Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-16
SLAVES TO HUSBANDS.

At her marriage, which frequently
takes place at the age of thirteen, the
girls freedom ends, and her little world
is henceforth circumscribed by the four
walls of her home, which is sometimes
pleasant and sometimes otherwise. And
vet the men think their system infinitely
preferable 30 ours. "As a rule our wo-
men don't work ns yours do; they only
cit at home and do nothing, our drago-
man said 10 US while another dragoman,
who had lived in England and was quite
English in his language and appearance,
told us he had heard that in America the
women ruled the men, and when assured
that this was so he very grayely re-
marked 4" ! think that ID very narsty
sentiment warmly applaHded 10y the
male portion of our party
Az EXCEPTIONALLY HAPPY WIFE.
This dragoman WAS very proud and
very fond Of his wife, for whom he bad
given sixty pounds, and whom he liked
nj first sight. She was fair-haired and
blue-eyed. and, with the exception Of
her veil. dressed much like Americans.
She has a pretty home, with q Nubian
slave TO wait upon her, and no trouble
some mother-in law to worry and annoy
her. so that her lot is cast IN pleasant
places. But where there IL one like her
there are many more whose hives are IN
the shadow where no sunlight falls, and
where, year by wear, the burden presses
more and more heavily, until at thirty,
4 I,,fora thaN a old and
haggish in appearance that wearing a
veil 10 hide their faces seems but a
mockerv, for surely no man could care
10 look upon it, Indeed the story is
told Of saucv American that he gave a
woman a franc to uncover her face, and
then Instantly offered her two 10 cover
II again.
TIE DASCI6G GIRLs OF luxor
are SO famous that when at Luxor we had
an opportunity to see them our party at
once ayailed themselves OF il and started
Tor the show cn mass, the ladies little
doubtful as to the propriety Of the thing
and the gentlemen with their opera
glasses IS If expecting q ballet. But 1t
was nothing OF the sort and could hardly
be called a dance ut all. There were only
four girls, and. with an old woman who
attended them, they were Sitting on
the floor when we entered the room.
Their dresses were long and loose
like Mother-HubbaTds and Their steps
slow and measured like the dis
nal music Of the string band and the casta-
nets to which they kept time. The strange
part Of It vas the violent cOntortluns oi
their bodies, SO wonderful az TO excite
our suspiclons OF some electrical machine
under their gowns. But We were con-
WINGED 10 the contrary and told that the
weird. serpcnt-hSe motions were the re-
suit Of long and patient training, as was
the fkill 10 balance lighted candles IN
bottles on their beads while bOwlnG 10
each other and rolling over and OVer on
the floor from one end OF the room to
the other. The wealthy Egyptians ire
duentlv hire these girls 10 entertain
their guests when giving series of en-
tcrtainment,, aud SOMETIMES keep them
for DAYS. But the dance is rather mo-
no;onous, and should not care to see 1t
repeated.
FOND or DRESS AND JETELBY.
The costumes Of the girls were simple
and plain. although. as Il rule Egyptian
women are fond OF dress and EVERY,
and one handsome, darK-eycd slave girl
whom / saw in Assouan was gorgeous IN
velvet and lace with heavy gold bracelets
ana earrings and chains, and silver
bands around her ankles, as badge of
her condition. These anklets New
York lady bought Of the woman master,
who seemed very proud of his beautiful
chatte
silk is much worn Ivy even the middle
classes and it is not uncommon IN Cairo
to meet women riding upon donkeys
inst as the men ride with their black
silk msuios drawn over their heads,
their short silk skirts entirely covering
the donkey. and both filed with wind
and reminding one OF a small inflated
balloon.
UNFORTUNATE WOMEN.
They are always attended by one or
two bows or men. and are very different
from the poor ragged. sip-shod woman
carving her baby with one hand and
With the other holding a basket on her
head and still managing to keep her
dirty cotton veil, with its fastening,
which | can only liken to a cork screw,
across her nose. while her sal eyes look
drearily at YOU as if asking why she Is SO
tetterel aud you so free.
But there is hope in the future for
the poor Mohammedan woman. The
influx Of English and Americans into
Egypt Is doing much to enlighten and
educate, while the schools i'll Cairo and
on tho Nile are doing more, and Ions
before those brighteyed little girls who
with their water-iars, followed so many
weary miles across the burning sands
shall have grown into wretched old
womanhood, l trust the year OF jubilee
will have come aud the Egyptian women
stand a. free as their fairer, happier sis
ters. MARY y. HOLMES.