The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-08-14

club, hotel, a home. He brings
his crust of bread, his handful OF
onions, to eat there; he sleeps on
it's benches or on the pavement
against its wall; and once or twice
day he spends two cent in it
for cup of coffee.
From the market place lead mar
row streets and, as in such eastern
cities as Cairo, Tunis, Delhi, and
Canton, each is lined with shops
devoted to one trade. Down this
one are the tailors. In the square
holes devoid of counters, tables, or
chairs, white-burnoosed, bearded
men resembling Biblical patriarchs
squat on the floor and sew
| furiously.
| Workers in Brass
In the next street brass workers
hammer at bright pots and tall
water vessels, denting patterns in
to them with sharp-pointed instru-
ments struck with mallets. Tin
smiths display piles of saucepans
and coffeepots. In the tiny shops
| of the next crooked lane cobblers
stitch rapidly at the natives easy
red-leather slippers, or work beau
tiful designs with gold and silver
threaded and spangles on dainty
shoes for women.
Here is break in the trades-union
character of the shops. Outside
this one small crowd eagerly
watches the movements of youth
seated before tiled stove running
up into a pointed chimney. A
small table stands beside him. In
a dish he mixes a white batter,
rolling it, pulling and twisting it
with nimble fingers, then dipping
it into oil and placing it in the
stove. His hand dives in once or
twice to turn the morsel.
Then with tongs he draws out a
crisp, golden puff, places it on a
small square of newspaper, thrusts
it into an eager, outstretched palm
and receives a coin. The buyer
turns away, contentedly munching
the succulent titbit.
The next street blazes with color.
Here black-bearded Mozabites in
flowing Arab garb-heretical Mos
lens from the Mzab district in the
Sahara-or hooked-nosed Jews in
semi European attire display
wealth of rainbow hued, long
fringed silk shawls; gay colored
bodices and jackets; skirts and
other garments in pink, blue, vel
low, red; leather belts gold-buckled
and heavy with bullion and gold
embroidery; white wool or silk and
wool gandauras (long gowns), and
crimson burnooses worked with
gold or silver.
Then comes the Street of the
Jewelersl Many of the shops have
glass windows displaying massive
silver bracelets three or four
inches wide, gold and silver ear
rings several inches in diameter,
huge necklace of broad, beautifully
designed fiat silver and gold orna-
ments, f1ligree rings, heavy anklets
truly a street of delight for wom-
| ankind.
DaZZllng Whlte mosques
Dazzling white in the brilliant
sunshine, the walls i a mosque
almost blind one by their glare.
But enter. You pass into dark.
cool shadows, into silent interior.
bare and restful. Through the past
centuries bearded Moslems with
the blood of the unbelievers red on
their hands have gathered here to
bow down toward Mecca and beg
Allah's aid in fresh crimes. Yet
they thought them meritorious
deeds, by the truth of the Most
HIGH And every Friday the
faithful come here still, and who
shall say that none of them mutter
curses in their boards upon the
Christian dogs that rule them?
The crowding houses of the city
end. Across the road is a scarped
hillside. with grass, gardens, and
trees. In a small open space ma
tive BARRIERS shave the scalps of
clients or squat beside their chairs
waiting for trade, while their tools
- razors, scissors. clippers, mir
rors - are laid out ready on the
| ground.
This open-air toilet salool- is a
strange sight for the tourist, but
does not gain a look from the pas.
sengers in the electric trans pass
ing within a few yards of it.
Suddenly one comes upon tombs
and the ground falls sharply away.
The eye ranges over the deep val.
ley of Bab-el-Oued, with its gardens
and houses. to the bright-reo scars
of quarries and cliffs in the green
hillside opposite, crowned with the
domes of the famous church of
Notre Dame d'Afrique. It faces
across the Mediterranean to its sis
ter, Notre Dame de la Garde. on
the height above the harbor of
Marseille.