The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-12-11
THE HOMES OF THE MOORS.
AvIsIT TO THE HosPITABLE ABODE
OF AN ALGERIAN,
Received and Entertained by His
, Wives s-Their Quaint Curiosity
Beantifnl. Dark.Eycd ChiIhren.

| Received and Entertained by His
Wives Their Quaint Curiosity
Beautiful, Dark-Eyed Children.
Describing in the New York OJseyge,
a visit to a Moorish family in Algiers,
Fannie G. n. Barbour, says: Our host.
ess stood'at the top of the stairs to re.
ceive us, and rs she had been notified of
! our intended visit, was richly attired.
| She was tall, handsome woman, who
looked to be about forty years Of age, al
though she may not have been more thar
thirty, for the Moorish women always
/ look older than they are, owing to the
climate and their mode of lie. She re.
ceived us with an easy grace, and led the
! way into a room at one side of the square
| balcony. Outside the door, in the cor
/ ridor, we stumbled over a row of slippers
of all sizes, from the tiny three year old
to the larger foot covering of the women
| A Moorish woman never steps upon a car
| pet or rug without removing her shoes.
as they are considered too sacred to tread
upon. We hesitated a moment, desiring
to do the polite thing, whatever it might
/ be; but our friend said no, and we en-
tered with our shoes on. The room was
| furnished in curious manner, the tiled
floor being thicllly covered with the soft
est and most charming of antique rugs.
All the women were sitting around on
the rugs when we entered, and they did
cot rise but welcomed us with pleasant
"SGlaam.' They were quite as gayly
robed as our hostess, and sparkling with
uncut jewels, their jackets braided and
woven with gold thread and tinsel, their
| silver ornaments worn across the fore
head, and many strings of pearls and
beads around their throats; also numer-
Gus silver bracelets and anklets. 1t is
only the young and middle aged women
who are so decked out, for when they are
DID, they are dressed quite plainly, and
! even shabbily, and in marked contrast to
their younger companions.
We were invited to occupy the sofa,
where we sat in state surrounded by the
curious and inquisitive roupof women,
| who sat cross legged on the floor, gath
cred close around us. Our friend com
menced the conversation in Arabic, but
some of the younger women could speak
little French with us, which they learn
| from their husbands or their servants. We
were introduced to the eldest woman
present, who turned out to be the first
wife of the master of the house. The
fine looking woman who had received lis
was his second wife. There they lived
together in those crowded quarters with
their two sets of children, and seemingly
perfect peace and harmony prevailed.
A great many questions were asked
about us. "Were we Inglesa!' And
when it was explained that we were
Americana, perfectly blank expression
came over their faces, as they know moth
ing of that far away nation, or of geog-
raphy OF. history.
The women are very ignorant, and
| have no education whatever. Yet their
eyes are bright and their faces intclli-
gent, and there is pathetic sadness
about them, as if they looked out from
behind the dark curtain of Ignorance
which cnfolds them and begged lis for
light.
Our conversation could not be very
fluent as We knew very few Arabic
words and our hostcsses spoke but little
French. But through our interpreter we
soon became well acquainted and an
swered many questions about our own
homes. They We're quite amazed when
we informed them that our husbands had
only one wife, and this was the general
Gus ;om in good society in our country.
They asked why this was 50, and seemed
ctrnriSp6 that our laws forb11p If for