The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
SLAVESARE SET FREE
Young Turks Quickly Abol-
ished the Harem.
NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Writer Describes Affecting Scenes
when Separated ISinsfOIk Met.
cesses-GInd to Return from Per-
petuHI SecIusiOn TO Peasant Life.

When Abdul Hamid was deposed by the
Young Turks, one result of the revou-
ton was the emancipation OF the slave
girls who formed the ex-SuItan's harem.
An account is given in Turuuie. a
French daily newspaper published in Con-
stantinople. Of their restoration to their
families and friends:
''The government" it says. first sent
kilograms to all parts Of Anatolia In
which were to be found Ciroassian refu-
gees or colonists likely TO have dRugh-
ters, sisters. or relatives IN the hsrem OF
Abdul Hamid- They were summoned m
mediately 10 Constantinople IN order to
take back into their own country the
ladies' Of the harem who belonged TO
them. For several days these Circassian
villagers have been arriving In the city
wearing their picturesque costume, with
dagger in girdle."
Tears and Caresses.
The reunion of the long separated klns-
folk is thus described: Tears. caresses,
and cries OF enthusiasm and excitement
prevailed. The girls recognized fathers.
brothers. unoles, or cousiusi they kissed,
they wept, they uttered exclarnations of
Joy at the recovery OF the dear relatives
from whom they had been separated for
so many years.
They asked for news OF their mothers,
their sisters. their brothers. and then
friends. Some there were who did not
know their relatives, from whom they
had been taken away in early childhood
The recognition was only made by ref
erence to family names and names Of
the vilayets from which they had been
exiled'
Lived In PnIaoe.
The young women are described as be-
ing heartily glad TO leave the perpetual
seclusion of the harem for the liberty of
peasant life. These ladies'. who lived
like princesses Of fairyland, in a sump-
tuous palace. who wore 5ewitching
dresses and ate of plate. who fioated in
gilded shaIlops on enchanted lakes.
and still were unhappy. are suddenly
snatched by a social revolution from the
shores OF the BospOrus and sent back to
the isolated villages of Asia Minor. Here
their only dwelling will be a matched
cottage. their only pastimes the cultiva-
tion OF the SOIL the milking Of COWS. the
herding Of cattle.
Their evening. meal will be a piece OF
maize bread with a bowl Of skim milk
but they will have health. Death by con-
sumption or the tuberculous diseases OF
the harem viii not be theirs. They Will
live happy lives surrounded by love and
affection.
Open to Public.
Yndiz, the home Of Abdul Hamid for
thirty-hve years, has been thrown open
10 the public. visitors being admitted
through turnstiles at Ons shilling head,
an overcharge. says an English corre-
spondent who has Inspected the place.
for all that is to be seen. He asserts that
the much vaunted pleasure grounds Of
the Sultan are without beauty or at
traction OF any sort. There Is nothing
beyond what can be seen In any private
garden. The paths are narrow and the
shrubs meager, and the park of Yildiz
IS as great a fraud as the palace itself
The writer continues: There are love-
ly palaces at ConstantinopIe-perf
architectural gems in polished marble and
gOld-but Yildiz looks more like q modern
barrack hospital IN stucco and plaster
There is not one palace, but many two
stored buildings, lying scattered about
the park. and few Of them have the
slightest pretensions 70 any beauty OF
design or decoration.
The rooms themselves are mostly
small. with very narrow doors-wlde
enough only for a man to squeeze
through. and in every one. besides the
parrots. used to lie a revolver. Any in
trusion led TO a chorus Of chattering and
the feathered brigade served like watch
dogs.
Much TO See.
THE harem Is q long and ugly. low.
barrack-like construction with strongly
barred wiz dows. Through these the gap
ing crowd can see a nondescrip collection
Of ouriosties.
There are vases Of great beauty and
extraordinary knickhnacks OF every de-
scription. over against the harem is the
artificial lake, or rather canal which runs
for about half a mile through the park.
1t Is marked off by various landing
stages, named after the villages in the
Bosporus touched by the daily steamers.
II was here that the fair prisoners. who
could not enjoy the real thing, were
wont, accompanied sometimes by the
Sultan himself, to make imaginary trips
to Therapia or Beicos on an unRainly and
hideous water bicycle made TO hold about
half dozen passengers
There were drawbridges here and there
20 heighten the Illusion, but It is almost
inconceivable TO a Western mind that
any civilized being above the age Of ten
could have found amusement in naviget-