The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-11-04

beautiful Feringhf hat ana the best
frock that could be made in Paris"
Baraka's face was troubled, and she
looked into his eyes anxiously.
II understand" she said. Before I
meet him must have more clothes,
many beautiful new dresses. It was
shameless. but it was easy to dress
as man, after had learned, for it
was always the same-the difference
was three buttons-or four buttons, or
q high hat or little hat; not much.
Also the Feringhi men button their
garments as the Mussulmans do, the
left over the right, but 1 often see
their women's coats buttoned like q
Hindu's. Why is this? Have the
women another religion than the
men? 1t is very strangei"
Logotheti laughed, for he had really
never noticed the rather singular fact
which had struck the born Asiatic at
once. !;
"But this woman's dressing is very
difficult to learn" Baraka went on,
leaning back upon the rail with both
elbows, and sticking out her little
white shoes close together. Without
the girl Maggy whom you have found
for me-but her real name is Gula,
and she is good Mussulman-without
her, Allah knows what l should do!
could not put on these things for
myself; alone, cannot take them OF.
When l was like a man, buttons!
Two, three, four, twenty-what did it
matter? All the same way and soon
done! But now, cannot tell what I
am made OF. Allah knows and sees
what / am made of. Hooks, eyes,
strings, little bits one way, little bits
the other way, like the rigging Of
ships-those Turkish ships with many
small sails that go up the Bosphorus,
you remember? And it is all behind,
as II one had no front! Gula knows
how it is done. But if I were alone,
without her help, Allah is my witness.
l would tie the things all round me
decently and sit very still for fear
they should come off! That is what L
should dol"
The Greek thought her extremely
amusing. She punctuated her expla-
nations with small gestures indicative
of her ignorance and helplessness.
you will soon grow used to it" he
said. But you must get some pretty
things in Paris before you go to meet
the man. 1t would also be better to
let your hair grow long before meeting
him, for it is hard to wear the hats Of
the Feringhi ladies without hair"
Il cannot wait so long as that. Only
to get pretty dresses, only so long!
will spend thousand pounds or two
is that enough? l have much money
in Paris; can give much"
You can get a good many things
for a thousand pounds, even in Paris"
Logotheti answered.
Baraka laughed.
1T will not be what I paid for the
first clothes after l ran away" she
said. Il did not know then what the
stones were worth! A little ruby to
one woman for a shift and an over
tunic, little ruby to another for a
pair of shoes, little ruby for veil
and a head-blanket, all little rubies!
For each thing one! did not know:
the women did not know. But at
Samarkand sold one for money to a
good Persian merchant, and what he
gave me was enough for the journey,
for me and the old woman servant
hired there, till we got to Tiflis; for
the Persian merchants everywhere
gave me letters from one to another,
and their wives took me in, or should
have been robbed. That is how I
reached Stamboul after many, many
months, more than q year. The Per
sian merchants are good men. All
fear them, because they are wise in
their dealings, but they are honest
men. They do not lie, but they arS
silent and shake their heads, and you
must guess what they mean; and IL
you do not guess right, that is your
fault, not theirs. Why should they
speak when they can hold their peace?
But this is all emptiness! We must
talk of the fine dresses ! must buy in
Paris, and of what / must put on my
head. The BARRIERS in Paris sell wigs.
l have seen them in the windows, very
well made, of all colors, even of the
Khenna color. / shall wear a wig, SO
that the beautiful Feringhi hat will
stay on. l shall perhaps wear Khen-
na-colored wig"
81 should not advise wig" said
Logotheti gravely, certainly not one
Of that dye"
"You know, and you are a friend.
When l feel rected we will go to
Paris, and you shall take me to all
the richest shops and tell them In
French what / want. Will your"
'1 shall do all / can to help you,"
answered the Greek, wondering what
would happen If his friends met him
plotting lovely barbarian about be-
tween the smartest linen diapers and
the most fashionable dressmaker's es-
tablishment in the Rue de la Paix.
The two dined on deck, with shaded
lights, but screened from the draught
of the ships way. The evening was
cool, and the little maid had dressed
Baraka in way that much disturbed
her, for her taper arms were bare to
the elbows, and the pretty little ready
made French dress was open at her
ivory neck, and the skirt fitted 50
closely that she almost fancied herself
L. ~ al