Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1902 — Street Cries In Cairo, Egypt. [ARTICLE]

Street Cries In Cairo, Egypt.

Take a chair outside a busy case near the market place and tram center and watch the street life. There are no hungry men, no starving, pinched child faces, no finger-worn mothers, for this is a land of plenty, and the people’s wants are few and simple. Thus sunshine and laughter spray a welcome fragrance over the novelty and romance of the gay city’s streets. , Here is a street melodia twanging a monstrous one-stringed “something,” and accompanied by a nose-ringed girl who taps deftly on a species of tambourine, while by-standers ejaculate “Allah! Allah!” —the Arabic word for applause. A fruit seller, basket on head, with luscious grapes and figs, saunters by singing In a quaint minor: “O grapes, O sweet grapes, they are larger than doves’ eggs and sweeter than new cream! O angels* food delicious figs, bursting with honey, restorers of health.’ There is a drink seller, bent under the weight of the odd-shaped jar slung over his shoulder, a lump of ice projecting from its mouth, conjuring custom In a similar strain as he struts up and down, making the air resound with the rhythmical clap-clap of two brazen saucers: “O refreshment of the weary! O quencher of parched lips! 0 blessing of heaven!” Another street cry, which may be heard in the main street of Abbassteh (a suburb), contains the following enticing announcement: “To-morrow, O people, I am going to kill a cameL The doctor says It is young and healthy. O, its flesh will be tender as the quail and juicy 3s lamb. Its price is but 1% piastres (seven cents) the pound. Do you love the sweet flesh of a camel, then come early and be satisfied.” Not the least picturesque figures in the streets are the city police, in their neat white drill and red tar tarbouches in summer and blue serges in winter. —London Traveler.