The Sultan's Harem.

Hastings Standard, Issue 93, 13 August 1896, Page 4

The Sultan's Harem.

Naturally the Sultan of Turkey keeps the largest harem in the East. But while all this dangerous war talk menaces the Sultan's empire, causing the son of the Prophet anxiety and sleepless nights, his 800 and more wives, who crowd the many palaces of Turkey, remain in blissful ignorance of the affairs. These are chiefly Georgian or Circassian girls, presented by the pasha?. Once inside the haremlik, or woman's side of the ht>uv. the women spend their time as spoilt-d children would, eating, dancing, frolickinsr. and, as a rule, do not find in the present Sultan of Turkey a cruel master. This ruler of Turkey is indeed a gentleenough soul, with only two strong passions, fear of such assassination as overtook his brother, and delight in digging subterranean passages. As a young man. with no aspirations or hope.s of the throne, he was well considered in Constantinople, and but lately, an English physician was summoned to the palace on the hiil \ above the city to operate npon the eyes of one of the Sultan's little daughters, the tender-hearted monarch could not hear the sight of her pain, but sat outside the door weeping . bau&j'm spDßa&eitc anguish. Of

his children he is exceedingly fond, says a lady long resident of Constantinople. ,; There are seven of his slaves known as official wives," she explained. " From the children of these heirs to the throne are selected, and should this Sultan die or be deposed the State must undertake to support these women and their children." Now, to be the mother of a Sultan is to enjoy the highest honor a woman can reach in Turkey. The Sultan's mother has her own palaces, her slaves, the affectionate consideration of her son, and an opportunity to exert some power. But owing to the influences of the harem few women, afforded even this freedom and influence, care or know how to exert it wisely. The great-grandmother of the present monarch was apparently the most intelligent woman of her kind, for she has left a grateful memory through Turkey in the number of fine wells she caused to be dug. Many of the wells bear her name, and to provide fair drinking water in the waste places is the highest form of philanthropy in that Eastern country. What becomes of the other wives, those who have borne no children, and therefore have no claim on the State, those who are old and out of favor, it would be almost impossible to say. The old and ugly ones drift out into the world and earn such livelihood as they can find, some of the pretty ones are retained for the harem of tlie succeeding Sultan, and many are bought up, at a sort of auction, by the pashas or men who can afford to fieep slaves at all. But no one really knows, at least no one of the outside world, since to speak to a Turk of his wife and family, to mention his haremlik to a pasha, is to offer a serious insult. According to Mohammed, no man can keep more wives than he is able to support, so that the average Turk keeps only one, and should he at any time fail to provide her maintenance suitable to her station in life, this one wife is completely at liberty to collect her children and belongings and desert her husband. This rule does not hold good, however, in the harem. The Sultan's favorites rule those beneath them, the wives and the slaves alike. European women who have entered the houses as governesses to the royal children quickly escape from the pitiful sights and sounds, the cruel tragedies, and crueller comedies, that are enacted every day among these women. Yet do not continue in the common error that the harem inhabitants live all in one great hall and garden. Each member of this ill - assorted household has her own separate apartments, and every woman may keep her children with her, but no woman can be sure when some new favorite will encroach on her liberties, when to set a new jewel in the favorite's diadem her allowance will be stinted, and the favorite in the harem is as implacable as Juggernaut to those who stand in her path.