The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-16

They are Out-the women or the
harem,
Have you seen the kilograms from
the Eastern countries? "Tui kIsh wo-
men of nigh rank are taking al an
tage of unsettled CONDITIONS there TO
escape from the han ems. They are
travelling, some of them. to Marseil.es,
some to The Hague and some TO
Paris. They carry win them little
money, but many gorgeous Jewels.
anu they are dressed IN nne silhs and
aces"
Little money. but gorgeous jewels.
and dressed In fine si,ks and laces.
Can't you see them, the iittie fooeed,
big eyea, scarlet npped women OF the
ha4 ems, abiaZe with jew els, arustie N
SILK, lennIiess, h1ns4y perhaps. more
than little fr.gnlened, ftienutess.
homeless, Strangers III strange Iana,
but free--at last freeT
l. rec from the silken chain that
tied them ia s.-saa. .Las.As> ~.44ut.w
free from the jingling fettefs Of gold
and OF silver; fee from the snel-
tered" lie they were supposed to
love.
Free under the blue skies. free out
in the clean wtnas, tree from the
everlasting bonda Se or supers,ltioas
idea, free at last, the wUnIan OF Tur-
key.
IL this war 10 worth nothing else
1t In worth thar, and what does not
that mean 10 the nation OF Inc Turksf
What kind of son can woman
bear to a man, no matter now no1ie.
how brave, how c4eser ne is, iAsne
be a slave?
What sort OF destiny Ia there for
any country where the mothers are
watched Gay ana night because they
cannot lie trusted alone?
Once walked the narrow ways of
an Oriental city, and saw there In
the cages of gilt htt4e rustiing, wn-st-
ling painted things they called wo-
men.
One I remember was flame. in
yellow and scarlet. anu the embroid-
cry OF her robes was gorgeous to see.
and her jewels clicked AS she stirred,
jade and emerald and ruby, and from
her low brow hung great strings Of
milk white pearls.
Her little myers were dyed deep
with henna, and her narrow eyes were
stained to look dark and glowing
She wore upon her slender ankles
bracelets OF carved gold-curiously
ieweled-and in the midnight CT her
satin hair hung cleaning stars of dia-
monds and rubies.
She came to the door of her little
gilded cage, hung like the cage of a
canary on the wall OF long alley.
and she cried to us and sang funny
high pitched sing-song ditty. and she
danced a little and smiled waniy I'M
der the paint A little human paro-
quet preening her gay feathers in the
glare OF the night lamps In the
strange old street of sorrow and
shame.
All at once she caught sight of
something in the face of one who
looked at her. That one was a wo-
man quietly dressed. of middle age,
her face lined and of sacrifice. And
| on the womans breast swung little
cross OF silver. and the strange crea-
ture In the cage looked at the silver
cross and stretched out her hands for
1t. And the middle-aged woman, from
some little town In Massachusetts,,
unfastened the little silver cross and
handed It UP to the cage and the lit
tie human paroquet kissed 1t and
hung It around her neck where 1t
would fall inside next to her heart,
, and she handed the woman In the
street below q bracelet and smiled.
and her eyes were OF sudden full
of tears.
And after that we walked no fur
tnSE IN the street OF sorrow and Of
shame. for the face Of the dancing
paroquet haunted US and we wanted
to 20 to the hotel and think 1t over.
Why did she want the silver cross,
the woman there in the cage? What
would she or such as She do with 1t?
Did she think II an amulet, or did she
read In the eyes OF the elderly wo-
| man deep pity and love for all who
| are enslaved and cannot escape.
whether their cages be OF gold or OF
iron? What did she do with the
cross when we had gone? How did
che thi~k OF us VIII, stood there and
looked at her with such alien and for
the most part unfriendly eyes?
Who shall say? but 80 It happened,
the woman In the cage and the wo.
ran in the street One young. pref
~. loaded with gorgeous jewels; the
other plain. middle aged, her kind
eyes full OF sorrow and OF the mem
ory OF sorrow. but free. free to walk
the earth. free to eat. to- sleep, to
starve. to die alone, but free.
Does she live now. the little strut
ting paroquet? IL sho faded and