South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-23
Tells of Life In
Kashn1ir Harer1
Marion Whiting Visits the
Strange Home and De-
scribes Women.

Writing in Harper's for November,
Marion Whiting tells of a visit to a
harem in Kashmir. TO which she was
invited by the women of the place.
My companion charmed me at
once. Her beauty, her 1.-the graceful
figure and above all, her winning
smile, were irresistible. Whether she
was more interested in the strange
mem-sahib, or whether 1 was more
interested in her il would be difficult
to say. Nv hideous pith sun-helmet
first attracted her attention. l took 1t
off, put il on, showed in the pins, and
drew them out over and over again,
and each time her shyness disappeared
as her interest grew. Meanwhile the
top of the wall became lined with
dark, smiling faces. Babies were be-
ing held up TO be patted and admired,
and little girls and boys began scurry-
ing about In the midst of it all my
blue gowned friend. taking me firmly
by the arm, invited me into the carved
house behind. The next moment L
was making my way through the inner
courtyard, up two flights of pitch
black mud stairs to a large room on
the top floor. Behind tramped at
least 80 women and young girls. The
sound of the patter of their bare feet
coming up the steps increased the
feeling OF mystery that had been
growing within me.
THE room into which my hostess
led me was about II feet square and
as clean as the proverbial whistle.
There was no furniture in it except
two or three carved walnut spinning
wheels. In one corner, by a large
window overlooking the courtyard,
was a sort of wooden dais on which
some of the women quickly spread a
splendid dark red rug of old Kash-
mir workmanship. With much bow
ing and scraping / was asked to sit
upon this improvised throne, and, fol-
lowing the example of my hostess, l
climbed up and squatted tailor fashion
on the rug. No one spoke, but they
all jumped upon the platform, too,
sitting in rows around me and in front
Of me, their mouths and eyes wide
open with suppressed excitement
This was my opportunity, so long
desired, to see and know the Kashmir
women. They were even lovelier than.
my imagination had pictured them.
Tall. slender. straight were they, with
large, soft, deer-like eyes, and regular
features; their skin was of an olive
brown, their cheeks were red, and
they smiled bewitchingly. Though
dressed chiefly like my hostess. some
had chosen red or green or brilliant
pink for their warm garment. Each
wore the same sort of greasy scarf
over her head. and each had squand-
cred her savings and those of her rel
atives on untold quantities of rough
silver jewelry.
"For a while we sat in silence. look
ing one another over from top to toe.
Suddenly the stiffness was broken by
everybody breakine into a torrent of
IA q
though strangers to one another, the
bond of our sex had broken down all
barriers. In a flash we had become
friends, and at the same time all shy
ness quite disappeared. Up to this
moment they had been content mere
ly to gaze at the strange mem-sahib.
but now l felt the touch of many
hands squeezing and pressing me from
top to toe. Some of the Drawer wom-
en- began handling my clothes; my
collar and tie. my flannel shirt and
thick, hOmespun skirt; even my hob
nailed climbing boots were closely eX-
amined and remarked upon in lam
guage which l gathered 10 be not.
wholly complimentary. What inter
ested them most was the way my hair
was dressed In a few seconds all
combs and pins were removed by
nimble fingers and passed from one
inquisitive hand TO another amid peals
of laughter.
Then my hostess had an inspira-
ton. She left the room for a mo
ment, and when she came back she
carried a long skein of dark brown
wool. l understood Immediately that
l was to have my hair done in Kash-
miri style, and submitted laughingly
TO the operation, but with many in
ward misgivings. The result was
highly satisfactory to every one l
counted "a miniature braids at the
back of my head. and felt a coarse,
heavy knot humping me about the
waist but as there was no mirror the
effect was lost to me. l dared not
leave the house decorated in this way,
so after some time, with many apol-
Ogies, the braids were unwOund and
the wool removed. The operation of
rearranging my hair in what was
poor imitation of the latest Partisan
fashion, afforded them all much
or