The Tomahawk., 1919-10-02

round about, and the sellers of fish
who cross the mountains from the sea.
coast in the small hours and reach
Caracas at sunrise. he will remain
open long after the shops of the
Venezuelans are closed and their pro-
prietors thinking Of theaters and din
ner parties.
AS a general rule, when q ''Turco'
has accumulated a sufficient amount of
money, he will close up shop, pack up
his belongings and return to his native
land, where the means acquired in the
western world enable him to live in
"grand STYLE" according to the stand
ards prevailing in the home town.
Once in a while, however, one of the
little shopkeepers will decide to re.
main in South America and 'branch
out" AS result some of the most
important shops in Venezuela are
owned by "Turcos." Further:
The "Turcos" who run these big
shops naturally need employees to help
them, but the employees are never
''Turcos," for, as said, these people
insist on being their own bosses. So
the strange anomaly is presented of
these keen competitors Of the Venezue-
Ian merchants being served by Vene-
zuelan employees. Customers entering
several of the principal dry goods
shops of Caracas will find behind the
counter young Venezuelan clerk, who
will obligingly hand down goods from
the shelves, while, tucked away in a
dark cubby-hole, barely visible from
the front of the shop, is swarthy
''Turco" proprietor bent over his
ledger, trying to figure out how soon
he can return to Mount Lebanon and
cut swath among home-folk.
Observe Mohammedan Forms.
'"Turcos" are born traders and shun
other forms Of business. Their idea
of line of endeavor worthwhile is
one where they have to take no
chances; hence they never speculate.
not even so much as to extend credit
to their. customers, practically all theil
transactions being conducted on q
cash basis. And they refuse to change
their oriental ways. it seems.
When they close their shops they
hurry to the quarters where they live
lin Caracas they are packed togeth
er in one Of the worst sections of the
city-and take up mode of living
which is not bit different from that
Of their kin along the eastern shore of
the Mediterranean. At sunset the Mo
hammedans among them PROSTATE
themselves toward Mecca and recite
the prayers enjoined upon them by
the prophet. Old Moors, oriental to
the finger tips, in spite Of their occi
dental garb, sit at the doors Of Span
ish-American novels and chatter in
Arabic, quite as If they were in Fez
or Algiers. Now and then q feud
started at home before they emigrated
bursts out in the Arabic purlieus of
some Venezuelan city, and then news
paper readers running over the police
news see wonderful collection of
names, Abu this and Mohammed that
all run in for disturbing the peace.
Once one Of these feuds took on the
proportions Of regular Tong war OF
New YOrk's Chinatown, and resulted
I'm half q dozen murders before the
passions aroused in northern Africa
could be calmed down in Venezuela.
= There have been some amusing in
cidents connected with the rise of the
"Turcos" in Venezuela. For one thing,
they throw dignity to the winds and,
there, too. they get under the skins of
the Venezuelans, who, like everybody
Of the Spanish race, are nothing II not
dignified. While the native merchant.
however humble, will stay inside his
shop and wait upon his customers with
grave courtesy, the "Turco," as like as
not, will stand ut the door and urge
passers-by with an engaging smile to
enter and look over his wares.