The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-09-18
MODERN bethlehem.
Scenes in That Quaint Old City of Sacred
Associations.

MODERN bethlehem.
Scenes In That Quaint Old City Of Sacred
Associations.
How tenderly familiar is the name!
Bethlehem-since earliest recollections
We have known the precious word; it
seems as if we had always known it
and its strange history. There it is:
town, six miles south from Jerusa-
lem. picturesquely situated on an
elongated hill-they build all their viii
lagos, towns and cities in Southern
Palestines on cultivated, as of
old, in beautiful terraces round the
sides from base to summit. See
town of about $50 hous IS, all fiat
rooted, built of yellowish- white lime
stone; some one, some twd, and few
three stories high. The walls arc
thick, the windows narrow and rather
small, the floors and stairs are of stone
there is scarcely any wood in all the
construction. See narrow streets
roughly paved with stone. Look in
vain for sidewalks. Animals, goats,
sheep. donkies, camels and COWS walk
with and jostle against men, women,
children and American and other Wis.
itors
1t is a narrow and crowded street by
which we enter. On either side see
men sitting cross-legged. like tailors.
on the stone floors of their workshops
in the upper stories of which they
live. What are they making? You
will very soon find out. There they
come at you already. They know you.
these sharp Bethlehemites, for q pill
grim. You must buy souvenir OF
Bethlehem. These people are engaged,
chiefly. in making bracelets. ear rings,
paper-knives, paper-weights. rosaries.
beads, crucifixes, cigar-holders, and
numerous other articles of that sort
out Of olive and Dead Sea wood, pre-
cious stones and mother-of-pearl.
Look out for them; they will ask you
from twenty-five to fifty per cent.
more than they will take for their
curios. And yet these people look so
much better than any we have yet
seen in the East among the natives.
These children are clean. Their faces
have certainly been washed at least
this week-we have seen SO many
to whom water and soap seemed
interest strangers that this change
gladdened us amazingly. An, here is
actually a group of really handsome
young ladies. And these men and
youths do look civilized. and have GER
tainly a ruddy beauty all their own.
These are brighter, too, than any we
have seen. Are they Mohammedans?
No. This population of 1000 are.
and have always been, at least nomi-
nal Notwithstanding as distin-
guished from the majorities in all 9TH
er cities in this land. Pow peculiarly
they dress These pretty maidens
wear a light frame on their heads
about half as tall as your stove-pipe
hat, covered with a long white linen,
or cotton, or silk if they can afford it,
vail which falls over the shoulders to
the elbows. They have earrings, too,
and over the front of the head, show
ing some of the hi ir below it, and just
under the vail, is diadem of silver
or silver-gilt, with band of ornaments
of the same material loosely fastened
to it at both ends, so as to rest on the
brow Immediately under the hair,
leaving the forehead only half visi-
BILE. Their black hair hangs on
their shoulders in heavy plaits just
beneath the vail, which always leaves
the face exposed. The garment they
wear-for they have not dozsn.or
more on, as you, gentle reader. are
accustomed to wear-is long blue or
striped gown, generally OF cotton.
loosely tied in at the waist, with open
sleeves, hanging down to the knees;
its front, above the waist, always set
off, more or less, with red, yellow or
green patches of cloth embroidered to
the wearer's taste. Those who are
better off, however, are fond of wear
ing a bright red, shortsleeved jacket,
reaching, in some cases, to the waist,
in others to the knees Two ladies Of
our party borrowed a complete outfit,
as described above, and were photo
graphed in them. The men dress
very much as in all the East: striped
wide-sleeved dressing-gown of bright.
colored cotton, thrown over the white
or colored skirt, Turkish fez upon
the head, no stockings. sometimes no
shoes.
/ have no doubt that this town is
just the same as it was more than
three thousand years ago-in con-
struction, limits, streets and out ook.
The Standard.
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BeIgium's HatIess Monarch.
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