The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-01-26
AN EVENING IN DAMASCUS,
he Melancholy Men ana Women OF the
Orient.

Or.elt.
It. was sweet and pensive evening,
| fitted to make one think of dear friends
at home, and the sadness which afflicts
my country in its hour of bereavement
| and sorrow. l am not one of those
who are ashamed to confess that the
! teachings of Nature not only lead
me to love my friends and my country,
but in larger sense to love the primal
loving cause Of all our blessings. Moth
ing SO binds me in ''willing fetters'' as
silver meshes of a brook, and these sew
en- rivers of Damascus produce apleasing
acquiescence, to which the beautiful
moon adds its fascination. There was a
| song in the groves of tall poplar and cy-
presses, like music heard in dreaz1s.
Besides, there were old plane trees,
whose branches have listened to many
story OF the good Caliph's time.
They spread their great arms in oes-
lures of Eastern welcome while giving
their venerable aspect to the mellow
light and rejecting their shadows in
the pleasant waters. We enter gar
den where, along with the murmur of
fountains, we hear the tinkle of the
guitar and the drumming of the tam
BOURNE. They accompany some voices
singing that olden drawing ditty of the
Orient, heard from Morocco to Bagdad.
Seated under the trees are some hun
dreds OF Arabs in every posture smok-
ing cigarettes and nargiles. They are
old and young, but all grave as their
tombstones. We order a chilbouque
and coffee and listen. ask the drago-
man, ''What is the song about?''
'.It is the old love song,'' he says.
80 heart why lowest thou so much ?
Knowest thou not that thy beloved
will fade as the roses Come to me,
beloved, before thou diest Heart of
my heart! come and solace me before
the end cometh." This was too lachry-
NOSE for our jocund spirit, so we ask:
Can not you get up a jolly song, and
make these solemn faces smile ?''
No one smiles in this strange country.
The dogs even partake of the general
gravity. The way they howl, even be-
fore hurt, is q sample of the melancholy
characteristic of all. Men-big men.
burst into tears on the least occasion
They are tender and simple-hearted
should infer, therefore that they would
be perviOus to mirth and at the festive
place l became anxious to know what
resource this land has for any vent and
vein of humor. The guide tries it with
a silver mejideah Ga dollar), and the
band strikes up a roundelay, which was
only a quicker variation of the same
lyrical drawl. This music had words a
little more sprightly.
l ask what they purport. ''Oh, it is a
song of a love-sick boy for a passionate
girl, and the girls anxiety to see the
boy" A few old Arabs make hilari-
Gus grunt at some of the verses, and
some young men look at me askant with
. curious smile. 1t was song not at
I'll fitted for ears polite, as l surmised
Put, not understanding Arabic, 1 stood !
the embarrassment. The truth is, this
Arab music has an Oflenbach immoral
twang, and much of its sweetness and !
in certain tones but it !
is incapable of notation on account of |
it's short or quarter notes and its irreg-
ularity and capriciousness. 1 have had
enough Of it. prefer the sweet solace |
IF the bray of the meek and miserable |
donkey to this ''damnable iteration of !
wailing. - -