The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-04-19
IN AlCIERS.
The Regulation Arab House.-Its Women
and How They Dress.

The Regulation" Arab house is al
WAYS commenced in the same way: |
whatever the shape of the lot of ground |
is, there must be Il square court, some |
times with a fountain in the center, and |
a colonnade surrounding the court; in
the smallest column, with ornament
ed balustrade between, at each corner
supports on horseshoe arches the up
per story, with a repetition of the same
number of columns and arches sup
porting the roof; then rooms of every
conceivable shape, to suit the convent
ence of the owner and to make the best of
every inch of the lot, are built around
the court, and doors and windows,
with iron gratings, opening into it; the
outer wall forming kind of fortress,
with few and very small windows.
The Arabs as well rs the English can
say that "a mans house is his CASTLE"
In the large country houses the same
rule is observed on larger scale, and
with more columns, with a very ex-
tensive outer court enclosed by long
eolonnade and wall. Baia's house
was of the most modest order, mere
nutshell: a court seven feet by four
was converted once week into an eK-
tensive laundry. where Fatma, jovial
! and good-naturcd negress, was in her
element. Under the stairway, just
wide enough for one, was well, next
to which was a tiny room, which re-
ceived light only from the court. The
lame and lonely woman who occupied
it did all her cooking at the door, and
when she was fortunate enough to
afford to fry anything like mutton
chop was Obliged to leave my easel
for the time being.
Once a week everything is turned
out, on the acknowledged system, for
house-cleaning; buckets of water
deluged the tiled floors of the court and
under the little colonnade, while mop
was used for the bedrooms, which
were also tiled. Wood is seldom en-
ployed in the construction of floors, as
tiles are cooler in summer, and do not
warp, are more ornamental, and
cheaver. Her old mother abominated
shoes, and to see her assist in the gen.
eral washing up on cold and rainy
days, going bare-footed about the
house on the cherries tiles, sent chill
to my very marrow. To acknowledge
and return my sympathy, she expressed
her discomfort at seeing me at work in
big overcoat and thick-soled boots
When | went to see our friend Bel
kassen. at home with his family the rain
! was pouring into the open court of his
dwelling, and his five children were
standing about on their bare feet like
forlorn and wet chickens: the mother
r with babe in her arms, was afflicted
e like all her little brood, with SORE
. eyes.
1t is strange fact that many native:
of hot countries wear almost the sam'
u clothing winter and summer, and d.
e not seem to suffer from cold when thu
!. thermometer stands ut Il few degrees, il
the severest weather, above freezing
point Arab women are always curl
Gus to see how European ladies ar
dressed, and examine attentively thei
clothes and iewelry. If the European
show the same interest, and inquire IN
3. to the dressing of the natives, the.
10 often find to their surprise, on cold
&c days, on lifting the haik of Mooris
n woman. nothing but gauZe chemis
y and a thin cotton bodice covering tn
Il breasts and very small part of tn
i, back, and from the waist to the fee
Of cotton pantaloons, ample it is true, bu
not warm. The haiks are often mad
- of hand-woven wool, very thick an
WaIll- OlucIS VI Sllh. W HllC liiC IOOle
- classes wear few yards of thin whit
cotton stuff. The large haiks al
ID about eighteen feet long by five fee
wide. With one of these, with the
-, veil to the eyes and falling about fou
Z teen inches, and with pantaloons mad
> up of seventeen yards of white cotto
e tied ut the waist and aukles, the readt
It will have but little difficulty in unde
standing how they can conceal the
figures and keep themselves warn
l. But such ample draperyis comparati7
Sc luxury, and enjoyed by the wealth
y only On the other hand, one pitie
them in hot weather for being oblige
8. to wear the veil and follow the fashio
i. among the ladies of their standing {
burdening their frames with such
y weight of apparel.
With all this drapery the women
husbands and acquaintances readil
recognize them by their bearing an
gait; but one can form no idea, or
Is very inaccurate one, of woman fro
Or what the exterior forms suggest
m d. B1idgDian, az Harper''s Magazine.