The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-05
THE FAST OF RAMADAN.
mo Eating. Drinking or Smoking
Until After Shutdown for .
Month.
THE Faithful Mussulmans all Stout
" Pretend to Observe It
Rigorously.
lDevices for Avoiding the ObligaAion-.
Eject Of Repression By Day,
License By Night


The Moslem fast Of Ramadan il drawing
to close with the waning OF the moon that
,,shered it in says Beirut (syria) May II
letter to the New York Tribune. Every
year the fast begins few days earlier than
the wear before, and even the conscientious
|Moslem may now congratulate himself that
IL il gradually going back into winter. For
when it is the fierce sun Of June that beats
down upon man who must neither eat,
NOR drink, nor smoke, it is hard to wait till
long after for the sunset gun.
How often during this past month, when
II have taken my afternoon rides, has some
lone asked me the time! always reply in
the terms desired. az Zone hour to sunset"
|or 1.-TWO hours and third to sunset" Az
the sun nears the horizon it ID interesting to
ride through asMoslem quarter and to watch
the preparations for the evening meal.
Especial booths are set ont in the streets,
laden with cakes, sweetmeats, refreshing
drinks, ice cream, and more subs tantial
food. Meals are prepared out in the street
Jail. But there is no undignified eagerness.
1T is religious fast that they are to break
with the lannon's deliverance. Bang! To
thousands of lips the water-jar is raised
that is the first thing. Thousands of match
les are struck-tobacoo comes next. be
(lieve that Tor many to go without smoking
lie harder than to abstain from food.
Night is turned into day. The coffee
houses are brilliantly lighted. Men, women
land children throng the streets. There are
|espeoial entertainments of music, wrestlers.
)acrobats. Those who sleep are awakened
by men who, at about IL, patrol the streets
with drum, chanting and calling all TO rise
hight the fast begins again, and some sleep is
taken. The rich can stay in bed till noon,
or later even. The brunt of the fast comes
on the poor, who must rise before dawn and
work all day, faint and weary. The other
evening friend of mine was returning in
board steamer. When the sunset gun was
tired sailor dropped his oar, and, dipping
up handful of sea water, raised il to his
Hips.
It is hard to tell how many keep the fast
honestly, At any rate, all pretend to keep
lit. It is not respectable to be seen eating i'll
Ramadan, as it would not be respectable in
One day was riding near the mouth IF Bel
rut river, some miles from the town, and
came across young Moslem alone under a
tree. We fell into chat and I asked him
what he was doing alone there. He
shrugged his shoulders and said: what
All 10 90 l InuSt eat; O1 COuEeo I IL
ashamed to eat in town, SO have to bring
my food ont into the country and have a
men eat, except the old.'' "But,'' / said,
'if every one eats why not eat together in
town p "That would never do. he re-
piled, "but we come out here together; my
never fast ~ asked. The Moslem smiled
cynically and said: II suppose when am
old and afraid Of death I sl,all fast like tho
rest Of them"
A few days later met a Moslem driving
q puny little donkey that persisted in TAX
ing zigzag course across the sands. He
straight, with clear, light brown eyes, finely
carved lips, brown skin, tinged with red
on the cheeks, and sweet, frank smile.
told him Of the cynic at Beirut river. How
he broke into curses at the mans irreliRion!
believed my donkey-driver genuine when
be seemed full of energy and spirits.
OF my friend the goatherd am quite
sure. He is young Bedouin who follows
herd of goats over the cliffs of Ras Beirut,
and with whom often have chat. On
FIRST meeting him asked his name. "What
do You want with my name?, he asked.
with an Independence I found charming.
Next time we meet we may exchange salu-
tations, and the next you can tell me your
name and will tell You miner Since then
NE have carried out the program, and he
has expressed great devotion. He has a
wiry frame and sharp black eyes, but during
these days of fasting his walk is languid
and his eyes dull and heavy. He does not
need to tell me that he is q Conscientious
doslem.
During Ramadan the Mohammedan feel
Ing is very strong in the city. Repression by
Day and license by night have their effect.
The fast visibly diferentiates the Moslem
rom the Christian. The hostility between
Fhe two, always latent, sometimes comes to
The surface. In the Prussian hospital today
lie two Christians, victims of Moslem at
back.
A hospital doctor relates some amusing
instances of almost puritan conscientious
hess. Moslem woman came to him to
have her throat examined, but refused to
let the doctor use the iron tonRue-presser
pm the ground that in Ramadan 1t is for
Ridden to let anything pass ones lips"
6he yielded only when he had proved to her
that the instrument contained absolutely
DO nourishment, but she was % adamant
when he proposed to spray her throat with
dedicated water.
Another woman said that abe could not
Wished to know whether ''three times a
night wouldn't do as we'll.
As write this last paragraph the fast is
bver, and the Moslems are rejoicing in the
three days feast. Every one ID in holiday
lress. The cafes, which have lately worn
uch desolate air during the day, are filed
With contented smokers of the soothing
Aargbili. Large boats, mounted OH wheels
md drawn by horses, are filed with merry
boys and girls. The streets are full of life
md color. Garments made of soft silken
tufts, delicately tinted, contrast with the
flashing reds and yellows of the calico worn
by the poor. In three days the hal or pill
rimage starts from Damascus to Mecca,
ind the DISPLAY of costume and color will
DO something magnificent. Still western
fashions are rapidly encroaching. Beirut
fast becoming Europeanized. Damascus
8 sure to follow suit. Let those who would
ee her in oriental splendor visit her.
Sunday Excursion.
The Northern Pacific Railroad company
1ill mako Sunday excursion rate Of ons
ARE for the round trip to all points between
aelsna and Butte via Garrison; also to all
POINTS on the Helena. Boulder Valley 4
Butte, Helena h Jefferson County, and
Helena b Northsra branches. Tickets to
p sold o. Sundaye only, good TO return