The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26
ENSLEY DEPARTMENT

just as the drum rhythm is the chief
Characteristic of all Oriental music.
Arabic music, at any rate, played on the
plano or by a European orchestra, as
have sometimes heard 1t here In Cairo
makes no effect at all, and I never used
to understand why. Now l know. It Is the
peculiar drum rhythm that makes the diff
ference that hypnotizes you, until you
don't know whether you are sane OF
crazy.
The drum player at this performance
was also a kind of claque, calling out
"Allahi" THAT is sov "Oh, Lord" until
; the whole audience Joined in with him
laughingly.
The play began at 10 o'clock and when
we went away, at 2;30 In the morning
was not half over. So you can under
stand why I don't attempt to give the
story of 1t here. 1t concerned a Coptic
priest who was worsted by a Moham-
medan. and the priests daughter, who be-
came a Mohammedan through the infiu-
ence of her lover.
The Introduction to the play consisted
Of long religious speeches in praise of the
prophets: then came the play itself, every
incident long drawn out and interspersed
with jokes and songs, the latter some
thing like the topical songs of our mod
ern comic opera, only much more naive
and extremely silly. AS for the jokes,
that my feeble efforts at the Arabic Ian
guage had not carried me so far that ]
could understand them.
The audience enjoyed it all through i'm
mensely, and laughed just as heartily as
though they had not heard the same old
play hundreds of times before The au-
dience by the way, sat either comfort
ably cross-legged on benches along the
walls, uncomfortably on European chairs,
or on the ground, and they were most
of them young men and boys of the poor
err classes, dressed in long white shirts,
with European coats for style. There were
also a few dignifed old sheikhs among
them and one or two effendis.
We sat near the front with the other
specially invited guests on an upholstered
bench that was evidently meant for cross
legged sitting, 1t was so high. OF course
we were the target of all eyes. being
the only Europeans there, but their star
ing was not at all rude. Indeed, we were
much impressed with the natural polite
ness Of the people and couldn't help com
pairing them with audiences of similar
character in other lands that we have
seen.
AS for our hosts. they were charming
and our conVersati ton with them carried
on in English, was most entertaining
For refreshment they gave US first kind
of hot drink. a mixture of coffee and
cinnamoni tnen drleu Inelon sseus any
roasted peanuts, which made me imagine
| for one ecstatic moment that l was in an
| American circus tent; then ice cream and
! last of all, kind of soda water called
! gazoza.
! 1t was all very enjoyable and interest
! ing. but after you have been sitting fol
| hours with half broken back and boil
feet asleep you grow a little tired. dom
you? Especially II it is long after mid
/ night l shut my eyes for an instant
! and our host saw me, / am afraid, FOL
| he said in the politest manner possible
| that we needn't feel obliged to stay til
| the end IL we wished to go.
| I apologized of course, but departed
| feeling ashamed and relieved. determin
| ed that If I should ever again be invited
| to a similar affair I would sleep the whole
day beforehand and then remain unit
it was finished. $50