Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-20
The nIoorish Woman.

In Europe women are treated will
markedrespect and attention, andlookeG
upon as household angels, while in Asia
and Africa they are considered little su-
perior to the brutes. Whenever the
Arab fathers are so fortunate as to pos
sess sons, they exclaim in the fullness oil
their joy, This is indeed a blessing"
but if their wives are delivered of q
daughter, they look upon such as. q
curse. The Moors entertain the same
ideas. Nevertheless the Arab women
must not be confounded with the Moor
ish. The Moors, who are improperly
designated in Algeria as City Arabs, "
are quite distinct race from the co-
religionists. nttga tafNRl
The young Moorish girl is one Of the
prettiest and most fascinating creatures
in existence. Her features are oval,
her eyes are wonderfully expressive, but
she is as deceitful as the most artful
European coquette. The gracefulness
of her carriage is exceedingly striking.
Her hair, which is not unfrequently
straight, though sometimes curly,sis as
dark as the ravens plumage. tits gene
rally arranged in bands, and is passed
round the head and fastened in single
or double tail, which is tied with ribbons
and almost sweeps the ground. The
coiffnre is covered with velvet chachia,
which is fastened under the chin with
two pieces of ribbon.
The Moorish maiden has very small
hands and tiny feet. Her stature is
about the middle height, and her car
:. - - oof,,1 Hor oaetuv, a 4. varxr al
egant. The plainest costume consists of
gauze chemise, with short sleeves, and
serroual (pair of drawers), made of
white calico or muslin, very wide, and
reaching down to the knee. 1t not un-
frequently happens that the Moorish
maiden wears, in addition to the above
toilette, the djabadoE," kind of
richly embroidered vest, which seldom or
never reaches below the shoulders, and
which tends to contract the chest.
At other times she wears "rililla,
kind of jacket made of silk, and ricn-
.ly embroidereding gold. She wears over
her hips, not crinoline, but large
piece Of striped silk called fouta,"
which reaches down to the ground, and
over that silken sash, the gold EN-
broidered ends of which hang down in
front. When the "rlilia is worn the
coiffure IS changed; then the !" chachia
is replaced by a silk handkerchief of
bright colors, or else by the sarma,
which is nothing else than the " hemine
which the French women wore in the
fourteenth century. The sarma,"
which is made Of gold or silver thread,
is generally masterpiece of embrold-
ery. We must not omit to mention the
babouches," which are made OF green
velvet, and which almost cripple the feet
as much as the slippers worn by the
Chinese ladies. .s~,~s ~
IL Moorish lady parents are Fiph,
even then she is a stranger to domestic
comfort. She is generallysseeluded in a
corner Of the house, and left entirely to
the care OF q negressi and as she grows
nm her sole aim aud delights to become
one of the most arrant coquettes, and |
to plunge into al kinds of intrigue. a
woman. according to the ideas OF all
Mussulmans, is nothing moro than q |
mere toy--a playthiDg, a piece Of turni- |
ture which every man ought to possess,
but who has no right TO think or act. !
Hence the profound ignorance and sent
bsrbarous state; and yet the ,Aoofisn |
women possess wonderful talent for |
learning. There Is Frenchinstitution /
at Algiers to which young Moorish girls
are admitted. sl17 i
Those children who belong TO the !
poorer class are beaten lfearfully and
sadly cuffed about by their parents.
The Moorish girl is not named until !
eight days after her birth; butuntil that
ceremony takes place she is always |