The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-19

David Willard of New York, formerly
of Brattleboro. who was in Europe in the
service of the National Surgical Dressings
committee, later the Duryea war relief
and is now engaged in rehabilitation work
in Italy, has written an interesting letter
from Tunis, Africa, to Brattleboro
friend. He writes
I've settled down here for two weeks,
to brace up after dreadful trip across
the Mediterranean and to aceustom myself
q little to the Arab style of life. Tunis Is,
of course easily reached and quite open to
civilizing influences. The effects of the
French protectorate are everywhere yISi-
BILE and in many respects life Is quite
Europeanized. There is in this city a
new and foreign quarter in which the ltal-
ians outnumbcr the French three to one.
There are several European hotels OF
rather inferior class and small tngilsh
chapel in the adjacent burying ground OF
which is the tomb of John Howard Payne,
who was many years consul mere. Law
and order are preserved and a certain
standard of cleanliness has been set up.
| arrived for the celebration of ARMS
tice day combined with that of the both
anniversary of the establishment of the
third republic The broad avenue of the
new town was beautifully decorated:
There was the background of whitewashed
buildings, then a long line of trimmed ing
trees and globe lanterns of orange color
laced in and out. \ mob of ARABS
swathed in white bernOnS, was every
where. Both by day and by night 1t was
fascinating.
Arab Tunis is of great extent. The
streets are only paths, very narrow and
crooked, and lined with shops which are
ONLY counters enclosed on two sides and
in the rear. tiny space is left for the
merchant and his goods which he guards
patiently hour by hour and never seems
TO sell His prices have no relation what
ever to the value of his wares or the sum
he will accept for them. \ man asked
me 80 centimes TO ra beautiful little jar
| paid it to him, but put three IN my
pocket instead of one, and he said nothing
| got some charming leather work. too. for
about the same figure, that is to say about
a third of what was asked for 1t and a
quarter Of what it was worth.
The bazaarS are grouped by trades tail
Ors, leather workers, silver and gold
smiths, and, by no means least, the per,
tuners. Such essences can only be found
in the Orient. We don't and can't know
them in our country. They are very nu-
merous. very delicate and very volatile.
One buys them by the drop and carries
them about in the tinieSt of little TASKS.
Nothing can compare with the orange, the
rose and the jasmine. You feel the nat
ural flower has been intensified, that's all
Incence for burning is very common and
a. you sit in Arab cafes men go by waving
CenSorS filled with SWeet-Scented burning
gums. For a block on each side of the
market the air is heavy with ravishing
doors.
Cafes abound as nothing else does.
There are chairs for a few guests. but
most of the men sit crOssed-legged. slip
PEERLESS, on shelves over which bit OF mat
ting has been spread. Coffee is pulverized
mixed with honey and then mixed with an
equal quantity of hot water. As it boils
up it is instantly removed from the stove
and served. 1t is. for a wonder, quite
clear and indescribably delicious. My
limit is a tablespoonful habitucs can take
q little more. The imitation Turkish