Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08

lem. They are not available on account OF
the peculiar construction OF the billy streets
in series of platforms about inches high
and IL feet in area. Donkeys and camels
are used for traffic and passengers entirely.
the face of womankind is in the same list
with the carriage wheel. With the eIcep-
ton of few European ladies, only the
somber, black yelled faces of the native
women greet the eye of the visitor. For the
same absurd notions as to seclusion which
hedge about the female sex, men are the
only servants employed about the hotels
here, as indeed everywhere else throughout
the East. They perform all the service
from the kitchen to the sleeping apartments.
The crowds upon the streets are made up
of the people already described, of Turkish
soldiers, priests and religious of the many
churches and monasteries of the Christian
sects which flourish here: Greek Catholic,
Latin or Roman Catholic, Copts and Ar
menians in their peculiar and distinctive
dress, pilgrims and beggars. During nv
stay in the city there were Of pilgrims a
party of II English Catholics, principally
of the nobility, under the Duke Of Norfolk,
a pilgrimage undertaken in hopes of restor-
ing the Dukes only son, an imbecile, TO
health; one composed of 1888 French CaGho-
lies and one OF 5000 Russian adherents of
the Greek church. These are quartered in
the monasteries.
BEGGARS OF HIGH AND LOW DEGREE.
For beggars Jerusalem is paradise. At
every turn from daylight till dawn the cry
of ''backsheesh" rings in ones ears 1t is
lisped to you by the tottering infant, bawled
at you by robust men and women and whis-
pered to you by those sinking under the
weight of years into the grave.
In the holiest places there is contention
and strife. In the church of the Holy Sc
pulcher queer state of affairs exists Un-
der the one roof covering the Holy Tomb,
which the ''odor of sanctity" certainly per-
vaded, and which has been bathed with
countless tears, and hallowed with the pas
sionate kisses of countless wayworn pill
grims, the Latin, the Greek, the Copt
and the Armenian Christians have
their portions measured off with mathemat-
ical accuracy. Quarrels within are frequent,
while without Protestants contend that Cal
vary was not located there at all, but near
the grotto of Jeremiah, outside the walls. At
Bethlehem, in the Church of the Nativity,
a similar division of space exists. Standing
the other day in the cavern under the church
and gazing at the spot where the manger
stood, and about the true identity of this
place there is no question, was INDUCED
reverie. 1 was thinking that while there
might be some question about the location
of the true Golgotha, here there was no ques-
ton; all Christian sects agreed on this spot;
here was all peace and quiet.
NO PEACE, EVEN THERE.
Suddenly Greek priest came in to in
cense the altar. Stepping aside for him
jolted against a Turkish soldier, gun in
h.. orl r =
He was there to keep peace. Only recently,
for some trifie, the Greek priests had de-
stroyed the plate and altar adornments of
the Latins. The day dream vanished.
A trip to the Dead Sea. judging from the
preparations, is formidable undertaking.
Each person going alone is accompanied by
a dragoman, who, for this trip, carries a
scimeter, an armed guard, and mule to
carry supplies. The trip occupies three
days and the game IS not worth the powder
The warlike preparations are to prevent the
petty shiek on the way from levying addi-
tional tribute which Is paid annually by the
tourist agency. Only few weeks ago an
English couple. who foolishly and against
advice penetrated beyond the Jordon with
out a guard, were taken prisoners by a
shiek, on whose territory they were tres
passing, and kept prisoners until ESQ was
paid for their ransom by the English Con-
sui. No doubt part of the money went to
the depleted Turkish exchequer, which Gov
ernment connives at such rascality.
A railroad is now likely to be built from
Jaffa to Jerusalem. A visiting clergyman
at the dinner table where the project was
being discussed expressed his horror at the
desecration such a project would be.
"Why," said he, ''the next thing will be
rolling mills in the valley of JehosaphatP
But" said the resident English bishop
at his side, eff you had been here as long
as have. and burning olive tree roots for
fuel, and they getting scarce, you would
hail the railroad with delight"
THOMAS L. WHITE, D. D.