The Ladies Of Constantinople

It was amusing to see negresses with the thickest of lips veiled. AH the pretty faces were more or less painted and the eyelids and eyebrows penciled. The quality of the paint showed the quality of the lady. Poor wonien daub themselves with horrid pigments. No Turkish gentleman goes out to walk with his wife. To do so would be counted in the highest degree absurd. At most she is followed by a slave. But, wrapped up in the ugly black silk f eridje, she can go where she pleases and alone. No man would dream of looking at a veiled lady in a feridje. Were a Giaour to scan ber face, he would run a risk of being massacred. Shopping is a feminfne pastime. Another is holding receptions, which, of course, ladies only attend. Munching sweetmeats renders Constantinople belles grossly fat while still young and rather spoils their teeth. All over the east teeth are even, white and of medium size and mouths well shaped. They are mouths made for laughter, gormandizing and sensual love. Eastern women are f ar better looking in youth than western. Those of Stamboul are the least graceful. They are seldom neat about the ankles. Their stockings are not well drawn up, their shoes are a world too big, and their gait is heavy and shufflmg.