The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1888-02-23
WOMEN N eeYsr.
where the life of a Wife Is Decidedly
Dull Existence.

| Where the life of a Wife Is a Decidedly
Dull Existence.
The Levautine women are indolent
and early become very fat; many in
Cairo and Alexandria have never seen
the city gates or the port. They are
too reputed to indulge in serious in
trigues. They have not the faith in
destiny which enervates the best
Moselms but are courageous in dam
ger They are not frank in their
hatreds or dislikes. They associate
with the Copts far more than with
Moslems, and are oyerfond of festivi-
ties.
have never seen a Moslem woman
praying in a mosque except at the
Howling Dervishes. when three wCm-
en- in an upper balcony accompanied
the brethren in part of the exercises,
by pantomine. and they were insane
and put there to be cured by the devo-
tions. Nor have | seen q Moslem
woman or girl praying any where.
But there are mosques in Cairo that
are named for women and some that
have been built by them or for them
with their money know at least six
women's names. That of ST. Zayneb,
the granddaughter of the Prophet,
has a cloek-tower and much dec
grafton; and nothing but wom-
EN- can enter the bronze inclos-
ure which contains the brocade-
draped tomb. The mosque of ST.
Sophia, built by her eunuch, has
fine minaret and decorations; those of
Ayesha and Fatmeh are of peculiar
sanctity. Our wise and instructive
Alec, tall. gaunt Nubian, rigid
Moslem crammed with histories.
legends and much experience. the
best authority on our dahabeeyeh,
and whom we mercilessly question on
the social and domestic life of the
women, related to us with many par
ticulars that his wife and other
Moslem women went twice a year,
after bath, TO a side room in the
mosque at Fatmeh and Ayesha OF pray
and be advised by khatee This ex-
hortation WAS praise to Allah, injunc-
ton to serve the husband, warning
against evil spirits and inf
deity, exhortations to teach the sons
the things they should know while in
the harem, rhapsodical expressions of
God, and blessings asked for the pill
grims and family of the prophet.
Levantine Armenian, Syrian and
some of the Coptie women receive
male visitors with the men of the
family, and they shop, ride and visit
and eat with male relatives and init
mate friends. At q Coptic wedding
which / attended in Cairo there were
many of these foreign women present.
but not one Coptic woman, except q
young girl of the family of the
bridegroom The families of both
bride and groom were wealthy
and important, and the affair
was grand and expensive; but it was
for men and foreign women. The
young girl of the family did the
arduous duties of hostess charmingly.
with the support of another,
schoolmate of her own age. In visit
ing the native Consuls, Governors,
village sheizs and other public men,
/ have never seen the women of the
harem, except by special invitation
from the master of the house. But
one meets in Cairo native women of
all classes, in the shops, in the bazars.
in the gardnes, on donkeys and in
carriages, and their evident intention
is to enjoy themselves. | know tho
wife of a Pasha, Copt who receives
gentlemen with ladies, but never
alone.
Among the poor the filling of water
jars, gossip on the street. squatting
outside the mud inclosure of the home.
with dirty children, chickens and
sheep, bathing in the Nile and wash
ing clothing and domestic animals
these are the chief opportunities for
woman's social enjoyment. And the
keenness with which they relish this
part of their daily life tells the story
of its poverty. Morning and evening
along the banks of the river we met
with irregular professions of women
and young girls reproducing the au-
cient pictures with their water jars
gracefully and jauntily poised on their
vailed heads. - Cor Pittsburgh Dis