IN THE HAREM. As American Girl's Fate.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 313, 3 November 1888, Page 4

IN THE HAREM. As American Girl's Fate.

Americans are quite upset by the news lately come from Constantinople to the effect that among the fourteen ladies of the Sultan's haiem, recently killed by poisoned ice cream, was a former favourite of New York--LauraSchirmer. Sheappeared to sing very pleasingly ; and some years ago some admirers made a subscription to enable her to take a season of musical study in Italy. Last summer, while on a yachting cruise on the Bosphorus, she met one of the Sultan's officers, who told her such glowing, fascinating tales of lite in the autocrat's palace that she was induced to become one of the Sultan's left-handed wives. Once behind the latticed windows of her gilded prison, nothing was heard of her in the gay world she had left so recklessly. Not long ago, however, a stoiy came from over the sea telling of a. romantic episode, in which the tenor Perugini had played a part. He had been asked to sing to the ladies of the harem. Of course, a curtain hid his handsome figure from the midnight eyes of his auditors. They might hear, but neither touch nor see. He had hardly finished his firsb number — a beautiful aria from Les Huguenots—when from behind the tantalising screen came the following solo from the ooera, in tones of rarest timbre. Perugini recognised the voice, so the story goes. He had heard it time and time again in Boston and in Italy. There was no mistaking it. He tried in vain to get? some message to the singer, bub the fear of the bastinado was more potent than his proffered bribes. But the memory of that melancholy voice pursued him even to St. Petersburg, and he hurried back to Constantinople determined to enlist the aid of the American Minister in effecting Laura Schirmei's release. In attempting to get a word of cheer to his unfortunate country woman he had occasion to employ the services of an old hag who sold cosmetics to the imprisoned beauties. After two or three spying calls at the palace she brought him word that the young girl who had answered his song had died ; he was one of the four whose death was announced in the official bulletins from the harem. There seems to be little doubb about the news being true. The story recalls Lord Houghtcn's lines — •' Behind the veil, where death is traced By many a complicated lineBehind the latiee closely laced, With filagree of choice design,— Behind the lofty garden wall, Where strange face can ne'er surprise. The inner worldher'all-in-all, The Eastern woman lives and dies.