The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-03
EXTREME TYPES OF THINGS THAT GROW AS SEEN BY
WILLIAM J. BRYAN IN CALCUTTA AND EASTERN IlDIl
WomanAp Traveller
sR Resort e tn saG Inoms mdeoehe EnthsL fdsP

merchant IS stock by the size or appear
ance OF his store. He may have little
booth open in front, with no show win
. dow bnt when he begins to bring out
jewelry worth 100000 or rich en-
brolderies worth their weight in gold.
The merchant sits cross-legged on the
hoor and spreads out|tho wares which
his attendants bring, beguiling you the
whllo' with stories of Lord So,Mnd- So g
purchase or Of Lady What 's-Her-
Name g order, OF Of check for thou
sands handed him by an American
millionaire. ;s.D
The native buildings are, as rule,
neither beautiful nor cleanly. The
little shops that open on Che street ex
hibit food and vegetables arranged in
heaps, the vender apparently indiffer
ent to dust and flies. 10 The houses are
generally Of adobe, plastered with mud
and without floors. In the warmer
e Sc at Of the and fopI they Are e ra5
indians live: in Substantial homes with
high ceilings, tile orssand very spa
cious verandas, put these are very few
compared with fhe mass: Of the poor.
The Indian women of the higher
classes are in seclusion all the time.
They seldom leave their, homes and
when they DO venture out, they travel
in covered chairs Or closed carriages.
This custom was brought into India by
the Mohanrmedan conquerors, but it has
been generally adopted by Hindu So
ciety. There is a growing sentiment
among the educated Hindus against this
practice, 50 bnfdensome to women, but
custom yields slowly to new ideas.
At Calcutta we met several Indian
1ofl al 7boY fhai1
home life have felt the influence Of
western ideas and who have to some ex-
tent lessened the rigors Of zenana
(seclusion). Two Of, these ladies-one
princess-were : daughters of the
famous Keshub ,Chunder Sen, the great
Hindu reformer, whose writings made
profound impression on the religious
thought Of the" world: e. In the group
was also daughter-in-law of Mr.. Sen s.,
widow of native prince at the age Of
13 and who; recently. shoe ked the ortho-
dox Hindus by: a. second marriage. e
mention these ladies because they rep
resent the highest type Of Indian
womanhood, and it would be difficult
to find in any country, in group of
the same size, more beauty, culture and
re''n'e lt s4. 49,
The principal article Of feminine
dress is the sarai, a long strip Of cotton
or silk, part Of which is wrapped about
the body to form a skirt, while the rest
is sdraped over the Head and shoulders
! in graceful folds. This garment lends
itself to- ornamentation and is usually
embroidered along the edges, sometimes
| with silver and gold. We have. not
| found in our travels aSmore becoming
land attractive costume Z q
+ The dress of the mon is so varied that
description is impossible. One form of
dress resembles the Roman toga. Many
wear trousers made by mysterious wind
ings and .foldings 4.of a long strip of
! cloth, Others wear loose pantaloons.
/ The coatsS are ASH multiform.a a long
/ close-ftting ;one being the most popu-
lar. Butthe hati is the article TO which
most scare is given While the ,fez is
popular. it is not SO conspicuous. as the
| tnrban. The ,latter3is to be seen in, all