The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-12-06
IN MOORlSH CITIES.

AMUSEMENT1 IN THE sULTAN's CAPITAL.
 Modern scheherezadey--Thc Cirous- Lifc tn the Market-PIace.
 :, {specia! Correspondence of the Journal
 and Courier.)
 City of Morocco, Oct, 19, 1901
 Charact eristic of this land of yester- | day is the professional story-teller and
 his deeply interested audience, to be
 frequently met in the streets, especially i in the vicinity of the market place to-
 ward the close of an afternoon. Diver
 sions are few in the lives of these poor
 people, and to them the oft-told 'En-
 tertainments"-a la the Thousand and
 One of Queen Scheherezade-take the 1 place Of matinees and operas, in fact of
 every other form of amusement open to
 happier citizens of the United States.
 After trudging from their cheerless
 homes to market in the dim light of the
 early morning and haggling over their
 paltry wares through the heat of the
 day, it is natural and good that they and diversion of the thoughts before starting on the weary return.
 Like public performers everywhere, the modern story-teler has assistants and sumnloners to his entertainments. Instead Of advance agents, supes bill stickers, etc, the star performer goes about with only a slim chorus. Music there must be, because each pause in the narrative, however slight. Is marked by two or three beats on the tightly stretched string of some queer instru- bent, or twangs with palmetto plec- trum-loud or soft, martial or tender, according to the subject of discourse at that particular point, There Is usually q player on the native banjo, another man who keeps time on the tambohr- inc, and third who beats with his fin- gers on the one-sided earthenware drum. The poorest professional, who cannot afford to share his scanty earn ings with assistants has at least a two stringed banjo, played by himself.
 First. the story-teller seleats some comparatively sheltered nook in the thoroughfare, and calls attention to himself, by yelling, over and over. at the top of his lungs, some such an- nouncement as this: Tn the name of
 the Prophet! Blessed be Allah!" The greatest story-teller In the whole earth will now begin wonderful tale of mystery, enchantment and deeds of valor. Neglect him not, Oh ye true be- lievers, for he hath marvels to unfold" When a crowd has gathered-the cor ners squatting in a circle, the later ones standing behind-he first takes up col lection, and if the amount of money do- mated does not come up to his expecta- tions, refuses to tell word until more is contributed. He is conspicuously at- tired, in tattered brown jellab,, Ca woolen cloak, round and hooded), san daled feet and camel's-hair cord tightly bound around his shaven and wrinIled skull. Waving bare arms and sinewy legs, wild keen features, skin the color of an ancient pack-sad dle, and flashing eyes complete his DOT trait Nobody believes a word of the monstrous fictions he relates. yet they accept it all with child-like credulity and the absorbing interest with which some other people devouh yellow-cov- cred literature of the blood and thun- der" order. The motly audience gazes | open -mouthed, every eye riveted upon the realistic semi acting of the perfor- mer, who punctuates his harsh and gut | teral Maghreb by pounding his drum or upon the violin. According to | the best of Moorish belief, he Is the one man in the world of whom to learn of 1 love and life of beautiful women and deeds of valor, of charms and miracles and hair breadth escapes. Suddenly, at the most entrancing point of the narra- tive, when everybodys interest is exci- ted to restraining pitch, the sto- ry-teller ceases his wild gesticulations and his words together. Half dozen words more-one step further for liber- ty--one blow of the sword-and the bat tie would be won, the hero freed and the charming houri in the possession of her adorer Instead is the rasping in vitation of stringed instruments, the insistence of the drum, as the turban is passed for more contrbu- tions The hands of the eager listeners seek their pockets for the lays earnings; and when the chief per- 'ormer is satisfied that not another cop->i per is to be gleaned in that field, his story is resumed and brought to a speedy conclusion. Then, with another ,ous reference to Our Lodr Moham- prayers of Cod be on him and oeace,' the audience is dismissed. | Each man arouses reluctantly from lis trance and turns away with deep lrawn breath to untether his mule or