Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-10
CUT SALE.
DURING THE RAMADAN.
FASTING IN DAYTIME AND FAST
ING AFTER SUNSET.
Scenes in a Syrian Town-Magic Changes
Brought About by the Boom of the
Sunset Cumulative Concert-Conscien-

Brought About by the Boom of tho
Sunset Cumulative Concert-Conscien-
tiousness.
It was a Massachusetts, boy, believe, who
said he preferred fast to Thanksgiving, be-
cause after Thanksgiving you had to live on
pickings, but there was always a good,
square meal to make up for the fast" Mo
hammedanism agrees with the boy from
Massachusetts. 1t believes in compensation
Ramadan is the yearly month of fasting
dsytimes, but from sunset to sunrise the
Moslem may feast on what he pleaSes Rama
dan follows the lunar division of the months
and falls about ten days earlier every year,
SO that the number of hours in the twenty
four when the people must fast varies ac-
cording as the sacred month comes in sum-
mer or in winter After the fast there are
three days of feasting, when the Moslems,
decked out in their best, indulge in ali sorts
of amuSeLnents.
The other day I thought that would pass
through a certain MCslem district about sum
set. Expectancy reigned. In the cafes, in
the shops in the street, every one was wait
ing for something, was preparing for some
thing. Wearied looking men hurried along
with fresh loaves Of bread in their hands
An old Moslem with long robe and white
beard passed me carrying a narghili all pre-
pared for use. Small boys bore along little
plates of salad, which came from an impro-
vised shop az q corner, where a lanl man in
blue sat on stool turning out salads as fast
as he could to meet the increasing demand as
the sun neared the horizon. A butcher was
Off i,1nEc IF Turho,,a1 MoS
lens, in bright clothing, bargained for vese-
tables with the pale shop keeper. who sat be-
hind lot of trays of wickerwork, covered
with tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, summer
squashes, apricots, etc. A ncnchalant young
man adorned wooden booth in the street
with plates and bowls Of starchy looking sub
stances like jellies, covered with nuts. Num-
bers of men and boys stood idly waiting
Every one seemed tired and languid. There
was no loud talking.
Boom" roared the cannon from the bar
racks. A dozen matches were struck, a
dozen cigarettes lighted, and cloud of blue
smoke arose. Smoking even before eating
or drinldngl The change was like that
effected by the kiss of the fairy prince At
the sound of the gun everything In the line
OF eating and drinking and smoking went
quietly on as if it never had stopped Some
had hearty meal in several dishes all ready
before them, and fell to at once, In a business
like way The shop keepers broke their fast
with what they were selling. The fruit
dealer swallowed an apricot, and evidently
enjoyed it. 4 seller Of sweets took up most
looking piece of confectionery,
and uourished himself with that. Oh! the Joy
Of one old fellow, who poured a tiny stream
Of water down his throat from o jug held
high over his head, in the eastern fashion
The favorite dish seemed to be made Of
pounded pulse, garnished with bit Of green
aad covered with oil
Very little sleep is taken in Ramadan e1-
cept by the rich, who can proiong their slurn-
bers into the day. Tie cafes are fuh for two
or three hours after midnight. Last week
some famous wrestlers performed in cafe
near the government building. Our guide
Was Young Moslem who is G student IN the
American college. From the wrestling he
took Us % "hetfl some muse" in another part
Of the city was curious to see what the
concert hall might be. We were taken to an
open place where several roads meet At one
corner was a mosque with a brilliantly
lighted minaret, AZ another couple Of cafes,
at a third q large building with small door
and no windows, showing that it was pub
lie oven l. was al this door bad seen the
most ludicrous as well as tie saiceSt figure
IN Rauladan. WIS passing by one day when
there suddenly emerged from tie oven tai,
pale baker IL e long rote Of blue linen Be
hind him, as he stood leaning against tie
door post, was the bakery with It's cleaning
furnace AMI fragrant piles OF new bread,
crisp and tempting. HIS white, hungry face
expressed q despair which seemed unable II
stand for InoEnen. longer TIE sgnt Of food
which he must not touch The irony Of the
situation was too much for him
4 large crowd had assembled 20 hear tie
music, but the people were either sileas or
Use spoke only il whispers Al a. oCce tie
'weet. shriu noes Of boys soprano foetea
Town from behind the three tiers ot lights II
he lofty rzina-s. The vo.ce was Of ert-aor-
iinarJ fenh;hsy. and executed roz-A1es,
urTls and c.dea-as with s sill that b-os.gbt
'o-rh Ais and obs q Quiet satisfaction
rom the vlde,y scattered hearers far below
Z US unique concert could think Ct
,o.hlng but larSs On the wiltshire downs
Presently arCther boy began 10 sing alooe,
ee2 ta-Ea. I'D TIA first beSs9 sSs-a, ard