Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-02

sonry exists about Turkish baths.
Those who have taken them seem
pledged To a secret society. forbid
ding them ever !" reveal the tgUtr
10 tho world. otherwise. | .aun"t un-
dcrstand how Turkish baths have en-
dured when tearing on the rack.
burning in oil. and other indoor sports
once commonly cgagcd Ia have he'u
done away with. There ar" human.
societies tor reforming prisons; there
are societies for IN" prevention u
cruelty to children, societies for the
prevention Of cruelty to animals. Yet
no onc has ever started a society for
IN" prevention of Turkish Maths |
trust that this article viii mark an
epoch: that shall hc a voice crying
u the Wilderness. and making way
Tor the dawn az a new day. when the
Turkish bath Ui!l he prohibited as :.
. form Of unjustit!ab!c cruelty. Dut let
m" tell YOU all
The particular Turkish bath where
I became initiated into the mysteries
OF the orde" was housed in palace.
You entered great room. domcd in
coior"d glass. and your feet trod upon
thick piled carpets. laid upon mosa IL
floorS. Through glass doors you look ed
out int" tropical garden. There :,
slim hrunz" nymph stood in the center
.
j"lica. and dropped diamond spar
/ Killing water from her fingers. whil.
/ TINY goldfish dartci between her toes
! Tn" pnlac" had II flushed air Of grand
/ eur. 1t might have been the temple
Of som" h"donist god. and | entered
| the dressing rooms tin!dly. mn" II
| aWcd.
| Little did know wha, awaited me
/ waS stripped of my garments A
! tall and s""wling Magyar. who made
/ me thnE Of the White Terror. toot;
away my new Paris costume my furs
/ my j"wcIry. and all my money
/ My protests were OF no avail. She
/ brought me then Il faded calico pima
| fore. like those which children used
10 wear with their fr"cks; sleeveless
/ ana reaching I" point slightly ahoV,
J the Knees. No sooner had she hustled
I IN" into this indecent and ridiculous
| garment Than she pushed me through
/ Il door into room fun Of perfc.,
1 strangers. Now. IL there is one thinIl
/ III life which | value above another il
is human dignity. This apron nct
! cnl: reached no farther than my
/ knees. ii did not reach at all in III,
I back. The fact that some twenty
/ other people in tho room were attirct
/ the same way did not mitigate my
| "mbarras I wished to slinl
/ into a corner behind a chair but u
/ do so would ncrcsSitatc my crossing
! IN" room. and ! was morally incap
ahtr nf taking step.
i!ni was not TO he allowed To hid,
my shame. Observing that sioot
/ with reluctant feet upon the ihrcs.
/ hold. another stout Magyar lady ap.
! preached. and. taking me firmly bS
tho arm propelled me. back or ne
back. across the floor. pulled open :
great iron door ana thrust me int,
what have since learned Is calico
! The steam Room"
was conscious only of complct,
darkness. out OF which rose a boil
Ing. ovcrpowerinr fog. Under my
feet was hot and Shiny stone u
which slipped and reelcd. swea
started from my chin--or was II onll
stcamr--it seemed a sweat so sud
den. and so profusc. that In "a momen
was bathed In it; ! could feel /
running in steams from the mats a.
my lank hair, down my back. nm
dripping from my elbows. 1t ran int,
I my opened, gHsping mouth, and
4 could taste IL, rather salty and no