The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-11-12
A Bath at Damascus.

me the slave removes the pins from
! luriendah's turban, she alternately sips her
coffee, smokes her chibouquc, and glances
with evident surprise at the expertncss of
the Frank lady i'll unlnking hooks and eyes,
which, to her, are the most mysterious
things imaginable. The last sip Of coffee
taken, we were wrapped in sheets, and sup.
piled with clogs, on which We clattcred over
: the wet marble floor to the next hall. Here
the temperature was warmer than that we
had Just left, but not uncomfortable SO !;
and the water that wasa!,sllctl On mo be-
! lug also pleasantly heated, tho fears with
which had been Inspired by accounts of
the dreaded ordeal began to vanish and
entertained the most friendly feelings to
wards the marble bathing. tub, with the
water gently flowing over me from an apcr
turc i'll the wall. We passed through a
third hall Of an increased warmth of tenn
peratule into 81 fourth, which was iille,i will,
dense vapor OF suiiocating heat. Never
d'd long SO intensely for breath Of fresh
AIR. In little while, however, by dint of
inward Medo Persian resolves, I was enabled
! to brave my fate with better nerve, and even
! to enjoy the lulicrous scene around me. \
dozen attendants were engaged in pouring
hot wafer on the crouchin. figures of wp-
men and girls OF every a"c. And now
! trcinhlcd rs SAW one n! the Dreaded yrrc.
! tres approach! me with vessel holding Il
gallon Of smoking hot wafer with which,
before could make the ras, rcmonstrancc,
! | was completely Gclugc,l. An ob<crvan,
tourist has given tai, process the very ao-
Pr"p''ate name of p"rboiIin.; and up to
/ the moment of actual trial. | has! imarincd
! 1t to be an cxaggcration; but willie realiz-
/ ing the tcrrGrs Of The word myself Gcm
sheer justice withdrew the accusation. In
vain was | urged to consent to a repetition
of the operation. Finding me to be IN
unylclding subject, my torturcr covered me
from head to foot with soap.suIs, and put
in full operation her horse hair glove; ana
surely she imagined herself scruhliny the
! floor, rather than 4 human being; or per
hars she had been III cnployrc in the In
QUESTION, and there learned to pracls. this
: unmcrciiui treatment with such cousumma:c
art. The second time lremb'iug!y lvhcI1
the approach Of ny torurer with vessel
OF water; but this time irantica!ly ,l;ppcd
my linycr in the water, and finding its tenn
pcraturc to be decided improvement of
the first, | yielded reluctant consent.
bundles Of the fibre of the palm were next
brought into requsition: which, being soft,
and gently applied, was most a.recal.lc
substitute for the coarse glove of ca,ncrs
hair. Those around me were now suhmit- :
ting to the joint-cracking, limb-stre,chino
body breaking processes; but | assured
them ! was perfectly content will, the skill
already displayed, and the pain already ell
dured, and resisted every entreaty with reso
lutte tirmness.--Nrs. Barc1oy Johuson.
A Strangers Impression of the House Of
| Commons.
! II one desires to get a most unG,voralle
view Of the members of the House Of Com
mons, and become impressed with the lea
that they are most mcdiocrc-nay, be-
low mediocre, set Of men in their personal
appearance, he has only TO sit while in
the strangers or speakers gallery, and have
no opportunity Of correcting his nnnrcs-
! sions 10y closer observation. Seen thence.
! Lord Palmerslon has the look Of u VULGAR,
nnintellectua, frowsy sort Of an individual,
with vanity enough 10 dye his whiskers af,
ter he had become old enough to give up.
Cornwall Lewis, with his sharp visage and
long nose, looks fit for 4 villain in an opera
or play vcritable cut throat. Kcan would
make his fortune by giving him the second
cut throat business to do Lord John looks
only tit for 4 position. The others on his
side OF the House look like very gool sor,
OF respectable ninnies and mcdiocritics. with
here and there dandified young lordliu"
scattered in TO flavor the dish. Bright |
have not scen.-On the other side sit Glad
stone, a very commonplace sort of a gen.
tleman as seen from the gallery (,houyh he
improved on closer inspection next .Iav in
the British Museum } Sir James Graham
who seemed thence n very respectable far.
mcr-like parsonage Lord Stanley, who has
almost an insignificant look, inherited his
fathers short peaked-up nose, with othc,
features on somewhat dinlinutivc and un
impressive scale Buwer Ly,ton so closely
rcsemblcd his portraits that | recognized
him Immediately, though in the dim, dis
tant light hc looked a rumplcd secondhand
edition of himself; Sir John Packington, q
rather dandified little gentleman, and Mr.
Walpole does not strike the bcllolJcr as
remarkable man. Disracli, alone out Of the
whole House, looned out ofthe mist as a
man fit to lead. His head is study. There
is something wonderful in it. All the lines