Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-10-22
Especial Correspondents
. ONSTANTlNOPLE. Oct. 10.

n
q is the popular thing to picture
the inmntes OF the Turkish
harcm of today as educated. Gull
tured women, pining for the liberty
which is enjoyed by their western sis
tiers. Pierre Lott the distinguished
French author, is partly responsible for
this conception ana doubtless there Is
no one who believes more firmly in
the truth OF the charming picture he
drew in "Dlsenchanted" than Lott him
self. But Lott is all wrong. / can as
sure YOU that he never saw the in
side of harcm and he never talked
with the inmate OF one. He thinks he
did. but he was badly fooled and the
story of how he was deceived Is told
in the harems on the Bosphorus to this
day.
Lot, who lived for n long time at
Constuntinope, did what he could,
which is II good deal more than most
other men. He laid his plot carefully
and, after much trouble and many mes
sagcs. sent through an European lady,
he thought he had obtained All inter-
view with harcm inmate through II
barred aperture in the garden wall.
This was n triumph indeed, and he
based much Of his story on what tho
yelled lady whispered to him. At first
none of Ills friends would believe that
lie had had the tete-a-tetc, but when
he gave them his word they We're forced
to believe. Probably. to this day, Lott
does not guess that Il trick was played
on him. Only two people knew it at
the time ana very few know it now.
Briefly, the facts We're these. Lott
had heard much talk in the town of
the family of Nourri hey Tho hey him
self was the son of a Frcnchman who,
IN settling in Turkey, had turned Mus
sulman and made II career there. His
daughters learned to speak French and
play and sing, and lie was rs proud of
them rs he could possibly be- Lott
got to know one of the governesses who
gtirc lessons to these charming girls.
and, after much trouble persuaded her
TO ask the eldest to speak few words
to him from behind n barred gate in
the bey's garden wall.
When he ut last got the promised
rendezvous he WAS certain that the
black voiled face. whose lines lie could
not perceive, was that of the eldest
Miss Nourri. Alas, 1t was her French
governcss, whom she sent dressed in
the "Yashmnli." who told him her long
ings to get from the hnrem and so to
France with such feeling that the sus
ceptible sailor-poet's heart was touched
and the pathetic story Of 'Disonchant-
cd'' resulted soon afterwards. The
Nourrl girls enjoyed the joke immense
" nnd 80 lid the French govcrness.
PREFERRED SECLUSloN.
As 1t happened. Nourrl bcys two cid
est daughters went to France after
wards because they were anxious to
sec the country Of their forcfathers.
But they soon had enough of 1t and nc
turned to Turkey. They preferred the
scclusion of eastern life once the novel
ty Of freedom had worn off, Their
youngest sister. who was quite u small
child when Lott awaited his Interview
near tho nareH1 ShIueil, mas not Deen
abroad at MI. These three girls are
quite exceptionally wcll-cducated for
Mohammcdans. But II must be 4rc
mcmbercd that they are not really
Turkish ana that Lofts harem is based
on tho descriptions OF French woman
who Intentionally mlsled him.
The actual harcm is quite a different
place. There are many kinds. from
what was until recently,,tfe town or
womcns pavlions at the ex-sultnn's
palace of Yildiz, to the small. dark
room in a Galntn back street. where Il
heavy screen shades the mud-splashed
Window. In all the length and breadth
or Turkey, you will not find one ne ; s. 9
as Lott describes.