Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-07-22
PURCHASING IN EGYPT.
How the Business of Buying and
Selling is Carried On.

DIR. Sullivan bought carpet in A lex
andrla, and the purchase took him
three months. One morning, so runs
the DIR. s narrative, he was passing by
one of the bazaars where tapestries and
such things are sold, when a particu.
larly handsome and rich fabric caught
his eye. He went III, and, after pre-.
tending to look over a lot of things
which in reality he did not want, he
said to the man who solemnly presided
over the place, "And what is the price
of that carpet? ?"
''That," responded the dealer, sis
not for sale. purchased that particu-
lar carpet at great cost, to feast my
own eyes upon. 1t is magnificent
superb. l could not part with that.
No, by Allah y or words to that effect.
"Will the English gentleman have cup
of coffee ?" The English gentleman
would. He would also have cigar
cite. After that, he went away. In a
day or two he came around again, and
once more made the pretence oflooking
through Macdallah's stock. He had
obviously failed to fool the sly Egyptian
before as to the article he really wanted,
SO he took more time to it upon this
occasion. AS he expected, the sedate
owner of the bazaar finally approached
him.
81 have concluded, after several
sleepless nights" said the merchant,
"to part with that carpet 1t grieves
me very much to do so, for ] have be-
come very fond of it. had hoped that
it would be the light of my eyes in my
old age. But the Prophet has coun-
selled unseltishness among his people
and / will sell to the English gentle
man.
Glow much p
"One hundred pounds"
"Nonsense. Iii give you 95."
The Egyptians dignity was obvi-
ously wounded. An expression of alb
solute pain crossed his face. But he
forgave DIR. Sullivan, and they had
another cup of coffee and cigarette
together. Then DIR. Sullivan went
away, as before. In week or so he
dropped around again. After going
through the regular business of looking
over the stock, he was again approached
by Maci llah.
81 have : Included after much
thought" said that worthy, "that I
asked you too much for the carpet the
other day. When Macdallah feels he is
in the wrong, he is quick to acknowl-
edge it, The English gentleman can
have the beautiful carpet for 990."
'Now you acknowledge your error"
replied Mr.. Sullivan, 81 will confess
that / was wrong iu Offering you only
f5 for your carpet the other day. l did
that in joke, of course. / didn't mean
it. Bless you. no. And since you are
prepared to make confessions, will do
the same. Instead of e5 will give you
e6 "
More coffee and another cigarette.
The next time DIR. Sullivan went
around, the merchant took off f5 more,
and the purchaser added G1. So it went
Sullivan had finally agreed to give e12,
at which price he took away the carpet.
1t would have cost about $3.50 in
London. He says that the kind of
business mentioned is considered the
strictly proper thing in Egypt and
Turkey. But Americans, he adds, are
spelling the trade in this direction.
While he was in Alexandria gentleman
named Morgan, from New York, came
along and visited the bazaar of Macda
lah. Three carpets struck his fancy
and he priced them. ''Three hundred
pounds, said Macdallah. "Well," re-
piled Mr.. Morgan, "that seems a fair
price, and I'll take them. Here's your
money" The next time DIR. Sullivan
saw the merchant he was almost tearing
his hair with rage against the "dog of
Christian" He explained the matter
in an injured tone to the sympathizing
adding that Mr.. Morgan's
method was not "business.