The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-10-04

having inspected the QWelIlng pOT-
ton, which at once is kitchen, store
room, bedroom, and living room, let US
descend the steps into what the ma
tives call the stable.
What the Stable Is Like.
Below the mastaby, or raised plat.
form, just described, among arches
so low that a man can scarcely walk
erect. are the winter quarters of the
goats and sheep. To shut the fiOcks
in, these arched entrances are OBJ
structed with bundles of brush used
as firewOod for the winter. The rest
of the floor space, which is open 10
the ceiling, is devoted TO the few work
cattle and perhaps donkey or camel
gers for the cattle. built of rough slabs
of stone placed on edge and plastered
up with mortar.
Often the owner makes a small
raised place on which be sleeps at
night to enable him to keep better
watch over the newly born lambs. less
in the crowded quarters some get
crushed or trodden down by the older
ones. Here he often sleeps by prefer
ence on a cold night for he says the
breath of the animals keeps him warm.
One cannot become even tolerably
acquainted with Palestine without
perceiving that it is the land that has
preserved the ancient customs. Its
nrocaptdaD II, ho hitap-c WAIST Of ,rbo,,
have nothing in common with the
modern Jews who crowd Jerusalem,
are still perpetuating the life of
Abraham and the customs and ways
of the people who lived here at the
time Of Christ.
To have learned the hospitality of
its people, which is always offered. no
matter how primitive or simple. makes
it easy to picture Mary and Joseph
returning from the iun, already filed
with guests, and turning aside into a
home such as we have described, the
regular dwelling portion of which may
have been none too large for the FAM
lily which occupied it. 1t may have
they find a welcome and a resting
place for the babe in a Manager.
Such a use of the rowyeh, or stable
portion of the house, by human beings
is not the exception, but an everyday
occurrence. You can occasionally find
men working their primitive looms
there or the mother preparing the
food or doing her little sewing near
the door, where there is more light
on dark winters day.
Costumes of the Women.
The costumes of the women differ
sufficiently in each district to enable
one to distinguish readily where the
wearer comes from. From the varia-
tons of the headgear one can tell
whether a woman be single or mar
ried; but, although differing from one
another in the details. the costumes
have much in common.
The dress, called a tobe, is like
a long loose shirt, the sleeves narrow
at the shoulders and widening out
something like the Japanese pattern.
The front and back are made each of
one width of cloth, with a gore. on
each side 10 widen the skirt. girdle
either of white linen or bright striped
silk is wound around the waist and
the tObe is pulled up a little to pro-
duce a full bosom. This tobe. when
for common use, is dark-blue cloth,
the bosom is covered with cross-stitch
embroidery and perhaps little on
the sleeves and skirt.
The shoes are crude affairs. the tops
being of bright red or sometimes vel
low sheepskin, with soIes of raw cow.
camel, or buffalo hide.
The headgear is of two parts: first,
what we shall for convenience sake
call cap. and over it a veil. The
Bethlehem women wear a high cap,
in shape something like a mans fez,
called shatweh, on the front of which
are sewn rows of gold and silver coins.
The Bethlehem women have the rep
utation of being handsome Their
faces are full oval, their complexion
fairer than the ordinary feliaheen.
often having very red cheeks. and at
tractive in the setting of their strik-
ing headgear. Their Nazareth sisters
have gained little less renown Both
are Christians and supposed TO have
a considerable strain of Crusade,
blood in theii veins.