nd a drive--if they possess a
carriage--or a row in a caique to the Sweet Waters on Sunday. This is
the life of a Turkish woman of rank.

A note from Madame B---- one morning informed me that the mother and
wives of a rich Turkish merchant were coming to visit her, and invited
me to be present. I reached her house about eleven, but the Turkish
ladies were before me. The appearance of a servant in the hall with
her arms full of yashmaks and ferrajas and several pairs of pattens
apprised me that I was too late to see their street-dresses. In the
reception-room were Madame B----, a lady who acted as interpreter, and
the three Turkish ladies. They were uncontaminated by European customs
or Paris finery. The mother was exceedingly ugly, as are most Turkish
women over forty. A pair of high red morocco boots encased her feet,
which were guiltless of stockings. White, full trousers were gathered
close at the knee and fell over nearly to her ankles. Her dress was
a short purple velvet skirt embroidered round the bottom and up the
front with gilt braid in a showy vine pattern; the same embroidery on
her black silk jacket, which was open in front, but without any lace;
and around her neck was a magnificent string of pearls. Her hair (what
there was of it) was drawn back from her face, braided, and the end of
the little "pig tail" fastened to her head with a diamond pin composed
of four fine diamonds in a clumsy gold setting. Long, pale amber
ear-drops completed her adornments, and she flourished--yes, she
really did--a large red and yellow bandana! The younger of the two
wives was quite pretty. She had brilliant black eyes, good features,
and was very attractive in her gay dress. She wore pink slippers, a
heavy sky-blue silk skirt with trousers to match, and a yellow velvet
sacque open in front, displaying a lace chemisette and a handsome
turquoise necklace. Large gold hoops pulled her pretty ears quite out
of shape, and her long black hair was braided in broad plaits and tied
with a gilt ribbon, which was also wound about her head several times.
Altogether, she was quite gorgeous, and rather threw the other wife
into the shade. Wife No. 2 was arrayed in a dark-green velvet skirt
and a pink silk jacket trimmed with silver braid. She had a garnet
necklace and pretty earrings of small pearls and diamonds. Not to be
outdone by her mother-in-law on the _mouchoir_ question, she displayed
a white muslin handkerchief thickly embroidered