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HEBREW TYPES OF TUNIS. Jewish Household Life in this North African City. A short stay at Tunis on the route from Cario to Algiers will be sufficient for the traveler and yet repay him for the halt although the ancient Moorish city has not retained its most striking Mussulman characteristics and ia fast becoming European under the new regime. It It ia more than half Jewish already, and it is difficult to credit the statistical statement that the Jewish element is really only in the pro portion of one to five of the population. But this unit is the only active, energetic, business like and "goahead " portion of the native com munity, and so completely pravades it that it creates the impression of being the majority. From the low, narrow and squalorstricken parts of Tunis, where the Jews wore formerely only found, they have migrated into the quar ters occupied by the French contingent and some of them occupy the finest houses and buildings. Many have retained their national costumes and abide by the customs of their forefathers, while differing essentially from the Arabic type of Orientals: their women (at least the young unmarried ones at the age 14, when they reach complete girlhood) offer the most perfect features of a. voluptuous and splendid beauty. In order to conceive a just idea of the life of a Jewish household it is necessary to gain ad mittance to the intimacy of the family, and to enter their homes, whether they belong to the poorer or the richer classes. In the former the plan and distribution of the apartments are nearly invariable. The houses consist of some five or six narrow chambers opening into an in ner court or patio. The walls are freshly whitewashed every Autumn; sometimes a frame of colored tiles surrounds a doorway, or a curtain of bright blue cotton stuff hangs be fore it upon which brilliant patches of cloth are scattered, generally representing religious emblems, such as the seven-flamed candlestick. These ornaments relieve the dead monotomy of the blank surfaces. The patio is paved in cracked marble slabs taken from some ruined palace, which itself had been erected from the ruins of Carthage. In one angle of the court stands the fountain at which the women are constantly filling their household vessels, un conscienously reproducing the harmonious and picturesque attitudes of Rachel at the well in the Biblical pictures. At all times and seasons the patio is covered with a linen tent, by which shade and coolness are obtained. Very different is the outward aspect of the abodes of the wealthy and prosperous Israel ites. Their houses are not unfrequently built in the Italian style of architecture, with wide marble staircases, walls disappearing under tall mirrors, unpleasantly recalling the garish splen dor of a Parisian cafe, and the inevitable patio is surrounded by a colonnade of delicate and artistic marble pillars. But even amid these modern concessions to European luxury the owners perpetuate their antique customs and preserve intact the traditions of thier race, both as regards the observance of their religion and certain family details to which they attach all j the importance of habit Thus while paying an afternoon call in s drawing room, which might be a London or Paris one, one ia sud denly amazed at seeing the hostess summon a child, who, at a given sign, lights a candle and fixes it on the drawing room inlaid table by the simple method of dropping a little of the wax as a socket for the taper that has never known candelabra or candlestick. The wealthy Jewish matrons take no exercise whatever, and lead a life of supine idleness- They spend their days gossiping and playing cards, 'reclining or squatting on low divans, magnificently dressed and covered with jewels like the inhabitants of a Turkish harem. The y become enormously stout and unwieldy, bloat ed and often anaemic. The opulence of their charms and their excessive weight constitute the most appreciated beauty in the eyes ol the admires of female physical advantages, and are prized far above the delicate and pictureeqae appearance of the young girls of their race. This is so generally accepted a taste that Jew ish maidens are kept on a diet most conducive to rapidly achieve the requisite embonpoint In all Eastern localities the baths fill an im portant [place. The Jews of Tunis make as large and frequent use of them as the Arabs ; the Christians Sicilians, Maltese, and even Frenchmen have, however, fo sparingly adopt led the custom that the sole European bathing establishment in Tunis in 1886 failed, while all the Moorish public baths were crowded and f prosperous. The Jews have their special and ■ distinct baths open all day and every day ; * there are four or five in Tunis at the present > time equally well patronized, especially on > Fridays, when a bath is obligatory. > The extraoedinary aspect of a woman's bath > more than justifies the attempt to visit it The most characteristic establishment if not the finest by any means, is situated in the old quarter of the town. It is reached by narrow, dark and tortuous streets, and stands on what was once the site of a Mooriah palace, trans formed into a " Hammam." The whitewashed facade is pierced by a single doorway covered with arabesques. It leads to a vestibule, the walls of which are hidden under many colored tiles and surrounded by broad wooden seats, carved like the stalls of our cathedral choirs. A second door, which is rapidly opened for, and as rapidly closed upon, the visitor, admits the latter to the baths proper. Th 5 first apart ment is a patio, roofed with glass and remark able for its plainness. Around it are a sue cession of little rooms, furnished with wooden pegs and a mattress. Every scrap of clothing is left in these closets before the patio is again crossed and the hot-air rooms entered. These consist of a serious of dark, low vaults, whose domes are supported by massive stone dwarf pillars. [Concluded next week.} ———sasasssi KFrom this date there will be NO EE SAMPLE COPIES. All those receiving papers who have not sub scribe, will please send in their DOLLAR or order the paper stopped. < — __ LOUIS BROCDCD, VIRGINIA FAMILY BREAD BAKERY. Bread, Cakes, — *"9 ® sa —Crackers, Pies, &c. ORNAMENTAL CAKES TO ORDER. 3STo. sic E. IMlacc-slxall Street, RICHMOND, VA. Telephone 762. ■*• a-c9 Mrs. £ J. PYIiE, Proprietress *ticHMONi> m, DYEING, SCOURING andCarep-CeaningW9rk6. No. 315 N. Fifth St., RICHMOND, VA. THEEE IS If oihing nicer for a Holiday Present than a fine pair of Opera Glasses. We have an elegant line of them in all the best makes and styles—Le Maire, Le Clerc, Chevalier, and others, in beautiful de signs—White and Smoked Pearl, Gold and Silver, &c. Come and take a look at them. Correct Fitting of Eye-Glasses A Spectacles is our specialty. If you buy a pair for a present we will exchange them after the Holidays, should they not fit. Come and see our new store. RICHMOND OPTICAL CO., 115 E. Broad St. nniHT" FAIL TO TRY A CUP OF DUN T HOT COFFEE ' UUII I CHOCOLATE & BOUILLON, AT J. H, WARE, JR., & GO'S., 427 E. BROAD ST. Fresh Cream Puffs and Cakes. SODA AND MINERAL WATERS OP ALL KINDS ON DRAUGHT. Finest Brands of Cigars and Tobaccos. C. H. GOLDSMITH, Dealer in I Fresh, Salted & Smoked Meats OF ALL KINDS, 320 North Sixth Street. Goods Delivered Fres.