The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-29

prompt as it is decided The negafas. too,
know their business. They see in an in
stant how matters are going.
When a promising young clansman is
either too bashful to step forward or is
likely to pass on without an inquiry the
wrinkled old dame, who looks so quiet
and sleepy under her ample white wlmple,
sends him a glance with the tail of her eye
that brings him up to the roll in an instant
and generally results In q sale.
Business goes on briskly while am look
ing around and taking stock of the lots on
show i note half a dozen deals concluded
In less than half an hour In the case OF
one little Kabyle damsel L watch the ne
gotiations from beginning 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 IL. If she has one Of these, she has
twenty stuck on cheek and on forehead.
She wears a pancake-shaped silk hat on
her head, we'll stiffened out, and fastened
under the chin by ribbon covered with
small coins A smart-looking young tribes
man of the Benz Yussef comes striding
along in his four-yard-long train and straw
hat big enough TO stow the girl in. He
stops and looks at the girl. comes nearer,
evidently attracted, looks again, then turns
irresolutely on his heels. The astute ne
gaia comes to his assistance at once; she
sees likely customer. Happy, cries
of such a SON." The young fellow looks at
her. but remains still. And is the damsel
not worth looking at?' she goes on. lis
she not the pearl of the village? See, her
Blessed will be her husband. Come, then"
The clansman cannot resist. He smirks,
steps forward, takes off his big straw hat,
feather tuft hangs downward, gingerly
touches the roll of stuff with the other and
asks the price.
The girl flashes up at him single glance
casts down her eyes as quickly, and in a
quiet tone gives the satisfactory 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 TIA aritt'' of the Moroc-
can Jewesses, which is as ear-splitting a
performance as any one could desire The
shrek OF the negafa L can only describe
as resembling the sound of the syllables
'Yu-yu-yu-u-u-u, longdrawn out uttered
as loudly as 1t is possible to scream it
and at the very highest pitch of the fe-
male voice This is the signal that a deal
has been effected and a lot disposed of.
The cry is instantly taken I'D by all the
| other negafas near. till the market re-
sounds with it. Friends crowd around
| calling out Milk milk lezef," the Ber-
Der form of congratulations, signifying
| literally Good" Very good" In less
than ten minutes the maids father and
| brothers are on the spot A hodja, or
village scribe, is sent for. He comes with
a mollah, and the pair squat down upon
| the EARTH For three-quarters of an hour
| there is an alienation. of talk, and threats
and gesticulations and weeping. 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 COM
pleted.
Within an hour the girl is mounted on an
ass with the rest of the owners purchases
! for the winter season and on the road to
her new home.