The Washington times., 1920-09-19


And there has been told, too how tragedy stalSed
the Governor of Scutsr have told before was the
favore to whom Abdul decided present the gem pur-
chased for him by Selim Habb.
This Zubayda Of the very few birthday"
presents to Abdul he kept for himself Abdul early
in his reign established the practice Of receiving these
gifts Of beautiful young women only to transfer them
Immediately to rich Turks with his compliments. These
slave girls thus were given husbands instead Of being
kept in the imperial harem
When Zubayda presented to him he received her.
as customary in the throne room just within the
seramlk gates-the furthest any male official Of the
court or masculine dignary may venture behind the
harem walls At such ceremony the trembling maiden
who thus after of preparation, brought to the
feet of the king of Kings lifts her veil that her august
master may look upon her beauty and appreciate the
value of the favor thus bestowed upon him by the gver
Of the human birthday present.
Lovely maidens had knet there, year after year. at
the feet of Abdul and lifting their ves had hoped the
king of Kings would enough enchanment there to
feel desire to keep them for hmsefand bestow upon
them their chance to win the intoxicating and posi-
ton Of "favorite" But for many years the Sultan
merely nodded his approval of the face thus exposed
him. expressed sereotyped words of acknowledgment to
the giver and waved the maiden aside to be handed
the next day to the subordinate official he had chosen for
the honor of receiving that years wife at his hands
But Abdul looked twice at the face Zubayda uncovered
for him. His attendants were electrified when instead
of the customary of his hand dsmissng her the
OF eunuchs waiting to take her to temporary apart
ments within, he summoned before him 'the Crown of
Yelled Heads other than his ancient mother who,
bearer OF that grando1uen title ruler and autocrat
1t was to his mother he confded the keeping of the
slaveand that meant he intended to keep her for
himself.
Within the harem Zubayda was received with all the
honors and dignity due gueuzdes," or lone Who Has
Received the Masters Glance" luxurious apartment
was set aside for her and train of personal slaves and
eunuchs provided her. The imperial princesses of the
harem daughters of the Sultan, waited npon her and
showered her with every attention For to be a
gueuzdes in the Imperial Serai means that there no
earthly splendor mundane luxury of imperial power
and influence that she may not attain if she wise in the
wisdom of her
1t was member Of the harem one who had once been
eyed herself who told of Zubaydas extraordinary
rise to power her Haunting of the Hope Diamond in the
eyes of rivals ministers and even the Suans wives and
her tragic ending. This Sea Misrlli Hanoum, who
had entered the Imperial Serai slave and who had
won emancipation upon her marriage palace official
who later became attache Of the Turkish Legation at
Paris. This little woman very dear friend of mine
she came to when was in Paris my hunt for
Captain Strong after he had stolen my jewels And is
her narrative not Of the events in the Sultans
palace which tell here.
As soon as Zubayda had been installed in her apart
ments there began the long daily routine Of preparations
for that supreme when the great black bodyguard
Of the Sultan should stop her corridor door and summon
her to his masters presence.
These preparations comprised every beautifying
method known the lore Of feminine civilization which
depends for all its happiness upon physical attraction
Each morning there the whose duty it
to manipulate with skilled fingers against each Of
superfuous flesh that had gathered where it marred the
dainty traceres of her beauty Slaves been taught
from infancy be adept at the manicure shaped the finger
and toe nails of this newest Of the gueuzdes Each day
her eyebrows carefully shaped With every morning
she summoned from her sleep with the first rays Of
the and her hair carefully dressed in the mode most
admired by the Sultan and the poor girl had be very
careful throughout the day. until past the retiring hour Of
the Sultan in the evening, not to disarrange harfor
who knew at what moment the almost breathessy awaited
summons might come and she would have to fly lest the
master become impatient at a moments waitingf
In the afternoons there lessons in Speech for the
seraglio has dialect all its own dialect best fitted to
terms Of endeament and promises of devotion and it is