The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-24

paftake of these delicacieS, but to catch
 a view|of Oriental life as well; for here
 one is surrounded by impressive Arabic
 personages, Caids, Cadis and captains of
 Shahis in white robes and gold trappings.
 turbans and fezzes, French army officers,
 richly appareled representatives of the
 Parisan demi-monde, clean limbed Ber-
 bers wealthy Spanish Jews and even 'he
 bearded Moroccans, the last being uni
 versally employed as conciergeS in the
 mansions of the nabobs for they are re-
 garded as the most faithful watch dogs
 of all the African tribes and at your feet
 lie steamers, canvass going vessels, felus-
 cas, tartanes and all the riffraff of Med
 iterranean shipping Here falxirs also
 congregate and move among the throng,
 selling bijoutry and trinkets, most prom
 inent among which is the little silver
 hand of Fatmah
 Paris newspapers, four days old, are
 sold upon the streets and in the after
 noon the thoroughfares are thronged with
 the equippages of the Moslem and Jewish
 ladies of high society driving to the cliffs
 of Bouzares and Pointe Pescade, favorite suburban resorts.
 I was both surprised and amused to note that progress has broken in upon the placid life of the humble Berber and rendered him familiar with both the bl- cycle and the sewing machine, both of which he insists upon using himself He will not allow any of his wives to come
 near his Singer machine.
 Close to Algiers lies Staouli, noted for it's famous convent of Trappist monks, who manufacture some of the best wines
 in the world. The bottles of their prod uct are invariably covered with cobwebs, but was told that the latter are shipped from France. Public letter writers are to be seen upon corners and professional story tellers squat down uncerimoniously as they spin their yarns to a gaping circle of listeners, but each member of the audience invari- ably pays in advance when he enters the circle. Men in turbans and long gowns stand on the streets and fry green peppers in olive oil over tiny braziers of charcoal, while others carry trays of honey cakes, | for it seems that every eatable for the na- tive must be either fried in olive oil or soaked in honey. Occasionally one is at | tracted by great shouting and beating of drums, which proves to be crowd headed by an Arab carrying a green flag, which indicates the presence of a mara bout holy man, who claims to dispense miracles for money. Green is the national color of the Arab and whichever one sees a man in the east swearing a green tur- ban he may know that the wearer has visited Mecca at least one time, which pill grimage is regarded as a great dlstinc- | ton.
 The American fly swatter is unknown in Algiers, but has substitute and queer little device it is. being known as . chase nouche. It's very clumsiness pro- claims it an Oriental invention, for it, re- sembles a rigid miniature flag. the stick of which is twirled backward and forward between the palms of the hands and any fly that may by chance get in the circle
 of the revolving drapeau runs a risk of being put out Of business.
 Americans might learn a lesson from Algiers in the character and excellence of it's public roads. It is true that these
 magnificent highways were introduced and exploited by the FVench, for France Is doing in the way of progress and inn provement for this country what Great
 Britain is doing for Egypt, and what I be- lieve Germany will eventually do for Pal estine; but the local methods of transpor- tation and travel, notably the postal con veyances, are as yet quite crude. The ordinary diligence which conveys passen-
 gers to the neighboring towns and inland villages, also distributes and collects the mails. It is vertable perambulating postoffice, for the driver carries in sack the letters to be delivered and in the re IT of the vehicle is suspended a mail box of not overly ample proportions into which the people along the route drop their letters, running out of their hous as in mad haste as if fearful that the driver would pass them by. The driver is the most Independent. nonchalant creature