The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-09-19
tCopyrigla. by Joseph B. Bowles.)

Leat-GueStS from the Desert.
(Mrs. Mabel LOOMS Todd, wife of Prof.
David P. Todd. the noted astronomer of
faciIities for e travei!ng in little known
corners of the earth. having accompanied
iIer husband on Journeys undertaken for
father was David LOOMS. astronomer of
Harvard university Besides being a tall
"nt"ti writer for the magazines and author
ut several books, Mrs. Todd is success
ful lecturer.)
Pedestrians have few rights in the
aarrow thCroushfares of Tripoli. In
pursuing ones devious way. the tiny
Aoots of omnipresent donkeys perhaps
make sound enough to indicate their
approach. even if their drivers did not
'onscientiously shout "Balik. Balik!"
10 the unwary. But they never swerve
from their course. If one succeeds In
jumping out of the way in time, we'll
and good. Not even so much notice
is given of the soft-footed progress of
the camel. During my weeks in Trip
oil. most enchanting Of unspoiled
oriental cities. the first indication of
the cancels presence was often the
long. arched neck curving quite over
10y shoulder as he silently overlook
me and the supremacy scornful face
close beside mine. 1t was quite in.
different to him where his next foot.
step fell. but not being equally SO to
me. he Immediately possessed the
tpnn in, nj -.
ship. Four feet. not two, reign in
Tripoli.
Humanity indeed is harder to dis.
entangle. Nationalities multiply with
every step. Along the white walls and
buildings, Arabs. Bedouins and Moors
wrapped in white barracan fit swiftly,
while Greeks, Maltese, black Sudanese
and Fezzani-some polished like pat
eut leather others finished in dull
.ints like ebony-with fez and turban
rags and bronze limbs, Turkish trous.
ers and Albanian drapery give still
further accent. and would absolutely
defy one to identify ones locality If
suddenly set down in the midst of it
all.
In Tunis the Arabian women hide
their faces, except the eyes, by q
tightly strapped black veil, otherwise
completely wrapped in white bur-
moose. In Tripoli no veil is worn, but
half of the left eye only is permitted
to remain unshielded, and the bar
racan is put on differently. took
several lessons in adjusting it, attain
ing at last quite a degree of proficien-
cy. But fear the right manipulation
of all the complicated. if graceful,
folds would not be possible in a coun-
try of tailor-made suits and sealskin
coats. Ones mental fitness varies
with environment. The peeping ad-
vantage Of one bright black eye, or
small part of 1t. is rather an advantage
than otherwise, for one may imagine
all sorts of concealed beauty behind
the white folds. A suggestion of
something too choice and lovely for
Casual gaze envelopes them, though
in all my Tripoli experience actual
sight Of the street shrouded faces
never failed to disenchant American
adoption of the barracan might en-
parades.
Looking out of my window one
morning-an entertaining employment
hardly to be resisted witnessed an
alteration which promised to turn
into a genuine encounter. The COM
batants were apparently a jet-black
vender of bottles carried about in
little push cart. and a lighter colored
and more fully clothed and befezzed
person with table on his head A
crowd OF all the nations of the earth
speedily collected. and the conversa-
ton reached a pitch that suggested
the tearing out of eyes and hair at
once. But Arabic is curiously en-
phatic. voices at best loud and hoarse
with cultural catch" in the throat
quite inimitable; and this street fight
turned out to be merely an amicable
difference of opinion soon adjusted by
laugh from bystander.
Maltese women in the black head
cover and cloak combined. several
ious-looking Roman Catholic sisters
with small brood of children whom
they seemed to be initiating into the
difficult art Of wearing European
clothes, were among the spectators:
Franciscan monk in brown robe and
rope girdle stopped moment as he
passed. while heavily turbaned Turk
in a gorgeous red robe looked scorn-
fully Upon these inferior persons play
ting a. emotions.
Days passed before l could intelli-
gently study these types, or feel 9TH
erwise than that all were disporting
themselves with histrionic intent
If these ordinary street scenes were
picturesque, how much more the great
Tuesday market or fair on the beach
or pianura, where all the inhabitants
for miles around from country and
desert having anything to sell assem-.
BILE b. sunrise and establish the ephe.
neral but crowded city of tents close
to the gentle Mediterranean surf!