The evening times., 1898-06-25
QUAINT MOORISH CUSTOMS.
Elaborate Social Courtesy Exchan9.
cd in Everyday Life.

Northern nations. II is hardly too much
is born a gentleman. There is such a
grace about the humblest. such an easy
dignity, that whenever circumstances
place them in positions calling for the
exercise of courtesy. they very seldom
fail to respond. and thus It comes to pass
that in a democratic nation. in which ev-
cry man Of ab:.ity-cunning, perhaps.
would be the better word-may rise to the
highest place. even though he start life
as slave. the self-prociaiming parvenu
Is practically non-existent. This Is not.
however. to imply that gaucherie and the
unpleasant manners which come from
evil dispositions or stupidity are un-
known Unfortunately, the life led by
the average Moor. is one that dwarfs re-
finement of intellect, as it does develop
ment of mind. and the vices to which the
majority succumb in early life too often
stultify the most prominent commence
ment. Probably much of the graceful
Difference of the young Moors is due 10
the respect they are taught to pay to
their elders. but something. also must be
due to their uncOnstrained life and limbs.
and their ample costumes. while their
very slowness Of action takes an air Of
dignity.
1t is a pretty sight to see two elderly.
dignified Moors salute. With measured
pace, the eyes of each fixed on those Of
the other, they approach with a slight IN
clination, holding the right hands slightly
advanced. They press their finger-tios
together and begin volley Of prescribed
salutations. greetings. and inquiries.
hardly pausing to insert replies. and ejac-
ulate. God be praised:' Then each
presses the finger-tips. which have been
| friend against his lips. and then upon his
heart, as he raises his head. and redou-
| bles his salutations.
! To every fellow Moslem the greeting is
| given "Es-salam alaikum" c.Peace be
unto your. To which the answer is IVA
| alaikum es-salam'' ("And to you be
| peace'D. To the unbeliever the nearest
| approach to this permitted is ASA salam'
TAX" con thy peace'). which might mean
anything. The way to speed the parting
| guest is to exclaim. God give thee
peace" or. more curtly. "In peace" To
those whose presence has never been de-
sired 1t is usual to exclaim in tones suf-
ficiently explicit, Allah ihaun-akr' Good
protect theer). On arrival 1t is custom
AIRY to exclaim to the guest. Welcome to
thee. or "Marhabban, ahlan wa sahlan'
| t'Be welcome, at home, and at ease'D.
Courteous interrogatories fall thick and
fast. How art thou? Thy house?'-
the nearest approach permitted to in
auiry after a mans wife-'Thy relatives?
What news? Is nothing wrong?" To
which he replies. If there is nothing spe-
| cially to complain of. "All right. thank
God All are in prosperity" Or. II bad
news has TO be given. God knows: every
thing is in the hand of God"
When Moslem meets a European ac-
companied by a Moor, though the latter
be the servan., he not infrequently ig-
nores the presence of the foreigner. and
offers the sa!utation of his co-religionist
only: but If he passes a mixed company
of Moors and Jews, or Christians, he ex-
claims. Peace be on the people of
Tsa'm,'' If two such parties meet on
the road the phrase is Peace be 20 those
accompanying the Jews" or ''the NaZar-
enes.'' and it is sufficient for one of each
party to give ard return the greeting
though in the country several often do
so. Interiors sa!u.ing superiors usually
kiss the hand, shoulder. top of the tur-
| ban. or feet. or the knee or Stirrup of Q
| horseman, according to the terms on
which they approach. The more abject
forms are naturally only used 10 implore
favor. though they are employed some
time to Europeans. In the extremity of
supplica:ions the very feet of ones horse
J are embraced.
| The old custom of falling on one anoth-
| er's necks is still in vogue between friends
| long separated Men and women restrict
! their greetings in public to words, but.
/ personally, | was somewhat startled by
| the sudden embrace of q neSress whose
freedom my father had been the means
| of obtaining, when returning to the coun-
! try after some years absence The kisses
/ on such occasions are. however. fortu-
nateIy delivered in the air or on the shoul-
I, ;e-f n a
I meetings, Il have been desolaied for
| thee.
! To Judge from the exclamat tionS ever on
/ the tongues of the Moors. they might be
! an extremely pious people. and no doubt
I there are among them those VINO really
I mean what they say. but generally the
most religious phrases have desenerated
/ into vain repetition. Elaborate curses fall
almost as freely
When about to repeat some part of the
Koran. or a prayer. the petition Is COM
monty uttered II take refuge with God
from Satan the stoned and when any
thing great or alarming occurs, they eX-
claim There is neither chance nor pow
er save in God the High. the Mighty"
Quotations from the Koran are also free
, " introduced in conversation by the
learned as are proverbs and sayings by
the generality of Moors. knowledge of
which is a great help In conversation.
life deserve attention. though not con-
fined to Morocco. such as the exclama-
ton to one who sneeZes. The forgiveness
of God be on me and on thee. to which
the reply Is, Justice and praise to God,'
If man who yawns in public does not
use the prescribed formula, anyone speak
ing to him may place the back of his
hand to his mouth. uttcring n pious sem
tence as the devil Is accredited with per-
forming an unpleasant operation in yawn-
ing mouths. On the other hand, anyone
wearing a new garment. or looking spe-
cially spruce or having performed some
clever or meritorious act. receives the
compliment. "Bi sahh't-ak' t''In thy
strength'o. But If occasion should arise
for the mention. in polite society or before
a superior. of a woman. a pig or Jew,
it is incumbent to make use of an apol-
ogy ..Hash-ak,'
| A Moor knows how to enjoy a good
Joke to the full. and, seated on the floor.
he bends backward and forward without
restraint in his laughter Often the teller
of the story will join in the process. too.
Raising their right hands far above their
heads as they roll back. they bring them
together in a hearty shake. There never
was a grander way OF enjoying joke in
vented. The women when happy give
vent to their feelings by a shrill "Yoo
yoo. yoo yoo. yoo yoo yoo."
Through Sleeper Washington to
Buffalo via b. & o.
Daily on Royal Blue Line and Lehigh
Valley Route leaving Washington so.
D. m, arriving Buffalo 1880 a. m. nexl
day. je2i Is 29-juiy2 fem
|
Bad management keeps more people in
poor circumstances than any other one
| rauaa To he successful one r,ust Jool,