The Turkish Woman.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10765, 13 May 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Turkish Woman.

An interesting letter has been written by a Turkish lady to the French Figaro, revealing the soul of the woman of the harem, as tho cry of a spirit in captivity. "For an intelligent woman/' tlic lady writes,* "the life m the harem is one of long grey hours full of discouragement and weariness. Oh, yes, it is true we may read! That is still our principal distraction; but to whom may we speak of our readings, with whom may we exchange a tew serious thoughts? The society of men is forbidden to us, and we are _ surrounded by women relatives and friends who are generally lacking in education, because under th'e old order of things it was not allowed to send Mohammedan girls to European schools, and the teachers who came to us from France or elsewhere were usually vulgar adventuresses, unworthy of the confidence shown to them. Our husbands are immensely surprised if we wish to speak with them about some subject outside the habitual circle of so-called, feminine conversation. They are often triad to leave these harems of ours, crowded, with children, slaves, and gossipers."