Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-08-14
HOUSES IN ALo,eHs.
0user ways Of LivinR-Uncomfortab BILE c
tunes Of the Women.

oaser Ways Of Living Uncomforts BILE Coz.
tunes Of the womeu-
The regulation" Arab house Is all
ways commenced In ths same way:
whatever the shape Of the lot of ground
Is there must be square court, some
times with fountain In the center.
and a colonnade surrounding the court;
In the smallest a column, with orna-
mented baiustrade between, at each
corner supports on horseshoe arches
the upper story, with a repetition Of the
same number OF columns and arches
supporting the roof; then rooms OF ev-
cry conceivable shape and to suit the
convenience Of the owner and to make
the best Of every inch OF the lot, are
built around the court the doors and
windows. with iron gratings. opening
into it; the outer wall forming a kind
OF fortress, with few and very small
windows. The Arabs as well as the
English, can say that ga mans house
Is his castle" In the large country
houses the same rule is observed on a
larger scale. and with more columns,
with very extensive outer court, en-
closed by long colonnads and wall.
Baia's house was OF the most modest
order, a mere nutshell: a court seven
feet by four was converted once week
into an extensive laundry where Fat
ma, joviai and good-notured negress,
was in her element Under the stair
way. just wide enough for one, was a
well, next to which was tiny room,
which received 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 any thing like a
mutton-chop. I was Obliged to leave my
easel for the time being.
Once week every thing is turned
out, on the acknowledged system, for
thorough honse-cleaning; buckets of
water deluged the tiled floors of the
court and under the little colonnade,
while mop was used for the bed
rooms. which were also tiled. Wood
is seldom employed in the construction
of floors, as tiles are cooler in summer,
do not warp, are more ornamental and
cheaper. Her old mother aborninated
shoes. and to see her assist in the gem
eral washing up On cold and rainy
days. going barefooted about the house
on the cherries tiles, sent chill to
my very marrow. To acknowledge
and return my sympathy, she ex-
pressed her discomfort at seeing me at
work in big overcoat and thick -soled
boots. When went to see our friend
Belkassem 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, wet chickens; the mother.
with babe in her arms. was afflicted,
like all her little brood, with sore
eyes.
1t is strange fact that many of the
natives Of hot countries wear almost
the same clothing winter and summer,
and do not seem to suffer from cold
when the thermometer stands at n few
degrees, in the severest weather. above
freezing point Arab women are al
ways curious to see how European la
dies are dressed, and examine atten-
lively their clothes and jewelry.
II the Europeans show the same
interest, and inquire into the
dressing of the natives. the,
often find to their surprise, on cold
days. on lifting the haik of q Moorish
woman, nothing but a gauze chemis-
and thin cotton. bodice covering the
breasts and II very small part of the
back. and from the waist to the feet
cotton pantaloons. ample, it is true,
but not warm. The haiks are often
made of hand-woven wool. very thick
and warm, others of silk. while the
poorer classes wear few yards of thin
white cotton stuff. The large haks
are about eighteen feet long by five.
feet wide. With one of these. with
their vail to the eyes and falling about
fourteen inches, and with pantaloons
made up of seventeen yards of white
cotton It'd AZ the waist and ankles, the
reader will have but little difficulty in
understanding how they can conceal
their figures and keep themselves warm.
But such ample drapery is comparative
luxury. and enjoyed by the wealthy
only. On the other hand. one pities
them in hot weather for being obliged
to wear the vail and follow the fashion
among the ladies of their standing of
burdening their frames with such
weight of apparel.
With all this drapery the women's
husbands and acquaintance readily
recognize them by their bearing AMI
gait; but one can form no idea, or
very inacc.rate one, of woman from
what the exterior forms suggest.
4. Bridgman. in Harper's Magazine.