The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-07

est OF skies and the most beautiful aspects
of nature sur FUNDED what seemed to be
one of the darkest countries of the world.
The darkness of the Egyptian condition to-
day fell upon my soul like the darkness of
the times of Pharaoh. 1t was so heavy that
it could be felt. To appreciate this you
must realize the slavish condition of our
sex there and their complete subsection of
mind and body. Nature intended the
Egyptian woman to be one of the nohlest
of her sex and she is said to be beautiful.
Beauty, however, does no good in Egypt
for the veil covers the face and you see
nothing but the eyes peeping out between
two wells fastened together by little round
gilt tubes which rest just over the bridge of
the nose. The wells used are of a long
heavy crepe and the drapery of the head is
q flowing one of black. This women SO
dressed as they move through the streets of
Cairo make one think of a procession of
mutes at a %funeral. l was in Cairo during
the warm weather and l found it dangerous
to venture out between the hours of 10
O'Clock in the morning and four in the
afternoon, and we had a taste of one of
those terrible winds which come from the
desert laden with heat. | found the hotels
OF Egypt delightful in all respects and those
of Cairo especially SO. Cairo is a fine city
and the people are full of fun and vivacity.
The pyramids are simply grand. Mr..
Romero went up the highest with the as
Bistance of five Bedouins as guides, but I
had not the courage to try the climb. Thu
stones are laid one on top of the other in
great steps, many Of which are az high az a
table and the feat ia by no means an easy
one. Speaking of the Bedouins, I was much
struck with these wild children of the
desert and [ found that those about the
pyramids had a remarkable talent for Ian
Ruages and some of them awe u smattering
OF as MANY as twelve different tongues. The
Egyptians seem to acquire foreign Ian
RuRges easily.
Did you make any studies of the condi-
ton OF the women in Egypt during your
stsy?" 1 asked.
ST could not help it," replied Mrs. Rom
orc. 1.-The Mohammednns have many
strange customs and none was moro strange
to me than those relating to women. Di-
voroe among the Egyptians is q very sim pie
matter. If Il man grows tired of his wits or
wants to get rid of her from any other
cause. he simply presents her with a certain
written parchment and the deed is done. I
heard ut Cairo a story of an incident which
has just occurred at one OF tho neighboring
towns. Though divorces are easy, q re-
marriage is no possible unless the woman
who has been divorced has in the meantime
married again and again been divorced
either by law or by death. The man in
this nham cas-. be 't tSousbt pretty wagld yo sn;s s sial
much better than the wife he had,
and he divorced her. After a short time he
tired Of his second choice and wanted to
get his old wife back again. There was no
trouble of getting rid of his new one, bat
tho second had not been married again. and
he had to get her to marry another man,
who contracted before the marriage to d.
vorce her after they had been married a
day and night. This was done and the man
got his wife back again. In going from
Alexandria to Cairo We saw a wedding pro-
o~ession. The bride-elect was elaborately
mounted ON a camel caparisoned in COR
geous trappings. She was seated in a chair
! beneath a tent-like covering of bright
| cloth, and behind her sat four of her girl
| friends all decked out with jewels and
trinkets Of every kind. Theae chanted a
melancholy song as the procession slowly
moved across tho sands to meet the groom
who came to greet hig bride upon u beauti-
full white Arabian stead. As the two came
together the groom tune and they rode
side by side towards the home prepared for
their reception. A crowd of their relatives
surrounded them and tbs whole made a
most picturesque group. AS We looked at
them our Bedouin guide Remarked: 1T il
difterent in Egypt than in Europe. Here
the men buy their wives. In Europe the
brides parents buy the groom BY giving a
marriage dot. Here if a man SECS Il girl he
wants to marry he wastes no time in court
snip, but goes directly to her parents n
asks for the hand of the maiden, offering
perhaps to give sixty sheep. three or four
c%aInels, slx or seven buffaloes, and money
if he has it. If his offer ia accepted he gets
the woman and the father gets the
money"
did you visit any of the mosques?' I
asked.
YES" replied Madame Romero, "snd l