Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-14
Nights I'm AlKterS

A writer in the GentIemahs Magazine chats
pleasantly about what he saw in Aigiers:
Any OF the streets ascending the hill from the
Place de Chartres-which may almost be con-
1dered as the extreme limit of the European
town-vill lead immediately to the Mshomeda =
quarter. Here will be found obscure and fire.
queRtly vaulted narrow thoroughtares, resem-
bling alleys, bordered by houses, where the mo-
notODy of the bare plaster walls is only broken
at wide intervals by small easements crossed
with iron bars. and low arched doOrwsys. There
are no gardens or veTdure, and hardly q foot OF
even sickly looking vine or fig tree dying amidst
the rubbish OF It's crosswsys, there are mosqu as
so surrounded by buildings that they can hard
ly be seen, vapor baths, whittier people 60 mys-
teriously, the men at night the women in day
time. In word, the Mahomedan quarter
OF AiCieTs is compact anu confused mass
OF masonry, where almost every vestige OF
life is hidden, and where Ii seems a. If il
were forbidden that gayety should be heard
The doors or the houses are never opened out
half wsy, and thew then close again by their
OVID weight. Everything looks suspicious about
these curious buildings. which are admirably
sdapted tor their masters love of secresV
The small easements looking on 10 the street
are barred, and every kind of prec autiOn Is
taken against earnestly from without aud indis-
erection from within. Inside these bare dismal
looking walls ana massive dOors, resembling
the gates Of citadels, the 40 great mysteries
OF the country-namely, the personal fortune of
its Inhabitants, and its women. of neither OF
which much Is known. Money hardly circIi-
lstes. 1t is only seen passing from the hand
TO purchase the ordinary daily necessities
Of lite, and jewelry. The women 90 out but
seldom. In public they sre invariably cl,sed
yelled, and the baths, which are their u~ual
places Of resort, are inViolable. Passing along
these lonely alleys, besides these client
dwellings. ore hears noises which are almost
impeTceptble TO the human ear, and
whispers which might he mistaken for signs.
AT times il i the sound OF a voice sc0ming
through an aperture in the wall, or descending
from the terrace or the roof of the house; al
others II iF the whimPering of a child complain
ing III astranse tongue, whose lips mingled With
sobs has no sigIitic alton Tor q foreign ear A.
Oihers again il is the strain of an instrument
whose unique note, slowly marking tue meas
uTe OF al unheaTd song, seems to accomp any "A
cream. 1t Is thus that the captive consoles her
self, dreaming OF liberty which she has
never had, and which she cannot understand
There Is an Arab pTOverb which saws: "When
woman has seen the guest, she cares no more
for her husband" and upOn this prccapc the
whole system of cOujugal life among Malone
daIs Is based. Their houses, whether they he
agreeable or 10. 10 those by whom they are
IN habited, whether their interiors be luxurious
or Icor, are prisons. They are like iron safes
OF which the avsricious masters have the KEYS
and within which they lock up AL their secrets.
sOthat no ore may kno " what they possess.