Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-11

!, 1909
& tionably rule the domestic roost and
know how to use their wooden clogs the
kabkab. with convincing effect upon the
/ bare pates of their spouses.
The satisfactory results of such home
discipline is apparent in the department
I of the young girls on view in the mar
ket. They watch the tribesmen, young
and middle-aged, who make inspection
/ of them, out of the corners OF their eyes,
while they chatter away nonchalantiy
4 with their negafas They throw amused
/ glances at the more bashful of the
young visitors. who can not summon up
courage enough to approach and put
\ the momentous questions as to the price
of the roll of stuff. When one of them
4 does, at length, come near to try his
luck 1t is delightful to see how the girl
raises her eyes, looks the young fellow
deliberately over from top to toe. and
If he does not strike her fancy, dis
misses him with an off-hand answer
and a toss of the head. The Kabyl=
bellies have, or seem to have. an in
stinctive perception when really
promising candidate for their posses
sion makes his appearance. Then, in
. deed, their answer is as prompt as it is
decided. The negafas, too, know their
business. They see in an instant how
matters are going.
\ When a promising young clansman is
4 either too bashful to step forward or is
likely to pass on without inquiry thu
. wrinkled old dame, who looks so quiet
! and sleepy under her ample while
! whimple, sends him glance with the
} tail of her eye that brings him UP to the
roll in an instant. and generally results
in sale.
; Business goes on brislSly while am
looking around and taking stock of the
. lots on show. note half a dozen deals
concluded in less than half an hour. In
!; the case of one little Kabyle dansel l
watched the negotiations from begin
ming to conclusion. She is quite a
beauty, her face nicely painted pale
; lemon yellow, with little suns, moons
. and stars cut out of silver foil stuck all
| over it. II she has one of these, she
has twenty on cheek and on forehead.
She wears pancake shaped silk hat
on her head, we'll stiffened out, and fas-
| tened under the chin by a ribbon COW
cred with small coins. A smart look
, ing young tribesman Of the Benz Yus-
sef comes striding along in his four
yardlong train and straw hat big
enough to stow the girl in. He stops
and looks at the girl, comes nearer, ev-
, identity attracted. looks again. then
turns rresolutely on his heels. The
astute negafa comes to his assistance
, at once; she sees a likely customer.
, Happy" cries the old lady, diplomat
ically, "the parents of such a son. The
, young fellow looks at her, but remains
still. "And is the damsel not worth
looking at?" she goes on. Is she not
. the pearl of the village? See, her face
is golden, as is the face of the moon.
. Blessed will be her husband. Come,
: then" The clansman can not resist.
He smirks, steps forward, takes off his
big straw hat, and, holding 1T. IN one
Inland, so that the feather tuft hangs
downward, gingerly touches the roll of
stuff with the other and asks the price.
The girl flashes up at him a single
glance, casts down her eyes as quickly,
and in a quiet tone gives the salts
factory response. Ten pieces" The
negafa holds out her right hand, the
young tribesman holds out his, so that
the thumbs touch. Then from the
mouth of the old duenna comes the
most blood curdling cry that have
ever heard emanate from the human
throat 1t is worse than the ''Ta'aritt
of the Moroccan Jewesses, which is as
ear-splitting performance as any one
could desire. The Shrek of the negafa
can only describe as resembling the
sound of the syllables "Yu-yu-yu-u-u-
III long-drawn out, uttered as loudly
as it is possible to scream 1t and at the
very highest pitch of the female voice.
This is the signal that a deal has been
effected and a lot disposed Of. The cry
is instantly taken up by all the other
negafas near, till the market resounds
with 1t. Friends crowd around calling
out Milk" Milk lezef" the Berber
form of congratulations, signifying
literally, Coed" Very good" In less
than ten minutes the maids father and
brothers are on the spot. A hodia, or
village scribe, is sent for. He comes
with q mollah, and the pair squat down
upon the earth. For three-quarters OF
an hour there is an alienation or talk
and threats and gesticulation and weep
> ing. Then a bag OF coins is produced
by the young man, carefully counted
over by the father, while the hodja on
the ground and the mollah beside him
are writing out the marriage contract.
There and then signing and sealing is
done and the sale is completed.
Within an hour the girl is mounted
on an ass with the rest of the owners
purchases for the winter season and on
+h, roo n fo new home.
Better Than Gold.
I was troubled for several years with
chronic Indigestion and nervous de-
Ibility," writes F. ]. Green, of Lancas-