Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1913 — Shopping In Egypt. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Shopping In Egypt.

The streets are generally crammed with people, and lined with busy shops, each shop being a small open room, unconnected with the house by any door or passage; and closed in ‘at night by folding-doors, secured by locks and bolts ontside. It is fitted all round with shelves or cases for jn’erchandlse, and has a floor raised about two feet from the ground, which projects about the same distance into the roadway, and upon which carpets and cushions are placed for custom-

ers, who seat themselves on this rude divan while they arrange purchases. This is always a lengthy business, and expected to be so by buyer and seller, who quietly give themselves up to a half hour’s “haggle” over every trifle. The buyer seated, the seller offers a pipe, and sends to the nearest coffee-house for cups of the hot beverage. Then begins the exaltation of the article to be sold, and an extravagant price is named, to be succeeded by as great a depreciation of price and quality on the part of the buyer. Then the subject is dropped, pfres and coffee resumed, to be after a time renewed, as before, until something like a fair medium Is reached, and the bargain concluded. There is no fixed price for anything; hence you cannot ask for an article, pay its value and leave the •hop with It in the course of ftye minutes; It Is impossible thus to economize time in the Bast The subdivlsioof trade, too, is another hindrance/

If a man wants a turban he has to go to one dealer for the scarlet skullcap, fez or tarboosh; to another for the heavy silk tassel, and to a third for the shawl which he winds about It, and so makes It complete. One man deals in pipe stems, generally made ot Jasmine or cherry-stick; a second trills them; a third deals in amber mouth-pieces; a fourth in the red earthen bowls from Slout or Stamboul; a fifth In leaf-tobacco, which a man cuts up for you; and thus half g day may be easily consumed in obtaining what half an hour would seture for you In our country. Each trade is distinct, and has Its own appointed district, so that much time Is occupied in visiting shops widely ••under.