Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-04-28
HOUSES IN ALGIERS.
Queer WayE Of Iivin.S - @snccmfortabe Cos
tunes oI the WGfher.

Queer WayE Of IivinI - sncc mfortable Cos
tunes oi The WGfHeu.
The regulation" Ara house - al
ways commenced in til same way:
whatever the shape of the lotto ground
Is there must be- rquale court, >ome-
times with u fountain IN the center,
and colonnadc slifftihdin9 the court;
IN tie smallest q column, ,sNFitl' Vrna.
mentcd b;ilVsttade between. ut each
corner supports OIL horseshoe arches
the upper story, with a repetition If the
same number of columns and arches
SUPPORTING the roof; then rooms Of cv-
cry conceiva6i8 shape and to suit the
convenience Of the OisriCr ADd to makc
the best of every inch of tie lot, are
bHlll around the court, the doors ana
windows. with iron gratings, Opening
into i.i TIE outer wall forming Il kind
of fortress, with fcw mId very small
windows. The Arabs rs well ~ the
English, can say that "a mans house
i. his castle" In the large country
kou.cs the same rule is observed on Il
larger scale, md with more columns,
with a very extensive Onter court, en-
closed by long cplonnade dhi wall.
Baia's house was Of the IN pst modest
order, . mere nutshell: u court seven
feet by four Hts converted once a week
into an extensive laulil,y where Fat
ma, II ioyal and good licgrsss,
was in her element. Under the stair
way, Just wide enough for one, wa, a
sell, next to which was Il 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
mutton-ct1p, I was obliged to leave my
easel for the time being,
Once week every thing IS turned
ont, on the acknowledged system, for
Il thorough housc-rleanng; bucket, Of
water dplnged the tiled floors of the
court and under III" lil,t colonnade,
while a mop was used f." The bt'l-
rooms which were also tir'd. Wood
il seldom employed in the construction
rf floors, IL tiles are cooler in summer,
do not 'Tnlp. are more ornamental and
cheaper, Her old mvihcr abmIinated
shoes. and to see her assist in the gem
cral washing up on cold ana ;ainy
days, going barcfooted about the house
on the cherries tiles, sent II chill to
my very mawow, 10 acknowledge
and retura my sympathy. she cN-
pressed her discomfort at seeing me at
work in a BIG oycrcoat and thick-soled
boots. Whcn went to see our friend
Belkasscm 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 III her arms, was afflicted,
like all her little brood. with sore
eyes.
1t is Il strange fact that many Of the
natives Of hot countries wear almost
the same clothing wister and summer,
and do not seem to suffer from cold
when the thermometer stands at few
degrees, in the severcst weather, above
freezing point. Arab women are al
ways curious to see how European Ia
dies are dressed, and examine nttcn-
lively their clothes and jewclry.
If the Europeans show the same
interest, and inquire into the
dressing of the natives, they
often find 10 their surprise, on cold
days, on lifting the haik of Il Moorish
woman, nothing but gauzc chemiSe
and Il thin cotton bodice covering the
breasts and n 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 weara few yards of thin
hii'AN N'NN'il SUM lIlf ltlIt llNlhN |
are about eighteen feet long by five |
feet wide. With one of these, with |
their vail to the eyes aid falling about |
fourteen inches, and with pantaloons |
made up of seventeen yards of white
cotton It'd at the waist and ankles. the |
reader will have but little difficulty in
understanding how they can conceal
theirligurcs and keep themselves warm.
But such ample drapcry 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
their frames with such
weight of apparel.
With all this drapcry the women's
husbands and acquaintances readily
recognize them by their bearing and
gait; but one can form no idea, or
very inaccurate one, of woman from
what the exterior forms suggest. =.
4. BrWgmdR, IN Hdvpcr'S MaJa.iRe.