| Show lives led by egyptian women customs in in that 7 hat country are reversed and the females do the work of the men they are never seen in public with their thair husbands Husban 65 in egypt things feminine go by contraries young a omen of sixteen are employed as hod earners carriers ma son sons s attendants and builders they do not seem to mind it either it ie Is an odd sight for an american to see a young woman sedately carrying a hod of mortar to a man who is build ing a wall she Is graceful about it it must be said and somewhat spec too for she wears golden bracelets on her legs and bangles on her arms the while meantime there s hardly to be found in cairo a woman who looks after the house as we understand it here the worn en perform no household duties the men do all that the american and european wives who settle in cairo are compelled to hire men to cook to wash to sew to sweep and to clean if they do not like the idea of 0 a man s doing plain sewing or washing the family linen they must do the sewing or the washing them selves for abe women are too busily engaged elsewhere beside the women do not know how however there is one line of temi feml nine industry to which the egyptian woman will turn her attention tor for hire it if called upon she will act as nurse for the children she is not a glittering success as a caretaker of oung young foreigners though for she in fists on wearing her veil while look ing after the youngsters and youngsters do cot not like women who wear veils and they protest lustily women have queer ideas about their husbands no native woman would think for a moment of walking outdoors with her husband they consider such a proceeding grossly indelicate and hold up their hands in amazement at the forward women ot of other nationalities who are seen in public with the men whose names they bear social customs are somewhat lax in the country and a girl of the fella been class works in the fields with out a veil vell but the veil la Is always worn when she visits the city and here a paradox Is observed while mile blushing with shame at the thought of showing her face she cannot imagine why she should conceal her legs the latter are usually exposed the women omen of the upper classes live in strict seclusion they are not sup posed to be seen or mentioned they are in the world but not of it to ask an egyptian gentleman about his wife or wives or to make any inquiry concerning the health well being or number of the ladles ladies of his family Is an unpardonable breach of decorum wives in egypt s upper circles are private the women nomen can not go beyond the limits of their own side of the house and garden |
