Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-06-22

boys, 50 that there is a continual running
stream Of big and little voices. each try
ing 20 outcry the other; higher and more
shrill they yell as they take in fresh
breath and repeat what they know at
such rate that II seems impossible that
any one should distinguish one syllable
from another
In fact, during my stay often asked
my young factotum Of the day what was
being recited; his only answer was a sig
nifcant shrug of the shoulders-'Je sais
pas mossou-connais pas ca, moi. Al
lah-Illah Allah Achbah Mohammed-
wally-golly- Jolly holly, repeated at the
top Of your voice, and at lightning speed,
a thousand times minute If you can.
will give you, my reader, faint idea Of
what one Of the youngsters is saying;
then multiply by the number engaged in
this noisy method Of committing the Ko-
ran to memory, and you may get still
nearer the effect. Children are made to
recite In as loud voice as possible, in
order TO strengthen their lungs-a re-
quirement especially necessary for a
muezzin, who calls 10 prayer from the
top OF the minaret Tbose who are TO
follow a trade are sometimes taught
writing and little useful arithmetic.
To vary the monotony ol these recita-
tons at school, the Lad IL occasionally
taken across the knees of the old teacher,
who sits tailor fashion, hold he offender
by the ankles, and administers blows
with rod on the solss Of his feet-a
mild form Of bastinado.
The pupils stationery AMI books at
the Arab school do not cost his parents a
great amount A slate, so "a lied, but
made Ct hard wood, is the me iium Of
knowledge. The surface becomes az
smooth as glass by repeated APPLICATION
of fine pipe clay, which is moistened with
water and rubbed on with the fingers.
When the lad has filed his slate on both
sides with dictations from the Koran,
written IN ink with reed pen, and has
committed its contents 10 memory, he
washes it and renews the coating Of clay.
| A mistake is easily corrected with the
wet finger. The Arab boy has all the
mischief OF any other school boy. and as
he must break. chew, crack. nick and
mend something, his slate ends by being
a kind Of one horse shay put together
again with glue, nails and bits Of tin
and brass, cross beams and corners; the
marvellous clay ellis up all the chinks.
On the wall hangs a large Blackboard;
on the floor mating lie burnooses and
shoes, but no primers, grammars. geog-
raphies or other ink stained accessories
which strew the benches and desks Of
our schools.
Groups Of dear little black eyed boys
from 3 to 5 years old, other groups Of
different classes, youths Of II, IS, all
wearing their red tarbouches with big blue
tassels, jackets and burDooses of all
shades and coiors, enlivened by sueaks
and spots Of sunlight sifted through the
intricate designs of the windows and
stained glass, make a charming kaleido-
scope. All around is the plain white
washed wainscoting, considerably soiled
and stained by the backs, hands and
heads that lean against it; and above are
exquisite arabesques in stucco-for the
interior, though somewhat dilapidated, is
untouched by the restorer's hand, and re-
mains one Of the very finest examples Of
Moorish art. The building was small
mosque, the ornamented and painted
wooden ceiling Of which. almost in ruins,
is supported by arches and ONYX columns.
F. A Bridgman in Haper's Monthly