The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-06-26
By Francis Dickie.

DESPITE the fact that during the
british occupation OF Palestine many
modern innovations have been INTRO
duced, the life OF its country. people
has remained virtually unchanged.
Jerusalem has been given a modern
water supply; railways, roads and tel
egraphs have been built; bridges have
been thrown across the Jordan and
thriving Jewish colonies have been
founded, where one can find the latest
machinery and mechanical labor-saV-
ing devices But among the tellaheen
as the country people are called
we are back in Bible times, among a
picturesque and hospitable race, who
i've and work and retain many OF
those customs which were III vogue
when Christ was on earth.
The houses themselves are decided
" primitive. The material OF which
thew are built depends upon the neigh
borhood. We have only to enter one
OF these dwellings and inspect its IN
terror where the family and cattle re-
side to realize we are back in Bible
times. 1t consists OF single room,
but three-ouarters of this space IS de-
voted to a masonry platform raised
eight or ten feet above the ground
supported by low-domed arches. Crude
steps give access to this platform,
which is called the "mustabeh, and
here the family live, while in the low
err portion are stabbed the horses and
cattle On one side OF the mustabeh
is the open fireplace and chimney,
while light and ventilation are admit
ted into the dwelling by one or two
small windows.
The furniture is simple, and as a
rule consists OF a crudely decorated
bridal chest in which the mother OF
the family has brought her trOusseau
straw mat or heavy wooden rug
which covers part OF the floor and
mattress with thick quilts and hard
pillows. which at night are spread on
the floor The cooking utensils are. OF
the most primitive kind, and are few
in number. in addition to which there
are the hand-mil for grinding corn
and pots and jars for storing pur-
poses.
Beneath the mustabeh, which is at
once the kitchen, store room, bed
room and living room OF the family
are the winter quarters tor the goats
and sheep. The rest OF the floor space
is devoted to the working cattle, and
here are housed the horse or donkey
cow or two and occasionally a
camel
The hospitality OF these simple
minded and simple living people is
proverbial, and today they are kind
ness itself to the stranger within their
gates. Every village boasts OF its up
Der room, or guest chamber. During
the summer the shade OF some large
tree is often substituted for this room.
However, in either case this guest
chamber or tree is the social center
Tor all the village men. The villagers
take it in turn to supply the coffee
drank at these gatherings, while a
hired servant looks after their wants.
They also take it in turn to supply
food and bedding ior any guest that
may happen 10 come TO the village
and stay overnight.
On no consideration are women al
lowed at these gatherings in the guest
chamber and guaged by our concep-
ton of the subject the women OF the
Holy and are vigorously ruled by
the rl.n. They must obey their nus
bards implicitly and etiquette torhlds
thcm TO address hiHa in the presence
TO 9th men, nor may they so ON 4
visit to friend. without his consent.
Besides ho~ home duties she has to
worl. in the fields and carry all the
produc 10 market En- route to town