The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-22
Scenes of sensuous Beauty.

Lufcadko Hearn. in HArper's Magazine,
 Hindoos, ooolies, men, women and children-standing, walking or sitting in the sun, under the shadowing oi the palms Men squatting, with hands clasped over their black knees, steadily observe you from under their white turbans-very steadily, with slight scowl. All these Indian faces have the same set, stern expression, the same knitting of the brows and the keen, strong gaze is not altogether pleasant, It borders upon hostility 1t is the look of measurement--m measurement physical and moral. In the mighty swarming of India these have learned the full meaning and force of life's i jaw as we occiientSis rarely learn t. Under the dark forehead with its fixed frown the eye glitters like ser- pent's.
 Nearly all wear the same Indian dress, the thickly folded turhan, usu- ally white, white drawers reaching but half down the thigh, leaving the knees and the legs bare, and white jacket. A few don long blue robes and wear a colored head dress. These arc babagees priests. All the men look tall they arc 1.-the, very slender, small boned, but the limbs are well turned. They are grave, talk in low tones and seldom smile. Those you see with very heavy full boards are Mussulmans; they have their mosques and the cry of the muezZin sounds thrice daily over the vast cane fields. Some shave-Ruddhista or followers of Hindooism--but the children oi Islam never. Very comedy some oi the women are, in their close- -clinging soft, brief robes and tantalixing wells, costume leaving shoulders, arms and ankles bare. The dark arm is always tapered and rounded; the silver. cir cled ankle always elegantly knit to the light, straight foot. Many of those slim girls, whether standing or walk ing, or in repose, present perpetually studies of grace; their attitude when erect, always suggests lightness and suppleness, like the boise of perfect dancer. - A coolie mother passes, carrying at her hip very pretty naked baby. It has exquisite delicacy of limb: It's tiny ankles are ciroled by thin bright silver rings; 1t looks like little bronze statuette, a statue of "Kama, the Indian Eros" The mothers arms are covered from elbow to wrist with silver bracelets. some fiat and deco- rated, others coarse, round, smooth, with ends hammered into the form of viper heads. She has large flowers of gold in her ears, smaii gold flower in her very delicate little nose. This nose ornament does not seem absurd on these dark skins the effect is, on the contrary, pleasing, although bizarre. All this jewelry is pure metal; 1t Is thus the coolies carry their savings they do not learn to trust the banks until they become rich.
 There is woman going to market, very odd little woman; Is she a Chinoblanco-a coolie, or A Malay half -brecd2 l do not know. She rep resents a type have never seen be- fore. She wears one loose, soft, white garment, leaving srnis, ankles and part of back and bosom exposed, like low cut, sleeveless chemise, but less long. Her whole figure is rounded, compact, admirably knit, and her walk is indescritably light, supple, graceful. But her face is queer; 1t Is an Oriental grotesque, Chinese dream, obliquc eyes and blue- black brows and hair, very high and broad cheek bones. Singular as it k, this face has the veritable bcdute du didLie :. it is a very young and very fresh face, and the uncommonly long, black, silky lashes give her gaze very pleas ing, velvety expression. Still, the most remarkable peculiarity she has is her color, clear and strange, almost exactly the color of fine ripe lemon.