Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03
TURKISH WOMEN At HOME
Eporhs in Thci Lives and Customs
Marking Youth and
Are.

MaEEhmA houbh anu
Age.
Except for these discontinued few. the
great majority Of Turkish women are very
proud Of their nationality and Of their
traditions, writes Mrs. Kenneth Brown in
the Metropolitan Magazine. And although
I read in magazine articles that their re-
ligion is losing its hold over them, I can
only say. from living with them and talk
ing to them. that the impression made On
me was that they sre still as fanatlcaIly
attached to their religion as the most de-
vout Catholic Of Protestant is to her form
Of worship.
The first twelve or thirteen years Of a
Turkish girls life is not different from
that OK any other girl. She plays with
children Of both sexes, Turks and E,.
ropeans. The instant, however, that sh,
becomes a woman and takes tchirchaf-
the loose outer garment which conceals
the figure-her companionshB with boys
ends. She no longer accompanies her
father or visits that part of the house.
called selamlik, where the men are. She
lives in the part of the house called harem-
Xix, and begins her education as a woman.
She learns what is expected Of her as sis
ter, daughter, wife and mother. She is
not deprived Of her European friends, nor
Of the chance Of making new ones. She
is permitted to study and to go about
freely, although always yelled and at
tended.
Turkish women, from the time they take
tchirchaf, acquire full rights over their
property, If any has been left to them.
They handle their own money. and it
would surprise European and American
women to know how far Turkish women
are ahead of them in legal rights. Many
Of them acquire considerable business abil-
ity, and there are women today who plead
their own cases in the courts and also
those Of their friends who are unable to
do so themselves. In the last twenty-five
years, too, a great change has come in
the age at which they are married. To-
day il is rather rare for a girl TO marry
until she is Il. and l have had friends
who were married after they were 20.
They are now much better educated than
they used to be-and that takes time.
1t is true that their marriages are ar
ranged" for them; but hardly any more
than those Of Greek giris. o. of Italian
or French girls. But instead Of having
to bring a dowry to the man, as European
girls do, the Turkish man settles a GER
tain sun Of money on his bride. which
belongs 20 her in case Of divorce.
When a young man reaches the suitable
age his relatives speak to him about mar
riage. ard il the idea is pleasant to him
his mother sister. aunt or other female
relative goes forth In search OF a bride.
She visits the various harems Of her
friends and scrutiuizes the girls in them.
The latter know the reason Of this visit
ing, but there is no more humiliation in
# than there is in the calling OF a youns
American man on the girls OF his &C
quainJance-which is remotely the se1rcf
for a wife. In each case it is a matter OF
custom.
Upon the discovery Of the right young
woman. the envoy talks with the girls
mother, ard the mother with her nus
band. They investigate the history ant
character Of the bridegroom. II they d,
not already know him, and if he prove.
satisfactory he is permitted to pass an
repass beneath the girls windows. II sh
likes his appearance, he comes and ask
her father for her hand. stipuIating tn
sum ne will settle on her. and also IN
manner in which he viii provide for her
Weddings almost always take place O.
Friday, the Mussulman SUNDAY. On Mon
day and Tuesday the trousseau is ex
hibited, hanging from the beribboned rome
In several rooms. Everything is there 1rou
pocket handkerchief 20 most elaborat
gown. and may be viewed by anyone vh
wishes to-even by strangers. The trous
seau is an extensive affair, containing as
does practically. linen enough TO last he
entire life. and a great number OF QUITE
garments.
On Wednesday the poor and the rc
are Toasted all day long. Thursday IL.
bride and her friends have their bat
party. II the bride is rich she has her owl
bath house; II not. they 90 10 the publ
hannah and stay all day long. They ar
scrubbed and perfumed, their finger nail
= dyed red and their eyebrows penciled. D.
Friday at the wedding it self, no unmarrie
Turkish women are present, but I. bein
a foreisner, was sometimes admitted.
have spent the last night Of her girlhoo
with many OF my friends, and with tw
! exceptions they were all deliriously happ,
3 They went TO their husbands with a
p the hopes and ideals which exist in IN
/ heart of any American woman, and trustc
that these unknown men would realize the.
D Ideals. And in spite OF VIVA is said d
b Turkish men by people who do not under
stand them, they are Ghivalrous and kin
10 women.
Turkish women talk very freely OF the.
/ lives and from What my married Turks
friends have told me, they come as nea
having their ideals fulfilled as do n
women Of other nations. OF course, Their
is always something pathetic about a MAJ
S riage. whether a woman chooses her hu.
a band on her family chooses him for ne
A woman ia a creature OF imagination
she makes her life IN her own mind and
Is NOT often that real life corresponds
the one Of her imagination.
On Eriday morning the house OF n