The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-12-26
EGYPTIAN woMEn.
Their Condition and Accomplishments
Tdfa In 4 Efarana.

Life In 3 Harem.
With the exception of the Yiceroy's
mother never knew woman of high
position to know anything at all Of
the culinaryart. fused often to spend
II whole day in the harem and never
saw any Of the women doing anything
useful. They are very seldom taught
TO read or write. Conversation is
generally carried on with foreigner
in French through the aid of an inter-
prefer. soon picked up enough
Arabic 10 converse with them without.
aid. Theyliye in great splendor and
total idleness. They have no pictures
in their palaces and possess no foreign
or native literature. They never sew,
nor even embro;der, and their only re-
creation consists in seeing girls dance
and in listening to some barbarie.
iAusic, or to stories told them by an old
woman in true Arabian Nights style.
The Egyptian women are fully deyel-
oped at the age Of thirteen and old at
thirty Their forms are usually most
exquisite until fat that bane Of both
men and women in high life destroys
the delicate beauty Of their outline.
The upper portion of their faces. eyes,
brows and forehead are wondrously
lovely, but the lower parts, below the
nose, ia ugly, badly formed and heavy,
as a rule. Fortunately for them, they
are enabled to conceal these defects by
the ven they wear. So far from being
discontented with their lot, the women
of Egypt have the utmost pity for their
civilized sisters, especially in matters
of the heart They say our husbands
can care nothing for us, or they would
not allow other men to look upon our
faces, and think that civilized women
possess no modesty 70 go unveiled. To
amuse them. / told them once Of the
great surplus Of female population in
The New England States largely
maiden--and OF the struggles SO
many of our girls there and
elsewhere are obliged to UNDER
go In order to earn their own
living. They laughingly quoted a pro-
verb answering to ours of half q loaf
being better than no bread at all, and
declared that the fractional possession
Of a husband was better than no hus-
band at all They were much sur
prised, even indignant, thatswe should
call ourselves civilized and YET make.
laws compelling rich man. to have.
but one wife, when he might maintain
fifty or more, and so husbands and sup.
port for oar Woodworking single
women would be provided.
As the men do the cooking and the
main part of the sewing In Egypt it is
easy to see why there is no employ.
ment for women. Except in, rare cases,
their intelligence does not exceed that
Of an American child ten or twelve
years of age, Therefore the men. all
though themselves not much superior,
still have hardly any respect for them.
and as there is little OF the sentiment
oflove among them, they seem to1ook
upon their women only as indispen,
sable adjuucts IT the continuance Ot
the race. f
Let me describe q dinner in the
harem when guest is present. Their
tables are always circular aud about q
foot, and a half in height. They sit
like dolls around them on cushions.
The old, inactive and fat, once down,
have to be pulled up. They serve but
ono dish at time, and that in large
circular salver OF silver, brass, or some
times gold. They have no forks,
Knives or spoons, but each dips two
fingers of the right hand into the dish
and takes out bit, the meat having
been cut into small pieces in the
kitchen. II they wish to particularly
distinguish a visitorthey select a dainty
piece and place it in her mouth. 1t
would be an insult to betray any feel
inc but delight at such amark Of favor.
A great dish for feast, and one which
few Christian women have eyer tasted,
Is that of q. lamb roasted whole. After
the manner Of d nest of Chifese boxes,
each smaller than the other. the lamb
is stuffed with whole turkey the tur-
key with chicken, the chicken with a
pigeon, the pigeon with "a quail,
the quail with a becafica, the
smallest bird known except the, hum-
ming bird It resembles our reed bird
in taste aud makes just mouthful.
The lamb is roasted over q slow fire
until IL il cooked to shreds and melts
Unto one. as II were. The Egyptians
fheYeno systematized way Of eating, no
vet tllae for meals, but keep up a con-
tinual munehing 81 sweets, Of which
they havea great variety unknown toNs,
anball siekeninglY smeet to Euro
pean palate They use honey for sugar.
In an Egyptipn &itohen there Is a total
absence ofSWhat q civilized cook would
consider indispensable 10 the way Of
cooking utensils and appliances There
Is no dfesser upon which to arrange,
the dishes; there is no sink nor runH
ming water. NOR anything like oGr
cookingsstoVe Or range. but upon one,
side 81 the kitchen there is erected 4
structure Of masonry which resembles
a great square shelfwith deep drawers.
the openings TO which are on the top.
This queer object Is the Egyptian'
range the openings are charcoal fur
races and as they are DISCONNECTED, a
cook can have dozen fires. or only
one, as he desires. have often been
sstonlslied at the excellence aud deli
cacy 81 a dinner cooked upon one of
these rude ranges. Rose Egtihge. IN
~ KfSan.
A Valuable Invention.
Herr Wsnstrom, a Swedish engineer,