Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / April 22, 1906, edition 1 / Page 17
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its fc;:t test CtttvO el Vfct tie jbi&a if tit te;sa w &:i bya Mr. Peasler la secretive student of ,the guide booH.- u 'v-. . He read up beforehand and on the quiet,. Then when we pome face, to ,r,v,V' .tace. with iome "sight and are won , daring about this or that Mr. Peasley pens the floodgate of hi newly o '. quired knowledge ' and' deluge .the acquired knowledge - and deluges the ; whole party. He ia aeldom correct, , and never accurate, but he knows that . lie is dealing- with an Ignorance more profound than hla own, and that five r alnu confidence. ; ' ,- ' ',- For Instance, the-first afternoon In Cairo -we chartered an open convey ance and rode out to the citadel and ,the mosque of "Mohammed1 All, both v of Which are perched an c high lime ; atone cliff overlooking the city. ' The ,k mosque is modern and very gorgeous j X- with alabaster columns, a profusion of F ray ruga, stained windows and -cryital , chandelier. We were rhapsodising the interior- and ware saying it was almost a ewelll and elegant as : the new Claybool Hotel in Xndlanapo o lis, when we happened to overhear one of our. countrywomen reading ; aloud from , very . entertaining book on ' Egypt written thirty years ago by ' Amelia ' B. Ed wards. Miss Edwards allowed that the mosque of Moham- Sited All was a, tawdry and hideous ; specimen of tho most decadent period of mixed up architectures Imported from Araby and Turttey: When we hoard that ( we made a quick switch and began to find fault with the de eoratlona and tola the guide we baa enough. On the way out to the parapet to . enjoy the really wonderful view of the .city and the Nile Valley, with the pyramids lifting themselves dimly from the old gold base of the desert, Mr. Peasley wished to repay-the lady who had read' to us. so he paused, and, making a very indefinite and non-com mlttal gesture, said, "Near this very spot "Mohammed All killed more than one hundred and fifty mamelukes In one day." Our fair countrywoman looked at Mr. Peasley with a puzzled frown on her brow and then timidly asked, "What ia a mameluke?" We thought she had him, but not so. He wasn't even feared. . He replied promptly. "A mameluke is something like a mongoose, only larger." That Is Mr. Peasley's way. If he doesn't know, at least he will make a stab at It. One evening at dinner we had anchovies aa a curtan raiser, and a man sitting next to Mr. .Peasley poked at the briny minnows with his fork and asked, "What are these?" "Those are anchorites," replied Mr. Peasley, without the slightest hesita tion. , ' ' , , As a rule he gets one syllable right, which IS pretty good for htm. At pres ent he is much interested In the huge dams of masonry and Iron grates that have been thrown across the Nile at Assiut and Asouan. Over here they are called "barrages." Mr. Peasley insists upon calling- them "garages," We tried to explain to him that a garage ''was a place where automo biles were cared for,, but he said that automobile and "dam" belonged In the same category and often meant practically the same thing, so he con tinues to speak of the "garage." By the way, when a pious English man over here, say a bishop on a va, cation, wishes to relieve hie feelings without the actual use of . profanity he exclaims "Assouan!" If be falls off his donkey, "Assouan!" If his tea ia served to him at less than 212 degrees Fahrenheit. "Assouan!" ' "Assouan" mean the superlative of all rams, the biggest dam In the world, It takes the place of ,a whole row of these:-" f-, Mr. Peasley uses the word -when he can 'think of It If his memory fails, him he falls back on the American- equivalent. " Inasmuch as I reside In Indiana, where It is a social offence to crave a cigarette. a misdemeanor to keep, one In the house and a high crime to Km (im lim wm Jfil a , . . li 3 hw V " t- 1 . r- , t ,"f f tne utw n neany au t !,"'- - r," Ts Hfxki , - If1 Ara-o economical and ' Jt I' 'it l$4'-S Keat sparingly and ,t 1 if k, w nyvc f ifx Jt; X " Js--r i j.weara.j.ju nougn ciotnmg to smoke one, Cairo during the first day gave me many n'ahock. Cairo la un- auestionably i the cigarette headauar- ter of the universe. Ifj the modern Egyptian " followed i - tb .ancient method , , of , loading ' the tomb with supplies :- for the lately de parted they would, out In each sar cophagus about ten thousand clgar-4 ettes ana a few gallons of Turkish coffee. The food woudn't .matter, v , In Cairo, men women and children. smoke. Only the camel.- and donkeyg o Cigarette are ' sold" "nearly 1 every where-aot only by tobacconists.' buf also by milliners, undertakers,' real ; tate agent. Ac. Those who do not sell them give them away- A cigarette- across tne counter is tne usual prelim inary to driving a bargain, - It surprised us " to learn that al though the Egyptian hive been ad' dieted to this enfeebling vice ever since they first bad a chance to culti vate n, they have managed to survive and flourish a a distinct breed of humanity for t soro seven ty-r thou sand years, a nearly- - "as t can figure it off hand. By eliminating the cigarette from Indiana; the Hooslers should beat this record. - No doubt they will, retain their primitive vigor for a longer perl&d, say nine thou sand . year. If o, tho antl-olgarett law will be vindicated. . We certainly had a, , feeling of gull- ty pleasure when we sat In front of Shepheard'a Hotel and smoked the wicked little things and knew that tho DOMceman standing a few feet away did hot dare to raise hla band against us A very clever youifg American owns a shop near the hotel. He is a student of Egyptology and a dealer in genuine antlquitiea, Including mummies. While I was nosing through his collection of scarabs, idols, corns and dther time worn trinkets he suggested that purchase a mummy. "Can I get one?" I asked, In sur prise. "I can get you a gross If you want them.' he replied. "What would a man do with a gross of mummies ?' "You can give them away. They are very ornamental.-, Formerly, my only customers were colleges ana museums. Now I am selling to people who put them in private residences. Nothing sets off an Oriental apartment, to bet' ter effect; or gives it more color and atmosphere, as you might say, than a decorated mummy case." I told him I would not object to the color, but would draw the line at at mosphere. He assured me that after i few thousand years the mortuary re mains ,. becomes as dry as a London newspaper -and as odorless as a con greastonal Investigation. I followed him into a large back room and, saw two beautifully preser ved specimens in their rigid overcoats being packed away for shipment to America, while other leande against the wail in careless attitudes. What a grisly reflection! Here was a local potentates let us say ioekak li or, Mewar ruier or a Drov nee. boss of his party. ; croud owner of oread neias and grating, herds. When ne Oieo. l.00 B. C. and .was esnnrted to his rock tomb by aU the local secret societies, the military; company and a band Of music, his friends lsiwrrl his embalmed remains Into si deep pit and then put In a rock filling and cut nierogiypnic -au over tha Mim ii Ing of his wealth;, and aoelaj lmpor- ..y, wvftiu .u luiuni genera tion to regard the premise as, sacred Home two thousand year later, along comes a vandal irr s cheap ators suit ttnA a pnvk fMlmf. in,, a M..b.i.t. own uweiiMiut io pry open (he -tomb and heave out '.the rock at fifteen crow per nay, aauis.-trt mummy In to the daylight and shin it b lu. gaga van to Cairo, where It-1 sold to a St. Paul mart for tU5' ',, , 'until i taiKea lOjtne aeaier I had '11 ' ' "CHAT.LO'E no ldea that mummies were so plen tiful. In some parti of Egypt people go out and dig them uo Just as they would - dig potatoes. x The prices vary greatly, aomewnat depending -upon "the tate - of preservation- of : the par ty -of the firsts nrt and: the caarac tor the4 'deeoratlona on " the ease, but' more partlcuiaTty on account of the -title of historical -importance of the once 'lamented; For Instanoe, a Jtiamase or Ptolemy? r cannot be touched for less than 11000. A prince - trust magnate or ax ' military - com mander brings 1150, the Governor . of a city er the proatdenfr of a theologi cal -seminary anywhere frorh : ISO to I7S. Within the: lastUbree year, per ect - specimens "of. humorists have been offered- for jut low 18, and the aeaier enoweo me. one tor. .v proo bly a tourist, , -i. . At Naoles. p'roceedlng eastward, tn 'enter , the land of ':. TaUf'Tbe lTreneh. are converaatlonal and anbna- ieoi. "but, So thorn Italy begin to snow w rwi unentai luxuriance ot gab," A fJeapoiitan trying to sell three cent worth of fish will make more noise than a whole Wanamaker es- tahtlslunent. The most commonplace na everyday -form or dialogue cans tor flashing eyes, swaying body nd frantic-gesticulations. In front of a cafe in Naples Mr. Peastev became deeoly Interested in a .conversation, between two well dressed men at a laoie near ours, ai nrsx we itnougat ney were, going to "clinch" nyAght m out, but then we aaw that there (was no veal anger exhibited, hut that apparently one was describ ing to the other some very thrilling experience;,. He waived his. arms, truck at. Imaginary object, made plnwheel movements wrth his fingers and carried on gerte rally 1 na most' hysterical manner. Mr. Peasley, all worked up, beckoned the head waiter, who had been talking to us In En glish. "Look here," he said, confidentially, "I want you to listen and tell me what those fellows are talking about. I cant catch a word they say, but as near as I can make out from the way they act that fellow with the goatee la describing some new kind ef torpe- do -hoat. 1Xt goes throurh the water ai aooat iiurtr Junes an. hour, hav ing inpee or zpur screw rropellors. Whea if eorhw within trlkinne dim. tance ef the- enemywbang! they cut her loose, and the projectile goes Whining iv nj mars ano wnen u meets wtth any resistaoe there is a hi ninin ana verytning witflin. - quaTtsr of a mne i 04 own . to, iiindereensi r Vnw that' the Iot as hear a l rt foU low It from watohln' that 'short n make motion. 'Tou"' listen.' 4 them and ten me If Tm 'right." ' The 'bead waiter- listened and then translated ' tar o hHiwiu . saving to fcl friend that he slept very well lent ,t evening Vend, ffot up feeling good, .mit'-wa somewhatf annoyed at breakfast .Um because, the: egg was not eooked e suit JtfaVU - . "iHo about -all .these gymnastic t asked the surprised - Mr. Peasley. "Why doe he boo an and downaiiia ten and feint an wiggle hi, linger and ell that monkey- business? .JJ?,t-,t!!:M,nM tn hd altr. "He 1 describing the egg," . .. , wnai-a peopie-io take a flvt cents worth of eheao Information an) land It with twenty dollars 'wart, nt Xlarte and rhetorlet ? Talk' la one ef the few things of which, there I a euperabundance In particular bet em cheaply, keep TE DAILY OrsrOTSB,' AH11X Mi im. f f - ' IH'llllli.MI.,IJ)B.,i (, ' W 1 A " -" V from violating ' the municipal ordi nances, smoke-conservatively, so aa to get the full, value of his tobacco, and live In a house which is furn ished with 'three, or four primitive utensils. But when it comes to lan guage he Is -the most reckless spend- innri in tno woria. ne was up large bales- of conversation. Suppose that three porters at a rail way station are to" take a trunk from a car and put In on a truck and wheel it out to a cab. The talk made neces sary by this simple operation would fill several page In the Congressional Record. All three talk Incessantly, each telling the others what to do and finding fault because they don't do it his way. One seems to be superin tendent, the eond Is foreman and the third is bos. Endless dispute of a most vivid character rage ' among the donkey boys and peddlars Who assemble near the hotels and lie In wait for victims. "What do they And to talk about?" Is the question that comes to one every time he hears the babble of ex cited voices. Afld while we are smil ing at their childish tantrums they are splitting their sides -over new stories relating to that strange be ing from the antipodes, the barbarian with the mushroom helmet who ex udes money at every pore, who keeps himself bundled in unnecessary clothes and rides out to the desert every day to stand In the baking sun and solemnly contemplate a broken column and a heap of rubbish. Truly It all depends on the point of view. We held back the Pyramids and the Sphinx so as to make our visit to them the cap aheaf of the stay in Cairo. Aa for sightseeing, most of the time we just rambled up one street and down another, looking in shop windows, watching' the workmen kill time . with their (prehistoric imple ments, srnelllng 'th baiaars, dodging dog carts, donkeys and camels and having a fine time generally. Aimless excursions, are the best after all. It la more fun to drift around a new- town and rub up against the people than to deliver yourself, body and soul, over to a guide. In Egypt the guide Is called a dragoman, He touts on airs and has an inside pocket bulging with testi monials from 1 people who were so glad to get out srfwbis clutches that they willingly perjured themselves by giving him half-hearted certificates of good character, While you are In the hands of the dragoman you feel like a dumb, driven cow. Tou follow the fluttering nightshirt' and the tall red fes of this arch vllllan for hours at a time not knowing where you are going or why. He takes absolute charge of you, either by making spe cious representations or boldly assum- rnt to ceciuBiNo tnt b.oo tng authority, and when you star out to visit the famous mosque of ol Midullah Oblongahta or some other defunct celebrity you finish up In a Junk , shop for the sale of antiques, all of which are personally guaranteed by the dragoman, because he-is a si lent partner In the business. In msny countries, especially at time .when the traveller must con dense his Itlnery, the guide Is a ne cessary evil, and In Egypt he I sup posed to be a sort of ornamental "body guard. - We found that we ooold wan der r about 4 without being haltered and led, so we spent pleasant hour in ' the Mooskl, which 1 the' native hopping street, and also we went to the, race meeting and aaw native horses and ponies carrying 10 to 100 pound each, saunter around half mile track while a large number of English in ' atarda jra coetumes drank gallons of tea and simulated a polite interest. ( - 1 One afternoon we sauntered . Into a market and a man tried to eel) m 4' camel, - Wherever we go, U a man has 'something he doean't want . he trie to cell It to tnt and sometimes he doe It.- Bur I refud to take the camel I did not see how t could fold it tip and secret ifso ft to get It inrougn tne euatom noue. . , , Camels in the Cairo-market are now regato weir veiue.A gooa"- terre m ..... . ... . ... .. . ' ' 1 -V" " . ' - n.t. .!. .mil 1 II .1 i lil.t iiilinifiil U I.IIHI .11 ,TI ,v " ' , V' ,i " e i - J I- i. . eotta camel, 65 to W hands high and broken, to a single-foot, will fetch as high, as $150. The older ones spavin ed, hairless or plgeontoed can be boughfvfor as low as tSO each. The common or garden camel, trained to fold up like a pocket comera and carry from three to eight tons ofcargo, can usually be bought at from'llOO to $125. We looked In at the fowling der vishes. These devout priests of the Mohammedan persuasion get aa much enjoyment out of their religious ser vices as if they were real Christians and lived In the backwoods of Amer ica. Like some of our pious country men, they seem to think that an ex hibition of religious frenzy is sure proof of a sanctified spirit. As Mr, Peasley put it, they can give our shouters at home' cards and spades. They bend themselves backward and forward In jack-knife attitudes, hoarsely repeating over and over and over again the name of "Allah," They froth at the mouth, spin around like tops, shriek like delirious coyote and usually conclude by falling over In an epileptic convulsion and being carried out on a shutter. A good many tourists enjoy seeing It, but all of us had visited the Chicago board of trade, and on the whole the perform ance seemed rather tame and spirit less. . Cairo as a whole, was a big suprtse to us. We knew that it was going to be cosmopolitan, but we were not pre pared to And It so metropolitan. We had pictured K as one or two semi European streets hedged In by a vast area of native quarter. But. unless you seek out the old parts of the town or the baaaars, each showing a dis tinct type of the Oriental shirk, Cairo is outwardly quite modern, very at tractive and decidely gay that Is, not real wicked -gayety of the Parisian brand, but modified, winter resort gayety, the kind that la Induced by the presence Of money spending tour ists. There ,1 no hurrah night life, and gambling, which flourished here for many . seasons under the skillful direction of our countryman, Mr. Pat Sheedy, has yielded to British reform atory influence. The modern streets In Cairo, with their attractive hotels, residences and shops, suggest a blending of Paris and the Riviera consistent architecture, trees, palms, gardens. The streets are of boulevard width and the houses of cheerful coloring. many of them bearing colored frescoes in delicate shades. We who live In a country of rainfall and smoke and changing tem peratures are Impelled to stop and gaze in wonder at a mansion of snowy white with a pattern of pale blossoms drooping down the front of it. That style of decoration would last about thirty minutes m Chicago. JORDAN YVOMBLE PEAP. A tte Official, He Signed the Old Script Money Intr-rmcnt In UI eigli. Special to The Observer. Durhani, April M.Jordan Womble, aged 76, died at Watt Hospital this morning.. He was ill for severs l waka To-morrow morning the remain will oer taken to Kalelgh and Interment will take- place to-morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock.. H left fix brother and on sister, also a aaugbUr, Mr. J. W. Blackwell, of this clty. During (he civil war ha was on of the State of ficials and In hi official capacity signed the old script money issued by the State during the struggle, Later he was connected with the State Bank and then with the State National Bank. Both 1n Raleigh Hla wife died many year ago. , ;' I ' HtTIIAN BLOOD MARKS. . r A tals ef horror area told ttv marVa i human blood In the heme of J, W, wu Mams, a well-knows .merchant of Bee, Ky. He writest '"Tweaty year ago 1 had Mvere hemorrhages of the lumrs, and was near death when t began taking prt Klners New Dtacoverv. Jt eoinnUI! cured Ate and I have remained weft ever since., it cures hemorrtiaces, ' cbrenie eou hs, settled oolds and bronchi lis, sad Is the only knows cure for weak lamsa Kvery enttle guaranteed by R. II. Jan. .ia n r um. Trial bottle fw He1' Til? 1(71(1 h 4" f''V um however, by the tie of MotWa Friend before baby temei, M tLU great liniment alwaye prepare the body for, the- strain spea it, eni cretervei the svmmetrr of her form. Mother" Frfena AverteAme all thai danger ef child-birth, and tarfiel the expectant fhbthef lafely through f'.; fbie critical' period without paio.: It ia wotoan'a greatest blein.t Thonaandi gratefully ten of the benefit and reti( denTCd Icem the v nte of this wonderful - ' ' , ?v f 5 5. ," Ef $--SIS-- 'Efflwfflh'ciiMrii book, telline ell about this liniment; will1 be sent free. Hi en&il rfetalar Oil, Aftsita 8a. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetMie-)MlM TRADE ASK FOR COSMO BUTTERMILK SOAP. It'3 the Best for Complexion, Toilet and Bath. BOLD EWRVWHKKK. BUR WELL & DUNN CO, AQKNTS FOR CHARLOTTE. The Cosmo Company, Sole Mfr& Philadelphia, The EnjoyaUc Smoke Everybody "The Country Gentleman" ; For Sale Everywhcrf CAPITAL STOCK $30,000.00 Not the cheapest, but preemlnentlr the BUST. These are the largest, eldest and best equipped eehoels In North Carolina oeltlve, provable FACT. 1,00 former student holding positions in North Carolina. Positions guaranteed, . hacked by written con tra!. Shorthand, Boskstplag. TypewrlUng end Bngllab, taught hr experte. Address KING'S BVSIATBSS QOLLBQB Charlotte, N. C, er Raleigh, N. C THE CHARLOTTE SUPPLY G0L1PAHY W1 ABM IOOTRKRN AOXNTg FOR VOnnCD WTJUB, OXRMAW WEDXnjU AWD HKTDT4B frames, WRITR Ul FOR PRICBS. Feskett Btahep ltam Trap Carried In Itook; ale Car Clethtag ana e FaU Uae el luppllea CBARIiOTTB BIRKCr CHAM CTAJtTAjrBTJM ELIZABETH COLLEGE AND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC OtBiRXOTIVI, W. C Bubnrban Location. Extensive Campus, High Orade, Bhrperleeeed. University Bduoated Teachere; Ft re-Proof Ball dings. Flrat Claea Boulpmeht, School ef Mnsla Art, Shmreiado, Bnataaen. IBiJeye ITnneW fdoa for Thoevogb Work and flood! HeaRb, CATAIXX3TJB Start FRXB. CIIAS. a KING, President LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF VIRGluIA it ESTABLISHED 1871. The OIH larfest. Strongest Southern life tance Co. Assets December 31, 1905 $2,391,477,81, Liabilities December 31, 1905 1,956,120.C3 Surplus to policy-holders December 31, 1905, 435,356,85 inzffi in Hcrlh Cerc!: Insurance in force December 31, 1905,; $10,310, 63L00 Number of Policies in force 1 n ' & . , 86,450. Number Death Claims paid in 1905.... 1,137 Death CUims, Dividends, etc,: paid to f Policy-Holders in lii;49675 This is a regular Life Insurance ! Company chartered by the Legislature of Virginiaand has won the hearty approval and active supjportef. the people by its proir.pt-' eeee avid Taivr1HnCf rliiwlriflr.f V TrilTw-Tiwei operation. r.CMt cr net 5 Ertrr frorzzn eir.'.i r '.jshgpelr,jbfettrf.irs,t . fe" v1tMf Af fham sTJe?,tr C-.'-; after rnartfece. t The tear! -; ' i if a I w children it efUfl cestrucU a JU U &-th mothef'a ahapeline;. . t. Tr All at this tan ha evoi-ij MARK 1 the Comfortable Smoke Smokes U SCeinitei it V if r.:ci:?.::r:a yx' ... I A. V - , , f ill - it?1'' i. if - 't.H3'fW::;,, - iU 1 it 4 tS': S-'k I V V g f "i r r s V r f
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 22, 1906, edition 1
17
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