Kairwanese Women

The features of the Kairwcne.se womcn are pure, but without charaeter - a sort of general regularity uniiiteresting in itself, aud which does not appeal to the fancy. One seeks in vain in tlieir almost classic faces something to reveal the individual, soniething of the deeper experience of life which discloses itself in the harassed faces of Northern races. Their large eyes, surrounded by a thick dark circle, have the tixed placklity of expression of the animal. They put white cosmetics without stint on their breasts, color their lips with carmine and the tips of their (ingers with henna. All these pungent seasonings well ecome their ph3-siognomies, someimes proud, sonietimes gloomy, and ;he picturesque frame which surrounds them. Thus adorned, they like to remain motionless; one wouïd take them for iindoo idols, with their silk garments ornamented with gold, their bare legs and arms the color of amber, encircled jy old and heavy jewelry of silver. Poor daughters of a condemned race, )lunged into a profound stupor, their ife passes in household work and the nanufacture of carpeta and woolen stufls. Sometimes they practice singing while playing the tabor and the darbouca, or move nonchalently through some measures of the dance. Women of means, the happiest of them, interrupt their employment by long naps. Phis is their greatest pleasure, their rreatest luxury- to sleep. Their f avorte distraction in gnmmerl to mount lor a lew momenis in tne CTcmng meu ,terraces, and exchanje greetings wit each other and some brief gossip. The; must return the more depressed to tha ,cloister-like solitude which character iizes all Arabdwellings, and where alon 'is revealed all the jcalous suspicion all the lierce surveillance, of Mussu man life. Parents do not always wait till thei idaughters are marriagêable to sell thera :after a disputed bargain, to an oíd or i young man. The pnce of women varie from one hundred francs to five or si hundred. ïhis great difference come from the fact that the future husbanc pays aecording ro the importance of hi wife's family, but the degree of beautr never enters ioto consideration, sinc :the couple are supposed to see eac other for the tirst time on their weddino day. Marriage, far froru emaneipatin, the women, only changes their prisou The tyranny of the husbandis even harsher than that in the family wher the father loves lus daughter, since hi caprice is absolute law. The man always eats alone, the woman is not ad mitted to the honor of sharing his meal 'she serves, standing respectfifllv be