Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-11-14

have dropped in to have little chat
Gassam takes us upstairs into hi
storehouse, big, light, room-it
shelves filled with the treasures OF al
Alladin's palace We sit onlow benche
of dark wood inlaid with ivory. Gas
sam sits cross-legged on pile OF rug
and cIaps his hand for scared littl'
Arab boy in burlap robe, to bring u
ooffee. People who merely come t
his store to buy are beneath Gassam'
notice-he lets his clerks wait on them
Of: course we have not come to bur
anything, so while we gingerly sip the
hot, thick black coffee, Gassam, mere
ly to amuse US, you understand) take!
out all his treasures and throws then
in a pile in front of us, till we car
hardly see one another over the heaps
of soft Persian rugs, long silken turbar
scarves, embroidered wells, and heavy
wooden robes. If there is any one
thing we particularly admire. Gassan
will show us all the particularly good
points, and then mention casually
"of course, to you, because you are
frinds of mine, would give this for
such and such a price" (The first
price. is invariably twice the real
worth.) You respond that the price is
indeed remarkable, but unfortunately
you haven't that much money. Gas
sam replies that this carpet is especial
ly suited to you, and he is so anxious
that you, and you only. shall have it
that he will reduce the price ten francs
and so on, till the rug is yours, but We
remain his friends-oh yes indeed
How much easier everything be-
comes if we are polite to people |
have known tourists to go into Gas
sans shop and come out, empty hand
ed and furious. 81 told him at once it
was no use trying TO cheat me J" one
of these explained to me afterwards.
81 told him he could mt rob me just
because was American so he could
name fair price right at the lbegin-
ming !" l suggested that perhaps one
Of our merchants at home might re-
sent an opening speech of that sort
''oh well" was the reply, these peo-
pie are entirely different !" wonder!
The only comment ever heard Gas
sam make concerning our methods
was one afternoon when my husband
mad cajoled him into selling him a
beautiful "Gondurah" or robe, of satin
in gold threads, for ex-|
lctly third of the asking price, "and
o think" mourned Gassam as heI
folded the soft lengths" that sold al
iondurah not half SO good as this one,
% Mousiur Rexingram for five times
his pricer'
We have been in the store over
an hour now, and great bundle OF
our purchases, all beautiful and most
IF them useless lies in corner wait
ng to be sent to our hotel. when
we write your receipt" says Gassam
magnanimously," we will make it for
half the amount you really paid me
then you will not have to pay so much
duty when you go home -
"But Gassam % we protest, that
would not be honest ~ well !" ex-
claimed Gassam in amazement, sis it
honest to charge so high duty % heI
is quite disguised with our stupidity
with the money we are foolishly going
to waste on duty, We could buy an.
other rug
However, we may be odd, but we
are still friends, and as he has not yeti
been out to see any of the celebration
He will give himself the pleasure of
accompanying us through the souko.
We are delighted, for imagine going
the bazaars personally con-
Quoted by one of the most prominent
We stroll along, chatting
companianably-to the utter amaze
ment of some English tourists, actual
ly those Americans are evidently
friends of that big Arab in the long
burnoose and gold tur-
ban. How extraordinary!
The celebration is now at its height,
little narrow streets are filled with a
jostling crowd of men, repre-
senting, as their diverse turbans and
wraps indicate, all the North African
tribes. Most of them are wearing
jasmine flowers in CHER turbans and
munching greasy little packages of
the Christmas cakes. A very few
women, servants probably, glide
swiftly by muffled in wells, and with
their faces entirely hidden. We pass
the entrance to Mosque, carefully
boarded so no foreign eye can peep
within. Some men are just coming
out, and they 81: down on the steps to
put on their shoes, which of course,
they removed before going in.
The scene is incredibly weird and
fascinating, there are no street lamps
of course, and many of the streets are
entirely vaulted-squares cut here and
there in the roof admit patches of
silver moonlight. The only lights are
the rows upon rows of little wire
glasses, red, blue. green and yellow
which are suspended on wires stretch
across the streets, and filled with
burning oil, and the long white and
gold candles of perfumed wax, burning
in all the little shops
Gassam strolls slowly along, chatting
with us, and calling cheerful greetings
to his acquaintances-he tries to teach
ua the words, but one needs three full
sentences TO say Goodnight, = and we
soon forget the unfamiliar syllables
The beggars still bother us, but not SC
long. go, Allash, will provide thee
covc GoSeou honovolapfl,- a~a ~