Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-03-28
IN EGYPT.
Visit to Heliopelis, the Bible CITY OF
"0n"-Last Of the Ancient 0belisks
The Cry For Backsheesh Every
where Letter Number II.

JERUSALEM, Palestine.
February %, 1900.
Correspondence Richmond Palladium.
A ride to Heliopolis, the ancient
city Of On, well repaid us for the
trouble. 1t was through the farming
district and the fellahin were plow-
ing with their oxen and varied forms
of plows. We were seeking ancient
patterns and found them. While
Mr.. Cowgirl took hold and tried the
antique rooter, | drew the kodak
and captured the outfit. 1t was on
this trip, too, that we entered the
low mud huts Of the natives and saw
the scanty furnishings of their
homes.
Our guide, while at Cairo, was
Mohammed Ali, a young man %
years of age. | took his picture and
expect to show it to our friends at
home. He is a truthful, reliable
Bedouin Arab, but it is with diff
Guilty hal he can rid himself of the
instructive desire to ask for back
sheesh. We contracted with him for
a definite sum and insisted
that no backsheesh should be
expected or given. But in spite
Of our contract, We We're compelled
to give it at several different times,
and when WI settled with him finally
he couldn't resist asking what about
his backsheesh. But so p~ersistently
had we lectured him about it that he
did not press the question. At the
home above mentioned was a babe
about two days old which a girl
brought out for us to see, and we
pocketed it also in the kodak. One
of our party declared that it was al
ready beginning to say "backsheesh.
| am sure one of the needs here is to
get the people to learn that they must
earn money. and not beg. 1t is sur
prising how they will appear on all
sides of one and clamor
for 'backsheesh." On one
occasion. when | resumed nv seat be-
side the driver, after looking at some
object of interest, a touch to my feet
attracted my notice, and there was a
man who had given each of my shoes
about two rubs with a cloth and be-
fore | could realize what he vas do
ing he was holding out his hand for
s'backsheesh. And they'll follow
long distances after the carriage or
by its side keeping up their mo-
notonous cry. Amusing were the
made by the tourists to with
stand this form of assault.
Speaking again of Mohammed Ali,
our guide, he told us that he intend
ed to marry as soon as he could get
ready for it.. He has already spoken
to the father of the bride about it,
and has agreed to pay him one hun
ired and twenty-five dollars for his
about it, neither will he, even
see her face till after the marriage
He knows her form when
lie sees her walking out, but has
never been allowed to see her face.
He sent his mother to look at her, to +;
zee whether eyes and nose and mouth ,
md chin were all right and to decide :
whether she would do. He freely :
described the details Of the marriage {
but it is not proper to
rive it here. {
Our chief object of interest at He
or the Bible "On,' was the
only remaining obelisk. -sixty-SiYI
Get I'm height It was here that Jo- !
eph, the Son of Jacob, who became i
econd ruler of all Egypt, married
is wife. It was here that Moses, +
he great leader and general, re- I
his education. So, as we looked
the obelisk, we felt that we were '
upon the same object upon
hitch these worthless had looked.
he accumulation of soil since then Y
) clear, for it now stands six or ]
even feet above the base of the ODE
SIX. A circular wall now surrounds f
/ thus leaving the base SO it is seen G
the enclosure, six or seven
eet below the surface. G
ELIwooD O. ELLIS. +