El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-10-31
MOORS AS THEY MEET
THEIR QUAINT CUSTOMS AND ODD
MODES OF SANITATION.

Elaborate Social Courtcsies That Are
Exchanged In Everyday Life-Em-
braces and Kisses - The Etiquette
of sneezes and Yawns.
In contrast to some northern nations, it
ia hardly too much TO say that the Moor,
of whatever class, is born gentleman
There is such a grace about the humblcst'
such an easy dignity, that whenever cir
cumstances place them in positions Gaining
for the exercise of courtesy they very sell
dom fail to respond, and thus 1t comes 10
pass that in n democratic natloh' IN "hioh
every man of ability-cunning perhaps
would be the better word-may rise TO the
highest Mace even though he start life as
n slave the self proclaiminS parvenu Is
practically nonexistent. This Is not, now
ever to imply that gaucherle ana the
pleasant manners which come from eVh
dispositions or stupidity are unknown
UNFORTUNATELY the life led by the average
Moor is one that dwarfs refinement of in
! tellect. as it does development of mind,
| and the vices to which the majority sue
cumb in early life too often stultlfy tine
most prominent commencement.
| 1t is n pretty sight to see two elderly,
| dignifled Moors salute. With measured
! mace, the eyes of each fixed on those OF the
other, they approach with n slight incilna-
| ton, holding the right hands slightly ad-
] yanced. They press their finger tips to-
| pether and begin a volley of prescribed
| salutations, greetings and inquiries, hard
/ ly pausiny to insert replies and eJaculate
! "God be praisedp' Then each presses the
finger tips which have been honored by
contact with those of his friends against
his lips and then upon his heart as he
raises his head and redoubles his saluta-
tons
To every fellow Moslem the greeting Is
given "Es-salam alaikum' ('Peace be
unto you"). To (which the answer Is Wa
alai kumes- salam & And to you be peace }.
! To the unbeliever the nearest approach 70
this permitted Is ALA salam' tax con
thy peace'), which might mean anything.
The way to speed the parting guest Is To
exclaim, 'sGod give thee peace" or, more
curtly. ssIn peace" To those whose pres
} epce has never been desired it Is usual to
exclaim in tones sufficiently explicit
"Allah ihaun-akp' GOOD protect theef
On arrival it is customary to exclaim &c
the guest, "Welcome to theer or - Mar
habban, ahlan wa sahlan" G. Be welcome
Mt homo, and at casey. Courteous inter
rogatories fall thick and fast. How ar
thouY Thy house?''-the nearest approach
permitted to inquiry after n mans wife
"Thy relatives? What news? Is nothing
wrongY" To which no replies, If there Il
nothing specially to complain of: al
right, thank God All are in prosperity.
Or, IL bad news has to be given, Got
knows. Everything is in the hand of God
When n Moslem meets a European &C
companied by Moor, though the latte
be the servant, he not infrequently ignore
the presence of the foreigner and offers tn
, salutation to his coreligionist only, but
: he passes a mixed company of Moors ant
Jews, or Christians, he exclaims, "Peac
o be on the people of Islam" If two sue
y parties meet on the road, the phrase II
k aPeace be to those accompanying tn
laws or ssthe Nazarenes." AMI it - 81.