The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-14
BY MADAME E. yIARDI.

Constantinople. March . 13.-In this city the other day. before a room full of English and American women. a young Turkish graduate living in Stamboul was asked to say something about her fellow w-countrywomen. No nervousness was exhibited by the small. b'ack-robed figure that rose to speak to such an audience for the first time. With veil thrown back there being those of her own sex pre- sent-revealinE a girls pale. delicate looking. oval fac. whose fascination lay in the large hazel eyes and expressive mouth. she spoke without hesitation in the purest English, her low-toned voice having but the slightest indi- cation of an accent.
 T feel should apologize to you, ladies, for speaking in your own lang uage, but have been commanded to speak by an American lady-snd l am accustomed to obey Americans. having been educated at the American College for Girls in Scutari. Firts, the women of Turkey must be awakened to their need of education-though this Is necessary for the men too." she added, smiling, "as they have received almost as little education as the wo- men; then we shall establish head schools in Constantipople. with English and American teachers; after which we shall have our own instructresses, who will be sent to different towns throughout the Empire. For years the teaching of Mohammed has been wrongly constructed; but now We shall go forward giving justice to all. as we are commanded"
 This young girl-the only holder Of A degree for women in Turkey-was permitted by her husband to spend a night at the house of an American wo- man and speak to her friends. the only stipulation being that there should be no men present
 Though a few of the better class wo- men speak a little English, and others. having learned French from thelr governesses, read the latest French novels, the mass of Turkish women cannot read or write even their own language-for they. like the majority of their men up to the present, have had no system of education. The scheduled life they lead acts on their intelligence; not being educated them selves. they have not cared to educate their children. and. consequently, it will be some time before the ordinary woman can dispense with the services of the public writer, who Is often nothing but an imposter
 Here in Constantinople you can not help noticing that a few better class women are feeling their way" in re- gard to dress. but like all pioneers they suffer for their cause. If the customary heavy black veil Is thinner. if the hair has an appearance of be- ing nuffed out beneath its covering; 1T the rich silk mantle Is cut to show the slender form or none nature cur yes of It's wearer she Is Immediately an object of much attention and re- mark form Turk and Christian-more
 fro e custonied to take no notice of the ordi- nary shapeless bunch of black silk A Turkish woman. Many young Turks are willing that their wives drop the veil and dress more after the fashion of Europeans. but other-and perhaps wiser men-shake their heads and do not agree to the proposition that their women should go abroad unvailed. thinking, no doubt. it would tend to produce that freedom between the sexes which prevails In other countries but has hitherto been impossible here.
 The Turkish Dress.
 There are certain identical articles of dress without which. until quite re- cently. no Turkish woman would ven ture outside her door: the yashmak. (Yeil for covering the face) which can be thrown back or lowered sufficiently to leave the eyes free, the feriji (gen- erally of rich black silk). a Voluminous armless mantle. completely coucealing the wearer's figure; gaudy- -colored or ringed stockings, a pair of overshoes; and a painted parasol for all occasions wet or fine sun or shower. At first glance each woman resembles the other in size and shape, and one fma.- zines that as sheep are known only to the shepherd and his dog so the Turk tsh woman-once outside her close shuttered dwelling-is known only to her husband. children or maid. On a closer inspection, however. you dis cover that there is a difference in sa4.x ,S k1,a farftn. 4rtcIr l.. ltftTrur