Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-13
1nteresfIng Tacts ABOUT TunI..

We give below some interesting facts
about Tunis, which are now published for
the first time:
ON PAIR OF STOCKINGS.
Fashion levies heavy assessments on her
votaries in all parts of the earth, but es-
peciaIly at Tunis Husbands, with batch
elor instincts in this country, complain of
the extravaganza of their wives, in trail
ing costly fabrics through the mire of our
streets but they little know what it costs
noble lady of Tunis for one of the miner
articles of her attire. When they hear
that these Oriental angels wear on their
feet and limbs a close-fitting dress, formed
of gold and silver fligreed plaits, the
manufacture of which consumes five long
months, they will feel themselves in the
position of those who illustrate the prov
erb, "misery loves company" Add to
this, occasional dresses of white brocade
satin, and new jewels periodically, and it
will be conceded that the American ladies
are wonderfully considerate of their hus-
bands purses, when compared with the
wives of the Moors of Tunis.
WATERFALLS IN TUNIs.
The Hebrew end Moorish women of
Tunis appear exclusively in the Oriental
costume; but the Christian sisterhoOd of
the city comply with the latest French
fashions, which they yreceive monthly from
Paris. That renowned appendage, the
waterfall, had scarcely been promulgated
in Paris as one of the hirsute tokens of
current fashion, when some of the Eng
lish ladies in Tunis admired it, and with
all the eagerness of New York bellies,
adopted it as a great reform in head-dress-
es. When they visited their Moorish lady
acquaintance, their wonder was justifably
excited by the waterfalls oftheir Christian
sisters, and some of them expressed their
surprise and antipathy to the new fash
ions.
AN IMPORTANT HISTORY OF TUNIs SUP
PRESSED.
There are probably but few aware that
John Howard Payne, the author of
"Home, sweet home" while consul at
Tunis, wrote an important history of that
country. When he represented the
United States in Tunis there were ample
materials within his reach to describe all
the Turkish, Moorish and Algerian com
plications connected with the territory
Of the Mussulman. Payne, embittered by
his unsuccessful literary career in Ameri-
ca, and aware that poet like prophet,
Ufteu receives uU honor IN his country, rA-
pressed his determination to some Ameri-
cans in Tunis to prosecute the work, and
remarked that he had an abundance of
data for an impartial history. He com
menced the task, and had completed it,
when the government received informa-
ton of his intention. The manuscript, it
is said, was seized by the authorities, ON
the ground that its publication would be
dangerous but Mr. Payne's official char
acter exempted him from further trouble,
1t is stated that, some time since, one Of
our consuls at Tunis was instructed, at the
instance Of William Cullen Bryant, to
make an effort. to obtain the manuscript
from the Tunisian government, but the
effort has been so far, unsuccessful. Should
the copy of the poets latest work be re-
stored, it will, doubtless, give a more e8-
-tensive and critical view of Oriental life
customs, and government than even thC
! famous work of Lady Montague.