Evening star., 1899-03-18
IN AN ALGERIAN SCHOOL
How the Pupils Behave Before Visitors and
the Inspectors
Girls Who Veil Their Faces Before
Men-NOyel Rules ina Arithmetic
In the Kindergarten.

| Once 1 was told that an Inspector or
| French schools very distinguished man
| in his profession who was travelling with
his wife and daughter, proposed to visit
| our establishment. When they came L
| found the elder woman high-bred and high
ly cultured, but rather plain in appearance
The daughter was a charming, bright
| young woman of eighteen.
The inspector asked that these women
! might be allowed to accompany him to see
the native school-a request, of course, in
| stantly and gladly granted. l introduced
| the Partisan people to the class or tau Arao
| girls. Every pupil over nine years old was
| already scrupulously veiled for the occa-
| sion. They had taken much care that the
| "Sf'-the learned man-should not be able
| to discern the color of their eyes, the shape
| of their noses or the size OF their ears.
| One heard them whispering to each otner,
Take care! can see lock of your halr,
| or DO not pull your veil SO tight. see the
| form of your chin. What would your father
| say If he knew it? Or your brother? Let
| us be prudent"
! It had not occurred to the inspector that
| he would not the girls faces. and he
| was rather disconnected. However, he be-
| gan to question them and some of them
| gave excellent answers in very good French
| When they were not quite sure of
! French word they tried to mimic it, He
! heard them reading and counting, saw
| their exercise books and seemed to be very
1
| some more conversational questioning.
| What is Paris?" he asked girl re-
| piled promptly:
| "A fendish town. where no proper woman
| is to be found: where they all-show their
| faces to everybody"
Another struck in:
"a beautiful town. full of gold, even as
| the prophet will build one for us, but more
| beautiful, supplying whatever he sees want
| ing in yours
These were not the answers that the "Si'
| had expected, and while he hesitated, con-
| fused they boldly tackled him in their
| turn.
| rs that thy wife?' asked one girl.
| Yes" said the poor gentleman.
We'll, she is not pretty" was the candid
| rejoinder.
| She is good" was the husbands gal
| liant retort
Then, if thou art rich. keep her still.
but buy another
| 1 saw displeasure. not unnatural, rising
| In the woman's face, so I broke upon this
incisive dialogue to ask if the gentleman
| would not like to retire a while, that the
| girls might unveil for the women. He said
he would withdraw to the garden and write
| out his notes. AS soon, as he was gone the
| girls unveiled and began to chatter eagerly
| to the young woman. They wanted to see
| and touch everything about her-her watch,
| her bracelets, her shoes. She laughed at
| first and was very obliging but she soon
| had enough of their curiosity, and We left
| the class room and went to see the kinder
| garten.
| The inspector rejoined US. Here we were
| at our ease, and all were little children.
The inspector called out the biggest of the
class and asked him if he could read
| OF course, said the baby, and / can
write too. l go to two schools-this one
and another, where l write with a reed on
| a board. | have my inkstand here" point
| ing TO it stuck in his waistband, land when
| have covered my board with my writing
| my master washes it and l may write
| again. But see how funny! In that school
| l write thus"-from right to left-.but in
this school l write so''-from left to right.
'Canst thou write both ways?"
| No: l am sorry, but l can write ONLY
from left to right"
II am happy that 1 know more than a
ST. Dost thou get much money!"
The inspector smiled. 81 get enough"
said he. .--.-....O.,.
"Ah!' said the urchin, 81 hope to be rich
some dayr'
Hy wrote pipe" creditably on the black
| board, and was duly congratulated and
pralsed-so much so that as / was leaving
the room L felt my dress pulled, and, turn
| ing back found the cousin of the hero
standing by my side, his face working with
coming tears.
What is the matter with you?" said l.
why does not the 'sr speak to me?" he
| faitered.
Well said, soothingly, you are but
| very little boy, and you don't know
much.''
But I, too, want to get rich and have
| many douros gold pieces. If the 'Si does
not near me my cousin VIII get rich and
shall not. 1 want to get douros"
Now, as both these children belonged to
family intimately connected with our
French official life--the father of one being
| cadi 0udge) and the other the inter-
medfary usually employed by the govern
ment In its dealings with the natives-as
both had done their utmost to further the
interests of our school and had shown
much personal kindness to me- 1 was anx-
icus that no painful jealousies should he
engendered So in a whisper l explained
the situation to the inspector who kindly
called the second child, saying: "Well, little
man. can you count up to fifteen?"
Il can try said the boy. He took I'D his
chapet, drew aside seven beads, then an
other seven, and finally one
mat Is two times seven and one" he
said. -e' -e
The inspector was not used to this kind
of enumeration. "Can you write fifteen on
the blackboard?' he asked
The child hesitated for a moment. count
ed ms beads again, and saying, that is ten
and that is five he wrote 10. 5.
II Is not quite so.' said the insDector
Ihcn how is it?' asked the puzzled
child. See. here are ten beads, I write 10:
ana nve, mark 5-that must be fifteen?"
We'll. WELL" said the inspector, .I am
quite sure that by and by you will be a
clever ard honest man and ac0uire n To-
tune Aoi
Does that mean heaps of douros?"
es, ooth Tor you and your cousin"
And with that happy prophecy the inspec-
TOR and the women Withdrew.
->~
ON THEIR BACKS,
SOnRsters HeInad ac-o~. a.