Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-11-24
Low Life i'm Egypt.

Low Lie LII Egypt.
\ correspondent of the Philadelphia
Press writes from Egypt: From my win
dow in what | believe to be the most
southern hotel in all Africa above Cape
Colony. at Minch in Upper Egypt looked
down into the interior of the houses OF
many of these agricultural laborerS. il
houses thr simple structures can be called
They consist of Il clay enclosure, Of ir-
regular shape. six feet high and ten or
twelve feet square. Across the corner of
this enclosure, are thrown few bundles
of reeds OF canes, which form 4 shelter
from the MONDAY rays of the sun. The
door of this enclosure open. into a similar
one. but without such shelter in which nj
sunrise a donkey and 4 buffalo COW and
her calf stand. This yard opens into the
street, from which it is separated by door
o. plated reeds. This structure the Egvp-
iinn calls his home. Here he lives, lele
his children are born. here he expects to
die The whole atflir cost probably five
dollars besides his own labor In the
ncighborh0ol of the town lie may rent Il
small plot of ground ut the:...rate of ten
dollars per acre; he also possesses the
hutl:tlo cow and her calf. a donkey. and Il
few goats; then perhaps ten dollars worth
Of tools. furniture and clothing. and orna-
nlrnts for his wife and family This ends
the catalogue Of Achmet's worldly pos
sessions.
Yet Achmet is tie most independent
man in the world. and it is Just this indie
pcndence that ruins him; this absolute
freedom that keeps him in such ahicct
poverty. He wants help from nobody: he
shares his task with nobody. He is en-
lrclv ignorant of that great modern secret
Of power. the division IF labor. lie does
no; support a shoemaker. because he and
his family 20 barefoot the entire Year
nor 4 tailor. because his wife, Fatima.
takes the cotton cloth from the bazaar,
and sewing Il few seams. makes upon :,
similar and most simple plan all the gar
mcnt> of the family; nor docs he need i
woolem mill, for he sits at the door of his
hut spinning with 4 single spindle some
times all day long.
Nor 10 his needs extend 10 wagon
maker: the donkey transports everything
lie requires--iiis home made. n-dried
bricks. his hay. himself, Fatima. and his
children. He wants no miller. for Fafima
turning one fiat stone upon another. Grind-
the corn and whe 1t TO a coarse powder
l'iS " 4Ail liiC ohtI. L .'Aisilsi
this powder with water and aakes il in ::
rudc stone and clay oven. which Acllmet
a S,,f-tau"ht mason. has built in one cor
ncr of the outcr yard. He needs no hattie,
iur he rolls his turban of white muslin
ilim>clf-and this. to the European is III,
most attractive work of art of which Ach
met is capable.
lie scarcely patronizcs the comb maker
l. T.; h.,l f,,.,. l. =. h,
a. close a the chin Of a Frank. He re
quirr- ~ physician. because he has SUE
PENDED around the nechS of his family. il
durable lc:ltlIrrn bags, scraps of pape
hearing magical texts from the Koran
which scribe who sits cros>-legged at III
corner Of Il street is ready To write N
moments notice, ana these are the clIear
e>t and best prevcntvcs and cures for "a
diseases
Even his ii>>ipliions are of his owl
preparation: he grows drow>y on tobacc
raised on his bit of ground. which h
smokes n Il cigarette rolled bv himScl
lie smokes or chcws the hi>hecSh grow
/, bv stealth ia his garden. and he intox
,, Gates himself upon the date spirit whic
he ha- fclmcntcd and distilled in his prin
: iiv'. acmpit.
FitinaS entire domestic cstablislmeI
has no work for Il cooper. for All her We
, ~cl>, except an iron pan. are of coar>
,.arthcnW:Irr. Nor does sh,. need 4 ciIurI
p. for | SAW her from my window use II
j most singular and primitive churn in ii
i wuri.i. She brought from some mys;er
t ou- corner u skin of 4 last years goa
u which had been taken from the anim
4 nearly a whole Is possible. To each
what represented the LEGS of this anim
y She tied Il cord then brought the 9th,
L cnl, together in 4 knot. and suspend,
Il the VIII plr 10 :, peg five feet above II
n rr"un! in the wall. She now proceed,
e 10 open the skin ut the neck and pour in
: it buffalo milk or cream from a large ia
:. She blew the skin full of air, and TYR
G the neck tightly with 4 string. sat dow
e upon the ground to shake it. For fl
Y minutes she shook it with both hands ba,
II and f1rtli-the buffalo COW herself lookiI
;, on with 4 most knowing expression al
" Illuminating the whilc-then the air W
u let off and Il fresh supply blown in fro
" the lungs OF the woman. This alterna
II shaking AMI supplying with air WAS co
:. timed for half an hour. when there W
L evidently 4 mass of butter rolling abo
/" within the bag The buttermilk w
/ poured off into the cream jar and careful
II preserved. the butter squeezed into a
n hcrent lump. and the operation was co
= plete.