The National tribune., 1910-03-17

the Turkish harems, those wives and
favorites of wealthy Mahometans, have
ever been enveloped in a delightful
mystery. and the question, How do
these women occupy themselves? has
been uppermost in the Occidental mind.
Well, among other means of entertain
ment, instead of bridge parties, lunch
cons, etc, it seems they give bath par
ties, and Demetra Faka, in her inter-
esting book, "Haremlik," before allud-
ed to in these columns, gives us de-
scription of one at which she was the
honored guest. She had been visiting
a Moslem woman and childhood's
friend, who was the first wife of very
rich follower of the prophet, and on
the day before her visit was TO termi-
nate her hostess gave the bath party.
1t was TO be an all-day affair, and the
inmates of several of the neighboring
harems were invited. Early in the
morning in question the little slave,
Konje, came running into her room to
tell her she must arise, as the guests
would soon begin to arrive. konje put
a lovely yellow silk gown on her, fas-
tened some red beads around her throat
and in her hair, upon which she sprin-
killed. gold dust, declaring in her fiowery
Eastern phraseology that she was
beautiful pomegranate," then picked
her up as if she were baby and de-
posted her in the big hall where the
guests were to be received. Soon the
members of the household began to
appear, first the wives with their chill
dren and behind them the slaves, who
ranged themselves on one side of the
hall. At the door leading TO the hall
stood two dancing girls, holding bask-
cts OF flowers on their bare shoulders.
and several African eunuch boys with
brass trays filed with rose petals. who
covered the guests with the blossoms
as they arrived These latter took their
places on the opposite side of the hall,
and when the last one had done so the
salutatfons began. Twice all the heads
on both sides of the hall went down to
the floor in that graceful fashion that
is only found among Eastern women,
then music burst forth, the women
came together and embraced, and De-
metra Vaka was presented TO each
guest. After some moments of lively
chattering they were conducted by a
bevy of slaves. quite insufficiently at
tired, according to Western notions. to
the bath house, which was a separate
building, tho connected with the main
house by a glass corridor heavily cur
tanned. This was a beautiful little mar
BILE edifice which Selim Pasha had
erected in honor of his first wife. and
consisted of a great hall, three stories
looked down, and whose walls were made
of small pieces of various colored mar
bles, which gave them the appearance
of being covered with pale Oriental
rugs. Ten marble steps, the entire
width of the room, led to a landing
upon which the dressing rooms opened
and into which the women, each at
tended by a slave. disappeared. On all
sides were rich rugs. beautiful brocade
hangings. mirrors, plants and many
touches of color, which made the bath
house a veritable Arabian Nights
dream. The little Konje. with nimble
fingers, soon divested Deme;ra Vaka of
her clothing, throwing over her shoul-
ders a large, soft white towel, striped
with heavy yellow silk, called a pes
femal, tied over her hair, arranged on
the top of her head, pale yellow silk
handkerchief edged with silver, and
fastened a chain with two coral pen
dants around the outside of this. And
very attractive she must have looked,
too. These, with a pair of carved oak
sandals, whose leather straps showed
her monogram in silver, were the gifts
of the different wives of Selim Pasha
and most of the visiting ladies also pre-
sented her with some trinket. Amid
the singing of slaves they passed into
the bathing room, with its great tank
and marble settees, which was deco
and potted plants of brilliant color
massed here and there. and soon the
whole building rang with the mingled
sound of splashing water, gay laughter
and the singing of the slaves. Altho
the temperature of the rom was 10 de-
grees, these women, who were really
children, remained in the water for sew
eral hours. Then they came out and
sat around on the marble settees, while
II yr1C y, fe-
over. their pestemals were thrown over
them, and they passed into the cooling
rooms, where they lay down on snowy
sheets and pillows. were wrapped in silk
coverlets, had flower petals crushed
against their hair, which was then tied
up In soft absorbent towels, their eye
brows dyed, lashes blackened, finger
nails tinted, and, lastly, their bodies
rubbed with the fragrant rose leaves.
The heavy hangings of the room were
then lowered, and TO the low, grooming
voice of slave they sank into refresh
ing sleep.
1t looks as If the long hatpin must go,
from Chicago at least. An ordinance
stipulating that this shall only extend
one-half inch from the crown of the
hat will soon be presented to the City
Council, and as public feeling seems TO
be pretty strong (among the male por-
ton OF the inhabitants) against the
deadly hatpin its days are doubtless
numbered II seems reports favorable
TO the passing of such an ordinance
have been coming in TO the City Coun-
Gil thick and fast lately, one man de-
claring that he was almost decapitated
by the sweep of a hatpin like a scimi-
tar. another that he just escaped hav-
ing his eyes put out by one, etc While
this does not seem like a very general
complaint, IL is easy enough to see that
in crowd the long hatpin might 60
some damage, and as there is no earth
ly reason why il should extend beyond
the crown of the hat even a half inch.
ii is to be hoped that the Chicago agi-
tation may extend 10 other cities, and
result in the discard OF the extra length
pin and the adoption of a shorter one
FRANK Gould seems to have a predi-
lection for actresses and also for the
name Of Kelly. Not long ago he was
very much in the public eye on account
Of breach of promise suit brought
against him by the actress, Bessie De
Voie. who showed by letters that the
susceptible Frank had wooed her right
ardently. and now he is said TO be en-
gagged to another actress, who strange
ly enough. bears the name of Eelly.
which was the maiden name of his wife
from whom he was divorced not so
very many moons ago
Poor Mrs. .. II. p. Belmont has bean
working SO hard for the woman's suf
frage cause that she has broken down
and has been ordered by her physician