The Republican journal., 1901-08-08
THE SWIFT SPECIFIC CO.. ATLANTA, GA.

brilliant flowers and humming birds,
and tame white doves that perch upon
the antique clock and peer into its face
with funny air of anxiety to know the
time of day.
The interior of Tunis is a confused
network of dirty alleys, crossed by two
or three slightly wider streets, which
run diagonally its entire length and
still further complicate it's plan for the
stranger. A few years ago, these were
almost impossible, owing to the deep
mud and filth in winter and equally an
noying dust in summer; but of late
years good many municipal improve
ments have been carried out, directed
by the French, who really rule the Bey
Now the streets are tolerably lighted
with gas, and for an African city, are
kept remarkably clean.
More attractive than anything else to
the stranger are the native bazaars,
which still retain their original charac-
ter amid all the changes that are going
on around them. 1t is a perfect laby-
rlnth of lanes, so narrow that the tall
houses on either side make perpetual
twilight in them, yet farther shadowed
with banners and mating. The trades
generally keep together, so that the
purchaser has the advantage of com
pairing prices. Among the goods dis
played are silks in every variety, per-
fumes and essences of rare quality,
jewelry, ancient coins. native costumes,
arms, inlaid work and carpets. The
usual rules regulating commercial deal
ings in all Oriental countries apply here
with double force, to wit: avoid run
ners, or middle-men and provide your
self with endless and imperturbable pa
tience, expecting to haggle hours over
the smallest purchase and to finally pay
less than one-Quarter of the price at
first demanded. You need not trouble
yourself to study the native money, as
French coins-so much more easily I'M
derstood, are actively current. 1t is
WELL however, to remember the Tusin-
ian piastre is exchangeable at the sale
of one and half piastre for one franc.
The most famous of the bazaars are
the Sioux el-Attarin, or market of the
perfumers; the Sioux ell Turk, where
arms are sold; and the Sioux ell Serajin,
or bazaar of the saddlers, full of splen-
did embroidery on leather. The trade
of Tunis, both foreign and domestic, is
something amazing. Its linen and
wooden and red cap manufactures
alone employ upwards of fifty thou
sand people, and its morocco leather
embroidery and perfume distilleries as
many more. Among its exports are
also sponges, funny fish, gold-dust, SEN
na,. wax, hides and elephants tusks.
This city is the centre Of the caravan
trade of Northern Africa, and nothing
can be more interesting than to stand
at one of the great gates and observe
the life and movement of these peculiar
means of commercial travel. Toward
evening oriental life may be seen at
it's best in the Halfa-ouine. or central
square, where Moors and Arabs, Greeks,
Nubians and all the rest of them con-
gregate, to smoke their chibouques and
drink their coffee, enjoy solemn games
of chess and listen to the interminable
tales of professional story-tellers.
Another most interesting place to the
American visitor is theProtestant GENE
terry of St. George belonging to Eng
land, but used by other Protestant ma
tions 1t is in the Maltese quarter, and
you must go to the British consulate
for the keys. 1t was here that John
Howard Payne author of 'sHome Sweet
Home" was first buried, and here may
still be seen the monument which .shis
grateful country tardily erected. You
remember that he was U. S. Consul to
Tunis, where he died in the spring of
1852. Thirty-one years later, after his
immortal song had become dearer to
more hearts than any other ever writ
ten, his body was transported to the
land of his nativity and re-interred in
beautiful Oak Hill cemetery near W ash
ington, D. c., at the expense of the late
-philanthropist, Mr.. W. W.
Corcoran. In the Episcopal church of
St. Augustine-a short walk from the
Hotel de Paris, which, by the way, is
the best in Tunis-is handsome me-
mortal window, put in by British sub
jects in this far country in honor of
John Howard Payne. The site of the
English sanctuary was granted by the
Bey, and the neat little iron building.
lined with wood, was erected by sub
scripti0n.