Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-07-20
THIN a mile or two Of Al
giers, and principally in
the suburbs Of Mustapha
Superieur, are many gar

Superieur, are many gar
hillside and mostly facing the north,
whence they derive the GOODNESS of the
breezes waited across the sea. The
climate is admirably suited to the ma
jority Of what are generally classified
as sub-tropical plants, and there seems
to be no limit to the fine effects of
plant grouping that may be produced.
Here in former days the weather.
Moors had their villas, setting out
their garden courts and terraces upon
the rising ground, and forcing every
spring to deliver its precious fluid to
the thirsty land. The want of water
Is great natural difficulty of the town,
and indeed Of the whole province, and
the Moors have elaborated their sys-
TEN of irrigation principally by means
of aqueducts, some of which are Of
very ancient construction.
The Moorish country house is always
placed upon an admirably chosen site,
it's high walls forming an effective
| screen from indiscreet eyes, writes 81.
lingo Triggs in Country Life. Few
| flowers are cultivated in its gardens,
| and those that find place are chosen
| for their bright color and the sweet
ness Of their scent-roses, lilies, jas
mine, violets, pinks and geraniums.
Once planted, they are allowed to
romp over trellis and pergola without
restraint. Flat, terraced roofs, small
windows and walled-fn courts sum up
the features of every house, and there
Is complete irregularity both in the ar
rangement of the rooms and in their
shape. Except by accident, no two
lines are ever parallel, the shape of the
house being decided by the contour of
the site, whatever that may be. The
only effort at regularity is to give to
the central court form somewhat ap-
preaching a square. These interior
courts are real gardens in the sense of
being delightful retreats where the
glare and heat of the day are tempered
by the overspreading trellis Of green
cry into a soft mysterious light and
pervading freshness.
|
The race, elegant rather than grand
suggesting q delicate and graceful
taste and a disposition to indolent en-
joyment. The planning Of the houses
seems to derive more from Roman
than Byzantine origins. The former
gave the open courts, the latter some
of the forms of decoration used in the
treatment of floor and wall surfaces.
Interiors Always "Livable."
Arab writer's tell US that the private
houses of Damascus were built aftel
the fashion of the later Roman houses
whereas in Persia, and especially Il
Bagdad, the ancient Persian house.
served as an example. The principle
that governed the planning of botl
Arab and Moorish houses were derivet
from classic models; a featureless ex
terror and an eminently 'ivable" in
terror marked the ancient house o
Pompeii just as they characterize tn
: Moorish house Of Algiers. Such eS
ternal ornamentation as there may b
is concentrated upon the entrance.
The apartments are grouped roun
courts and gardens with an absolut
separation of the rooms for either ser
every effort being made to secure pr
vacy both from the streets outsid
and from neighboring buildings. 7
this end the windows and bays Of th
upper floors are carefully screened b
Iatticed meshrebeeyehs, whence th
dark-eyed beauties of the harem mfgf
gaze unseen upon the busy life Of tn
, streets, or ceremonies and entertain
9 ments of the courts below.
The approach to the harem is usua
, ly arranged from special court, or
only one exists, in the part most r
/, mote from the entrance to the hous
:, It is usually through a dark vestibu
!, with seat for the porter, careful
- planned to prevent a direct view b
? ing obtained into the building.
Beautiful Djenan-ei-Mufti.
K Djenan-el-Mufti, in Mustapha S
: perieur, the residence of Mrs. E. '
|. Arthur, was built between the yea
e 15eO-1593 by Hadj-Chaban Pasha, wi
n was later recalled to Constantinop
and became hey of Cyprus. The pre-
ent owner has succeeded in restoril
the best characteristics of the Moori
. architecture in a most praiseWortl