The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-12-25

proof of his coming.
\ Among the young he ranks as high
as St Nicholas in Russia, Germany and
other countries; but among the old he
p, is held in great generation as one OF the
most eminent Greek Fathers, and also
as the most eloquent promoter of mon
| ,asticism throughout the East. Be-
lsides, he was a great philanthropist,
and an ardent apostle.
Caesarea, the capital of the former
province of Cappadocia, was st. Basils
| native place. At the age Of thirty
three he was made presbyter, and
few years later bishop of the same
city, position which he held until
his death, A. D. $40.
Elaborate preparations are made for
| his festival, which begins at an early
hour on the evening Of December 3lst.
The shopkeepers adorn their windows
with an attractive medley of toys ana
holiday gifts. Oranges, dried and fresh
fruit, imported and domestic table DEL
| lcacies, candies, cakes, are either dis
played in the showcases or piled up IN
front Of the stores, which are eXtraVa-
gantly lighted up for the occasion, and
decorated with garlands Of colored pa
per skilfully cut out in the shape of
natural flowers. From the ceilings, from
the top of the windows, they fall in
the chandeliers, from the pictures, from
grouped festoons.
The mild climate permits a large
and variegated crowd to circulate
through the streets and gather in the
stores, and no sight is more pictur-
esque than a street in the East on St.
Basil's eve.
There are to be seen people Of COM
munities and races having nothing in
common but the land and the sur
rounding atmosphere; there are curious
contrasts of complexion and wearing
apparel; there the genuine attire of five
races is on constant exhibition.
You see, for instance, the long, loose
robes Of the Jews, and the bright red
or yellow silk garments worn by their
wives. There are thes short, wide
breeches of the Turks, contrasting with
the long ones of the Kayaks. The small
red fez and the large vermillion one,
designed to hang down on one side of
the face like the Phrygian cap, are
intermingled with the plain Derby and
black silk hats of the European gentle
men, whose simple attire is made OBJ
trusively plain by the bright-coored
goods used by the natives.
Conceive, too, the variety of gar
ments worn by the women. Imagine,
for instance, the Partisan dress and
bonnet of a European merchants
daughter, side by side with the loose
yellow breeches, the lilac doHblet and
the long green veil of a wealthy Ar
menian lady! Every day one sees en-
broidered bcsoms, long garments some
times trimmed with fur, robes, cash
mere shawls and bright red silk Slip
pers, on the women.
Among men it is not uncommon to
behold bare legs and gorgeous holiday
turbans; often gallant Mohammedan.
covered with rags and filth, carries in
his belt an assortment of Damascus
blades, yataghans and jewel-encrusted
firearms, worth small fortune.
Two singular customs contribute to
this holidays particular character: one
is the making Of est. Basil's caks," the
other the singing of song through the
streets or the eve of the saints al
legged birthday.
Elaborate preparations for the
kneading OF the cake begin in every
house two days, at least, before the fes-
tival, for much labor is involved in its
CONNECTION. All the women of the fam
lily squat on rug, in the Turkish fash
x1.slEyn. .