The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-09-04
SYRIIfN LADIES .iT HOME.
Women Who Never Go Outside Their, Own
Doors,

1
| Doors.
| Damascus Letter to the Boston Travcller]
After fow moments Mime. Mcshako
entered, making excuses for her hus.
bands absence, through our imtcrpre-
ter, and requesting most earnestly that
we would make our visit to her, and
soon sending for her sister, who spoke
French, we spent half an hour very cit
joyably with them. They arc Syrian
women of the best type, with fine,
bright faces and in European dress,
that of our honest being an cmbroid-
cred white wrapper, with rcd silk gir-
die about her waist, and, like her sis
| ter, artificial flowers in her hair, which
latter is an almost universal custom
with these people if dressed with any
prctcnsions. Even little girls, when
appearing "drcsscd up" all have arti-
fetal flowers on their heads. Both
ladies, when they entered, had over
their slippers wooden clogs, which arc
used by tho pcasantry,' and slipped
them of before stepping on the carpet
and, referring to this custom, they said
| they were put on when crossing the
courtyard, from habit, as it was often
damp, and thus their feet were raised
above the ground.
We thought these must be difficult 10
walk with, but they were much anus
ed at the idea, and produced pair
which were much higher than any VIC
| had seen, saying ''that those were the
kind Il lady wore just after marriage,
to make her look tall and Of more i'm
p0rtance than heretofore, raising her
at least foot above ground, but they
were only worn q short time" | sup
pose she meant until her friends were
fully impressed with her Importance
Referring 10 on, free. untrunimclcdl life
Madamc-putting her hands to her
mouth several times and throwing
them out racclully-said: "llow hap
py We must he to be able to smell tho
wind." She did not doubt but that in
the three days VIC had passed in Da-
mascus we had seen more than she had
seen in all her life.
| According to the custom Of her race,
the women almost never go outside OF
their own doors. Having been mar
ricd at fourteen, she IS now twenty
three, the mother Of five or six chill
drcn, and shut up with them within
| these walls from one years end to
another. We sympathizcd with her
most heartily when she sighed over The
dullncss Of the life ii was their lot to
] lead. Not, however, nearly as hard
tor those who have known no better,
as we know il would be for us unless
it became a necessity from i'll health.
The other call VIC made was on Il
wealthy Jewish family, the house be-
ing Of the same general design, and
fitted up with great elegance, thc walls
being made up ofrarc marbles, and
spaces between the windows built to
initiate temples with archcd roofs and
slender pillars. a fountain in the s'l,
loon makes it as cool and fresh as if We
had entered another country, altcl
coming from the hot, dusty street.
| Here the females were all robcd In
calico or cambric, but the mother wore
about her neck rare collection o.
pearls, and, the guide said, elf one
called Oh their Sunday they would bt
richly arraycd and decorated with dia
mOnds." They were very cordial, ant
entertained us rs best they could, of
tcring coffee us they had done at tho
CONSULATE. And IL ti,no had permitted
other houses would have been open &c
us. But the next thing on the pro
grammc was to ride about the city ani
sec the old walls, having the house 0
Naaman pointed out and the place
where st. Paul was let down in Il bas
kct from the wall; piece of the ole
Roman highway where he was con
vcrtcd, and in a small church the spo
where hc was baptized. All Of whicl
were very interesting, rs well rs tho
different quarters of the city-Cmis
tian, Jewish and Moslcm-tllrougl
which We passed.