The Denver Jewish news., 1924-02-14

some wintry eve, you've been told of
the oldfashioned mark" of that
memorable "market week" Perhaps,
years have afforded you personally
the opportunity of Witnessing the in
teresting spectacle. Perhaps, while
seated in movie house, q picture of
the same was thrown upon the screen
as one of its scenes of action or as one
of an educational series.
However, whether in one way or an
other, undoubtedly some of the color
ings of such q "market week" were
brought home to you. Possibly, the
picture had an oriental touch to it, or
the scene itself was laid in that far
and mysterious East, where indoor
life is less prevalent, where "maga-
linen" or shops are scarce.
You've seen the merchants and pro-
ducers bring their salable articles
from far and near. They carry the
products of the soil or of their in
genuity on their heads or backs, or
haul their commodities in man mule
or oxen-drawn carts. They unload
their merchandise upon n common
meeting ground. Their shops are on
the bare ground, and the covering
overhead is the celestial blue.
The garb of these incoming mer-
chants and producers lend n singular
touch to the occasion; from it is read
lily deducible the rank or place of res
idence of the merchant or producer
The gaudy color;ng and cut of such
garb vividly portray the local customs
of the places whence they hail and the
recognition of social standing and diff
ferences prevailing in those various
communities.
'Tis not a "modern fair" for n
"modern fair" is for the exhibition of
articles the advertising of which is
thereby partly perfected, but the sale
of which is later made partly on the
strength of such former advertising.
But here, during market week" the
products are sold outright, and the
vendors wend their way homeward
again to work and produce, and, at
another stated period, again to assem-
BILE at common meeting place for the
disposition of their new products.
Behind the vendors trail the pros
pective buyers. They also hail from
far and near, dressed in their best
finery. This is supplemented by the
variety of head-gear and coiffeur, and
the extremeness in dress, the "too-lit-
tie" and the "too-much."
The wares and merchandise are
carefully displayed on the bare ground
or upon a cloth spread over the
ground. The merchant then seats him
self near his display with his legs
crossed under him. Then the vendors
cries and the market" is on in full
s~ing-the excitement, the hustle and
hustle, the commingling of heated dis
cussion, joyous shouts and loud laugh
ter are part and parcel of the event.
Here and there are warm, cordial,
and, oft-times, affectionate greetings
as acquaintanceships are renewed.
CiildpSt soHiCNhSlO a 'oiNhiii Noh'ti
sation is taking place as one relates to
another his tale of woes; for, we must
not forget, the event is social as well
as commercial. But, on the whole,
there is an abundance of vivacity.
Here is some sharp bargaining be-
tween seller and purchaser; there,
some troubadour is singing the song
of love and chivalry; farther on, 4
troupe of dancers is giving demon
stration of their knowledge of the
terpsichorean art; yonder some musi
clans are lingering their stringed in
struments and visitors are dancing in
large numbers to the dull monotone of
Oriental music. For at this "mar-
ket" not only merchandise is sold but
the exhibition of art and talent.
Then, when evening comes, the oil
lamps or candles are lit and for a
while the same hustle and hustle, the
same excitement continues, until the
late hour of the Eastern night lulls
the human mass into inactivity, quiet,
restfullness and peace.
But, with the rising of the sun, the
human assemblage bestirs itself, and
then a repetition of the activities of
the day before, and then the late eve
ming hour, and then the mysteries of
the Oriental night take full sway.
So the days go on until the end of
the week, when the market" is about
to disband. There is feverish haste to
dispose of the last piece of merchan-
disc even at a sacrificial price. Rem
nants, purchases and blankets are
made up into bundles, farewells are
exchanged, and merchants, producers
and consumers wend their way home