New-York tribune., 1903-06-12

a short skirt OF the same material the length Of
a High9nders kilt
The women display on holidays their dowries
and their trousseaus. be they married or single
AS soon as the girl is able TO weave she begins
working on her wedding garments. for 1t is
labor OF at least ten years TO twist all the lambs
wool into threads to dye these threads ana
then weave them into intricate fabrics with dlf-
fcult designs, all by hand The Bulgarian peas
ants live on the poorest food and work IN the
toughest clothes. On a workday you pity their
poverty such rags do they wear; but on market
days you see their fnery and on fete day at
home Cfor TO market it is not safe to wear them)
you get glimpse or full view OF their dowrles
The Bulgarians save every penny; and while,
perhaps among these people to some extent, the
same charm is added to a arrageable girl by
her wealth, even after she is wed her dowry
continues TO increase by her handiwork at weav-
ing and not a coin of 1t is spent except in
matter Of life or death by either her or her hus-
band From elaborate, high headgear, not over
the faces but down the sides, fall thin gauge
wells studded all over with coins There is
thin silver coin. worth about fourpence which
you never receive in Turkey unpunctured These
procured in exchange at very slight pre-
MUM. for coins of a less convenient size and
are pierced and used as spangles, not only for
this VEIL but. if the lady's wealth extends so
far, to set off her whole costume Like the
Jingle Of many tambourines. they chink at each
step the dancers make, beating a sweet soft
time to the relief of the monotony of the bag
pipe
There is the same dance all over the country,
but when you set it in the mountains at Goad-
na-Vodna it is enhancing to view. There are
three terraces Of stone just at this place in the
mountain. Along the lowest runs the road,
washed perpetUally by the turbulent little
crystal stream. The second is broader, about
fifty feet across, and just half circle. This is
where the dance takes place. About ten feet
above is the leGge of the third great rock.
Along it. on mats of straw. sit the men and
women whose dancing days are past, overlook
ing their children. The rocks and the rockbuilt
houses and the bleak mountain side, with here
and there a stubbly tree, put a hard back
ground to the gayest Of colored scenes-another
contrast in this country Of contrasts The dogs
barkes again. Several hard visaged Turkish
soldiers with one pack mule came down from
the mountain top. They were weary of
marching stopped for q drink Of cool water and
rested by the SIDE of the stream on the low ter
race My friend and I distributed small coins
for the hospitality we had received, and ex-
tended the tribute to the Turks The Turks
looked as though they thought they should get
more than their interiors. Neither they the
Bulgarians said Thank YOU or showed
trace of gratitude in their faces AS de-
scended the mountain the sun setting be
hind the old fort and glistening on the Vardar
as the river flowed through Uskub. The voices
of the criers were waited the winds from
the rninarets of the mosques calling the faithful
to prayer Not church steeple was TO be seen,
for the Christians spires cannot stand higher
than the Mahometans' minarets in Turkey