The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-10-17
IN AN EGYPTIAN EAREM.
A Traveller Tells What May Be Seen There
From Good Words.

EEbu GOOQ WpANe
The hsrem in which we spent q
couple of days stood few miles out
Of Cairo, in the center of large,
wall-surrounded garden, planted with
date palms, olive trees, orange groves,
with melon and gOurd beds running
among them. On arriving st the
hsrem garden, we were admitted into
its paradise of shade and rest by q
heavy doorway and venerable old
potentste who had beaded our pro-
eession on an ass, snd ST this june
ture our bodyguard abandoned u.s.
remaining without the walls, while
we we're left to make our way alone
toward the group of women whom we
saw approaching by the stone tagged
walk that led to the house. They
we're evidently the wives OF our
friend whose invitation to visit his
barem had given US an opportunity
of satisfying in slight decree the
interest we had long felt as to private
life in Eastern countries.
These ladies were dressed in loose
20 Vns of figured cotton, red and vel
low shoes without heels. and scsrfs
of all colors. Some of the younger
ones were handsome, being not much
browner in the face than those OF
Spanish origin, while their marvel
ously erect figures gave them sn sp-
pearanee of great dignity. One OF
the ladies present, Mirzs by name q
niece of the Turks who had been
born in Constsntinople, was much
more highly educated than the others,
and able to talk French, and when
preliminary greetings were over. We
followed her and our new friends
through su archwsy into g square
court, from whence We proceeded on
a tour of inspection through many
large rooms on the ground d)or, sll
Of which were empty except the in
nermost chamber.
On seeing our interest in their Gus
toms, they became fciendly, and al
lowed US to examine their ornaments
generally necklets made of gold
zequins strung together, and brace
let's worn much larger and heavier
than il is ordinary to see IN our coun-
try. Mira, our interpreter, told us
she was engaged to be married to her
cousin, Arten, her uucle's son, and
showed as a ring that he had given
her. It was large, dull-red stone ID
the shape of q cartouehe, worn by
her on the first fuger, and it bore the
Inscription, written in Persian char
acters "There is a flower in the
garden of Arten, aud her name Is
MiTzs."
Some of the other jewels were IN.
tended to keep off the Influence OF
demons and night monsters, as a
remedy against disease, curses,
sorcery and vengeance. A young
lady, daughter-in-law Of the pasha,' g
insisted on our retaining an amulet
OF hers as a present. 1t was small
piece of shiny ebony, shaped in the
form Of first and second finger ex
tended as if to bless, and its special
property was to keep off the evil eye
We were sorry by accepting it to ex
pose our friend to any risk in depriv
ing her Of the benefit OF its protec
ton, although glad to receive so Gu
rious an example Of q superstition
almost too absurd to believe possible
They are q strange mixture of cred
ulity and devoutness, though o-'
would have both to understand then
language and live with them before
being able to know how far these
superstitions ema nate from their con
victions, or arise simply from long
descended habits.
Az hour after hour Of the Afternoon
passed in conversation, sightseeing
and undsturbed starvation, our JOY
may be imagined when, shortly be
fore suudown, we were requested t
condescend to wash our hands II
preparation for the principal meal o
The day. We entered a room will
taps round the wall this who'll
apartment was the bath h-house, TO
the water fell from the pipes straigb
to the floor, and the Fashionable
harem-way of dressing for dinner wa
to remove all clothes, and sit, stsn'
or lie under a spout of running wa
ter. 1t was lengthy business, as
in addition to their own sblutlons
two or three dozen children hat
to be caught aud scrubbed, thougI
this operation after their capture wa
attended with less difficulty than q
first would be supposed-for there i
practically little trouble in dressing
and undressing chi.dren that hav
nothing on. These preparations con
cluded, we followed our hostess int
room on the opposite side of tb
court, with long, low table dow
the middle. We seated Ourselve
round it on cushions, and each too
possession of fat piece of scone
which supplied the place OF plat
du ing the meal-those articles nc
being considered necessary luxury
In the center of the table stood
large bowl, full of white soup, froi
which everybody ate, taking
many spoonfuls as they chose fro'
the common tureen with long handle
wooden ladies' provided for eac
guest. When this was removed
q large piece Of meat bolle
to rags took its place, and was speed
lily diminished under the violer
treatment it received from us al
esch one pulling lump OF mes
from the j,lnt with the fogers, an
eat IT OF her own a ~ scone. "
then had a curry Of yege ablss, TO