Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-17

homespun embroidered with black braid,
The elder stopped, and pulling out from
the depths of his trousers q small soiled
packet he tried to undo the string around
1t. This seemed to be a difficult job for
his clumsy finger. but after several min
utes the knot was undone and inside lay
a minute purse.
The man opened 1t and taking out his
only coin, a 10 centime piece, dropped
1t into the old fellows hand and waited.
Perhaps they knew each other anyway;
the beggar appeared to understand what
was expected of him, and taking out his
purse, which appeared better supplied
than the Albanian's. he returned o CEN
times with touch of his hat.
One or two other rough looking customers
walking beside their buffaloes and some
peasant women returning from market,
likewise contributed their mite-probably
giving thanks to heaven for a prosperous
day.
Women Do the Work.
Here, as in countries further east.
the women do the hardest work. 1t IL
the woman who carries the basket of eggs
to market, while the man walks in front
with his hands deep in his trousers
pOthtiS. Inc women not only MAKE all
their clothes and those of their men folks
but they weave and embroider the gay and
sombre colored materials used for their
petticoats and the mems garments, and
they also knit all their stockings and socks.
The mems clothes are generally made
OF a dark brown baize ornamented with
black braid and many of them wear
~sheepwool caps that resemble BUSHES.
The trousers fit tight to the ankle. and
often look as il their wearer must find
them exceedingly uncomfortable when
he sits. but the shapeless coat which
reaches the waist always leaves plenty
of room fer its owners expansion.
In the making of the socks the women
exercise their ingenuity; they may be
knitted in rings OF various gaudy colors
or of a design that battles description,
or they may be OF one color-crimson or
b~rown-but in each instance the top is
finished with a border of brilliant green,
yellow and scarlet flowers. Over the feet
are worn stout pieces of leather strapped
or tied on with string. and this foot cover
ing. which reminds one of the days before
such things were invented, is worn by
the troops, too, as it is supposed to be the
most useful and comfortable kind of
footwear for heavy marching. But 1t is
distinctly unpleasant and very uncom-
Portable to any one not accustomed to II,
for l tried a pair myself once on a cross
country tramp when my own shoes gave
out, and was laid up with sores and
blistcrs as a result.
Picturesque FemaIe Apparel.
The women wear a couple of petticoats
which lust cover the knees shaving off
their colored stockings and shoes, which
arc exactly like the mems. The outer
skirt-embroidered white baize for fete
days, or red and yellow striped material
for every day-is caught up to the waist
on one side to show off the embroidered
hem of the under petticoat, which is
sometimes OF white batiste and sometimes
Of brown baize. A large woodwork apron,
after the style OF old genIlemen's slippers
and chair covers OF fifty years ago. is
worn on all occasions. and the hair. which
Is plastered to the head and the plated
end eoiled around the top, is covered with
a pink or yellow handkerchief.
As Seryia is a country OF pigs, the breed
ing Of these creatures is the peasants
chief occupation. Within a mile Of Bel
grade you may meet peasants driving a
single pig by a string tied to a hind leg,
or a. herd OF huge cared, shaggy. wire
haired swine, the largest, usliest and most
formidable OF which are called English
hogs.
Returning to the town last Thursday
after a review OF the third Reservists at
Banltza Zone OF the hills at the back.
l encountered herd after herd of swine,
and had it not been that the beasts