The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-19
MOORISH DINNER PARTY.
AROUND THE TABLE OF THE
GRAND VIZIER OF MOROCCO.
sprInISIed with Rose and Orange
Water-NO Routine of Courses.

The Unique Decorations Guests
sprInkIed with Rose and Orange
Water-NO Routine of Courses.
From the st. James Gazette.
Along the dark avenue Of our palace in
Marakesh appears chamberlain and
his attendants, and we know that we
have been sent for to attend the great
dinner party the Grand Vizier Of Morocco
has been so busy for the last few days In
preparing for the entertainment OF Her
Majesty's Minister. Our horses and mules
are ready saddled, and the body guard of
soldiers drawn up in line to salute and
follow, while the native servants In all
the glory of their most gaudy clothes
stand, lantern In hand, ready to escort US.
Then Off through the dark streets, be-
tween the high buttressed walls that crop
up on all sides in the southern capital OF
Morocco; here across a wide open space,
deserted but for the dogs or some late
wayfarer. lantern in hand, and here again
through a labyrinth OF tortuous alley
ways, from which the high white houses
windowless and ghostlike, rise on either
hand.
At the doorway Of the Vizier's house
we dismount, and, passing through empty
halls and wide passages severe ana aus
tere In their grim Wilderness, we are ush-
cred into one Of those small and beautiful
gardens which the Moors love so much
and know so well how to render attract
i've. Between the dark cypress trees and
the trellis work that line the paths the
fitful light of the moon and many lant-
ems falls, while the shadowy figures Of
the members OF the Sultan's court pass
and repass
A dark man, with a small beard and
mustache, swathed in the finest of white
wool and silk garments, greets US. It is
the grand vizier. A minute later and We
are ensconced in the reception room, lead
ing from the garden by an arcade Of
horseshoe arches, an apartment rich in
delicate inlaid tile work, in arabesques,
and inscriptions in lacelike plaster, and
with ceiling of gorgeous painted wood,
rising in arches and domes of intricate
carving and delicate color; here pug
zling geometric design of gilded beams,
and there falling in 'gtalactites" TO end
in drops Of gold, or disappear into the
projecting designs Of tile or arabesque.
Now, at last, one can not help thinking,
the land of the Arabian Nights is
reached. In a domed recess in the garden,
lit with fantastic lanterns, are the musi-
clans, their voices and music at this dis
lance rising and falling in weird harmo-
NOUS cadences, an eject that is quickly
destroyed on their approaching nearer,
for the Moors can not discriminate between
singing and shouting or between sound
and noise. The garden before us is
threaded with raised and tiled paths, in
which, here and there, where the meetings
of two paths allow of space, bubble and
splash little fountains in marble basins.
One seems miles away from the filth and
noise of the great city without, and In the
very heart of which one actually Is.
Dinner ds announced, and, led by the
vizier, we pass down the length of the
garden, among courtierS, soldiers and
slaves and find ourselves entering a sec
ond and even more gorgeous apartment
than that we had just left. Under the
arcade of arches that gives entrance to
this room stood our dinner, ninety-two
huge covered dishes of earthenware filed
with all the delicacies that native cooks
know so we'll how to prepare. Within
stands the dining table, loaded with fruits
and flowers and sweetmeats, with candle
labra and dessert dishes, and set in Euro
pean fashion, as strange an anomaly in so
Oriental a scene as the furniture which
lies scattered about the room. At either
extremity of the large apartment stand
fouT-posted bedsteads Of French Empire
design in ebony and walnut respectively,
while mirrors Of every shape form and
design, form handsome constructions in