The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-23

of fnmascur who ire dsscen1aats 0f 1 lshmAel can trace their hnea&e peSs - ther than the representatives 3f any exceut the Jewst and that m the bS -s whose pedierees run back Tor thoueano; of years. They wear today the styie ci costumes. made of the same matcfia.s; asswere worn by Abraham lsasc ane Jacob Nowhere else in Palestine nave the Jews retained such an uneroken lne of descent and uninterrupted occupeucn. They are the Hebrews of the neg.eWs and have adhered with great M ,nss ssnac,ss op eS their forefafhers of the biblical age: Mem, phis .Palmyra, Ninevah, Baaloek, ana even Antioch have. fallen. and the peo. ole who abode therein nave oisappesrreu s rei mascus. unlike her rivals has maintained the even tenor of her way. regardless of siege and sacking. of revoluuon ana invasion. and is today. in most respects. describcd in the Old Testament that can be found in any part of the East There are said also to be types or lsrger nun. Der of Eastern races than can oe ...t,s IoI,u in any city except Constdnttnopie-Turks. Jews. Arabs. Assyrians, Greeks. Arme nians, Egyptians and representatives or all the tribes of the desert. of all the various clans whieh occupied the country . from the xurds of the north to the Aoys- sinians of the south.
 
 The kurds are a very interesting peo. pie and next to the Druses are said 10 he the most enterprisinK in Syria. saIa- !, din, the greatest of Suitaus. the sreatest | of Saracen warriors. who stands next 70 Mohamed in the veneration of the people | was kurd.
 | In the center of the City of Damascus | is large open square used as a general public market and q place Of s sssemo's ' monument in the center, with large | fountain. CarriaRes and saddle horses. | carts. came1s and donkeys are standing near by for hire. and around the edge | of the square are stands of itinerant trad | ers whose wares are spread out before them on the ground in the most inviting manner possible. Back of them are pro fesional letter writers. who may also | be found in the courtyards of the mosques and other places where people are ac- customed to consregate. Each has a desk under a rude awning of straw mat | ting or canvas or in the shadow or the horn in his girdle and bunch of reeds | or wooden pens before him. He writes letters for all sorts of customers. draws contracts. prepares afhdavits and papers and records of various kinds His ser vices are necessary because SO few oi the people can write and only small proportion of them are able to sign their names. Hence the professional letter
 
 yers in the United States. who by ne cessity intrust him with the secrets oi their business, and he is father con lessor to many Mosfem women also. whe come to him with their condolences and through him send messages of love ol hate.
 Oriental letters are always expressed ir the most courteous and ceremonious lan- | guage The letter writer who has the
 best command of terms of compliment is the most popular. like the lawyer who draws the best contract or makes the best impression before jury. Every let ter must he sealed and everybody has seal. whether he can write himself oI not He has his name engraved upon { signet ring or pendant on his watch or attached to his purse. because ori' ental etiquette requires the impression of a seal upon every paper as evidence of its authenticity. An ordinary Mosfem even workingman. would not recognizs as genuine or pay any attention to writ
 ten communication that did not bear q seal. It Is even more essential than thu l signature. Hence there are sealmaker.
 wherever professional letter writers ars
 found.
 The. River Abana comes into the cit,
 with d roar and dash and Is conducted to the public square I have told yo,
 about through heavy retaining walls
 But when 1t reaches that place 1t dis
 appears, Its waters pass Into pipes whici distribute them to various parts of thu city to feed the fountains and the baths and after refreshing the inhabitants ths
 Abana emerges at hundred dineren
 points and flows of through irrigatins atitches to inoisten .he soil and refresi of a river but very ingenious and equall,
 useful Not drop of water is wasted. \ TAMPA EXCURSION MAY 2eTH