The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-08-23

seems 10 contain 4 forest OF spires
and domes. Not more varied or null
tiform than the inhabitants Of the
street are the styles of its architecture.
There are dainty minarets surmounted
with the Turkish crescent, roof of
thatch and red tiled buildings after the
fashion Of a century or two ago Most
OF them manage, whatever their style,
to protrude a tower Of some sort, size
or material slzyward. and in the dis
tanee the whole is an inextricably tan
gled mass Of taperiug turrets-
High above them all Is the lofty Fer
ris wheel with its myriad supporting
rods. that from afar seem rs closely
woven as the meshes of a SPIDERS web.
The huge erection stands half way be-
tween the fair grounds and the west
ern termination of the Plaisance. and
towers above all its surroundings.
dwarfng the tallest of the minarets in
the comparison Certainly it is as dis
tinctlv the curiosity of the fair as was
the Eiffel tower at the Paris exposi-
tion four years ago. From the ground
30 the top of the wheel IS a distance
of 250 feet, and in its circumference
are contained IS ears, each construct
ed 10 carry Sc people. ~ ride in the
wheel" comprises twice around the cir
exit, distance in all og l,500 feet. and
occupies in all some 20 minutes From
one point of view the wheel Is some
what on the nature Of a disappoint-
ment. People who board the cars in
the hope of experiencing any of the
titillaaon of the nerves that accom-
panies risk viii find themselves mis-
taken. The motion, though of course
pereeptible, IS slow and dignifed. One
does not realize that the height is
vast, and, locked in behind the grilles
Of the windows, there is little more
conception OF risk than If the wheel
were tower Of granite.
Theaters galore are to be found on the
Plaisance. Eight or nine are in a
chronic condition of performance all
day and most of the night. The more
important Of them are of the east.
eastern, and bear strong family re-
scmblance the one to the other. Their
attractions are largely saltatory, and
Tor the first time Americans are af-
forded an opportunity to view the
dance du ventre, if not in all its naked
ness. at least nearly so. The theater
where this performance takes place
is attacked to the concession known
as the street in Cairo" Opinions as
10 the adyisability Of permitting the
performance have been much divided.
bat no official censure has been passed
upon what is sometimes termed its
indecency. Certain it is that the
danseuses are clad more after a fashion
suited to the climate of sultry Egypt
than OF chilly Chicago, and certain it
Is that the audience is mainly Of the
sterner sex. But beyond all doubt the
theater illustrates the customs Of the
country whence the performers have
some. and the concessionaires of the
cairo street defend their danseuses on
the count of their chronological inter
est. Like all oriental dances the mo-
tion is of the body rather than OF the
feet. There is no slight grace about
the performance. and there is a ryth-
mic skin that probably no occidental
premiere could acquire.
st the theater attached to the Turk
ish village there are dances that differ
from the Cairoene in degree rather
than kind. There IS the same wave
like movement of the body. the same
swayiug in sections to music, and the
saSne languorous grace. This IS like
wise the case ut the Algerian theatcr.
Both these latter playhouses. how
ever. possess their distinctive features.
There Is Z complicated presentation of
n wedding, with feasting and eymbals
aud quaint ceremonies, on the boards
Of the Turkish .theater. The Alge-
rians show Aisscous, or torture dance,
a display sufficiently horrible to be fas-
ciEati1g. Either in actual fact or in
minicry the performers, who are
swarthv Arab men. work themselves
into frothing religious frenzy. and
under its influence proceed TO wound
themselves grievously. Among their
fcats are the chewing and swallowing
OF broken glass and of priclzly caeti.
the mastieation of live scorpions, and
the piercing of their cheeks with sun.
dry spikes. This performance is given /
once cseh day, and it requires no
small exercise of faith on the part of /
the audience in the theater to swallow l
the sh0svnan's statement TO the effect !
that Is is the evening prayer to Ma
honet.
Thea there are other theaters too !