Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-04
RUMAN|A MELTING
POT FOR 10 NATIONS
Queen Marie Tells of Visit
Among Poor People
of Realm.

BUCHAREST, July 3.-Rumania
with the addition of the provinces OF
Bessarabia, Bukovina, Transylvania
the Banat and Dobrudja, is now
country Of at least ten distinct ma
tionalities. In it's parliament are seen
peasants with white kirtle and EN-
broidered vests and leggings remind
full of the red Indian, sitting together
with red fezzed Turks.
ut is especially in the Dobrudja
that these different Mathematics Jostie
together" said Queen Marie of Ru-
mania Together with Rumanians,
live peacefully side by side Bulgari-
ans. Turks, Tartars, Russians and, In
places, even Germans.
II have been to a village in the
Dobrudja which was part Rumanian
part Russian, part German and part
Turkish. I went from one side to an
other, visiting many a cottage, enter
ing each church, ending my round in
the tiny mosque hung with faded
carpets, and there in a crowd OF low
ly Turks / listened to their curious
service, of which understood naught.
A woman who is not yelled has no
right to enter the holy precinct, but
royal name opens many door,
and many a severe rule is broken in
the joy OF receiving SO unusual a
guest. ss
ION a burning summers day l
came to a tiny town almost entirely
Inhabited by Turks. l was distrib-
uting money among the poor and
forsaken, and had been moving from
place to place. Now it was the turn
Of the Mussulman population; there
fore I visited the most wretched
quarters. my hands filled with many
a coin.
such was their joy at my coming
that the real object of my visit was
almost forgotten. I found myself
surrounded by a swarm Of excited
women in strange attire, pratt1ing a
language I could not understand.
They called me sultana, and each
one wanted to touch me; they I'm
gered my clothes, patted me on the
back; one old bag even chucked me
under the chin. They drew me with
them from hut to hut, from court to
court. I found myself separated from
my companions. wandering in a world
l had never known. In labyrinth
Of tiny mud-built huts, Of ridiculously
small gardens. Of hidden little courts,
they dragged me with them, making
me enter their novels. put my hand
on their children and sit down.
THE poorer Mussulnan women are
not really veiled. They wear wide cot
ton trousers, and over these a sort OF
mantle which they hold together under
the nose The shape of these mantles
gives them that indescribable line sc
agreeable to the eye. and which alone
belongs to the east. Also the colors
they choose are always harmonious
they are toned down to their surround
ings by sun and dust They wear
strange dull blues and mauves-even
their garb is generally black, with a
have taken rusty -tints that mingie pleas
ingiy with the mud -colored environment
in which they dwell.
when attired for longer excursions
their garab is generally black. with a
snow-white cloth on their heads. wrap
ped in such manner that it conceals the
entire face except the eyes. 1ndescrib-
ably picturesque ana mysterious are
these dusky figures. generally carrying
a heavy staff in their hands. There is
something biblical about them; some
thing that takes one back to far-away
times!"