Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-06-26
BARGAIN FOR WIVES.
Money Is Ruling influence of Matri-
monial Affairs OF Moslems.


DAMASCUS. Syria. March "a
The women Of Damascus. that is the
Moslem women are most closely veil
ed than those of Constantnople and
other eastern cities. because the peo-
Pile here are more tenacious In their
observance of the ancient customs of
their race and the requirements of
their religion The wells are thicker
also and cover the entire face. Some
of them are figured so that the con-
cealment is even more complete.
Greeks. Jews and Armenians do not
wear wells. and some of them
are very handsome, particularly
the Jewish women. Their eyes. hair
and complexion are superb. The
types of oriental loveleness remind
you of Solomon's Songs. great
many women go about the streets.
| wrapped in white sheets. This was
formerly badge of the Jews, but is
now universal among the poor people.
No women are employed about the
| hotels or restaurants. All the do
nestle work is done by men In the
shops and manufactures of Damascus
thousands of women and girls are
employed, but they are exclusively
Greeks ard Jews. No Mnslem would
| permit his wife. daughter or sister to
appear in a shop or any other place
| where m en- are employed.
| You frequently find women doing
the hardest kind of manual labor. as
In Bohemia and Hungary. They
carry the hod. they dig ditches. they
| haul carts and are employed In the
| most menial labor. In Damascus fac
| tories where brass work. pottery. In
| laid frrniture embroideries and other
| characteristic merchandise Of the
country is produced. women artists
work side by side with men producing
similar results, but receiving only
| half as much wages. Such Is the
rule the world over No matter wheth-
er a woman works In Chicago or Da-
mascus. in Fall River or Constantine
| pie in Sweden or In Spain. In Japan
or Bolivia. she is never paid more than
half as much as men receive for the
same kind OF work and the same de-
gree OF skill The injustice is univer-
1 sal
The children employed in the Da.
mascus factories. hammerlng brass.
carving wood. making the inlaid fur
niture and other things intended for
export show d remarkable degree OF
skin. You see little boys and girls.
7 and s years old, who ought to be in
the kindergartens or the primary de-
partments. with engraving tools in
their hands instead OF primers. and
showing a skill and accuracy that is
marvellous. Little girls sit at mon
strous looms making rugs and weay-
ing of the richest texture. without pat
terms. and with a speed and skill that
Is most miraculous. And the wages
they receive are only a small percent
aee OF what bootblaek or newsboys
| would pick up on the streets OF
Chicago any day; sums insufficient to
provide them proper food and cloth
Ing: only a few coppers valued per
haps at 6. or 10 cents In our money.
Girls are usually married In their
twelfth or thirteenth year. sometimes
when they are only ten years old.
The Damascene in search for bride
employs the services OF an Interme-
diary. either n relative or n profes-
sional who does the business for him
either for love or for a fee, which IL
regulated by the amount OF the dowry.
There are women. generally midwivea
and nurses. who make a business OF
arranging marriages. In high Mos
'lem circles groom never sees his
bride until the wedding day. Among
the lower classes. however inter-
course is common. Among the Jews
and Greeks and other members of
Christian sects families intermingle
with more or less freedom. but mar
riages are arranged in the same way.
The custom seems to be civil rather
than religious.