying with a dulcimer
 or sweetly playing on lute, have given place to very prosaic notions which are
 much nearer the reality. To begin with polygamy is quickly dying out through
 out the non-Christian world. In Japan the crown prince has given an excellent example in this respect; in Persia the shah has shown himself favorable to retrenehment all round-even in the sanctum of his harem- and every where, except at Yildiz Kiosk and the houses of few pashas, monogamy is winning the battle.
 Yildiz Kiosk is undoubtedly still the foucus of traditions of the days when Islam was young and wayward. The sultan's gorgeous palace is a survival of the fairy-tale period of Turkish history. Here awful mysteries, Bluebeard trage-
 dies, and at times, even superb come
 dies are still enacted, which would seem wildly improbable if represented on the
 stage. Life and death are sundered by
 a whin, a word, a nod. Heavy sacks
 now and, again drop into Bosphorus a few moments after dark-eyed maidens have disappeared from the harem; sud- den and fatal illness follow coffee as
 rapidly as coffee succeeds dinner, and Abdul Hamid plays the part of Fate to the inmates of the palace prisons. The
 fair partners of the Padishah's joys
 and sorrows are numerous as the latter,
 and are divided into many classes. There are no lawful wives. seeing that for over two centuries Turkish rulers have wholly ceased to marry. The highest four ranks-Cadinas-take the places of the lawful wives of olden times, enjoy extensive privileges, dwell in luxurious apartments, growing fat and looking young until 30, or dying of consumption at almost 'any age. Next come the Ikbals, or favorites-ladies who have gladdened the heart of their imperial master with a child; then the Odaliska and others, the lowest rung of the ladder being occupied by the colored slaves, known as Djaris, and treated as helots.
 But the ordinary Turk is contented with one spouse and quiet life. And she. is chosen for him by his parents and hers. Although she may surrepti- tiously get a glimpse Of him long be- fore the marriage, from behind the win dow lattice, he never sees more of her than the irritating veil and the eungainly sacklike garments that disfigure her body while hiding her charms. Indo- fence is inborn in the Turk, and 1t comes to the fore in love just as in busi- ness. Hence there is no courtship, no soul- thrilling glances, no soft pressure of the hands, and fervently attired lovers VOWS. Jealousy is the serpent in the paradise of the Turk-it is the besetting sin of the husband, while cun- ming is the most effective weapon of the wife, and the mysterious disappearance of many warm-hearted European in Pera and Gallipoli is applicable only as the outcome of both. A Christian man is not allowed to marry 8 Mohammed- an@ girl unless he first embraces Islam, but Mussulman may wed one or more Christian girls if he he feels so, disposed, and even allow them to remain faithful to tller own denomnation.
 When the wedding festivities which are so1eman and wearisome, have come to an end. the betrothed pair are left face to face. It is a dramatic moment. The bridegroom offers the lady pres ent for the favor she is about to bestow upon I1irn--tfe sight of her comedy or honely countenance. It is then that something in the nature of theatrical coup in comedy of errors takes place. The young husband is often depressed to the depths of despair when he sees the prize the marriage lottery has given him. Later on, of course, he is free to divorce his spouse, with or without good cause, but not without a substantial sum of money. This provise which the law very strictly enforces, acts whole some check on divorce. Polygamy, there fore is a costly luxury nowadays in Turkey, and no more than per cent of the male population indulge in it. In many cases, when a Turk marries, the parents of his bride insist on his sign ing clause in the contract undertaking not to marry second wife so long as his first is alive and undivorced. And thus the average marriage tends to re- semble that of the west more and more. The husband treats his wife as his equal, and although her apartments (the harem) and his (the selamyk) are always separate, he sometimes comes and takes counsel with her, and some- times coffee and cigarettes.
 2 The women, who are but children of a larger growth, are not educated, &C., complished, or skilled in the perform ance of household duties. All the shop ping Is done by the willing husband, unless he is wealthy enough to pay a and watchful enough to keep him honest. There are no cupboards in the house, and few of the arrangements without which European lady could not conceive of family life. Arabia breathes from the sandalwood toilet box of the stately Circassian or soft, languid Georgian. and her stiff, rustling silks are perfumed like sachets. Of late years French, English and Belgian sovernesses have materially contributed to spread a, knowledge of music, to im- part a love of art. and to awaken and foster a sense of womaply dignity, which will end by breaking down the