hem are utterly heartless and show no pity for their own
children. They will leave them to marry again, the new husband refusing
to take the children, and numbers die in consequence. Many a troublesome
old man is also put out of the way by poison administered by the wives
of his sons. Not long ago a prison, in an Oriental city, was visited by
some Christian missionaries who had obtained permission to see the women
who had been sentenced for life. They are found to be there for having
murdered their "da-ra-ir," that is, their husbands' other wives, or the
children of their hated rivals; and, having no money, they had not been
able to buy their way out of prison, as can be done and is customary in
Moslem countries.

As the camera would not do full justice to Moslem "interiors," either in
house-life or in the administration of public affairs, both also being
difficult to obtain, a few "pen and ink" sketches are sent by the writer
of this article, taken in person on the spot.

Here is a picture of Abu Ali's household. Abu Ali has two wives, Aisha
and Amina. Confusion and every evil thing are found in his family life.
Each wife has five children, large and small, and the ten of the two
families all hate each other. They fight and bite, scratch out each
other's eyes, and pull out each other's hair. The husband has good
houses and gardens but the women and children all live in dark, damp
rooms on the ground floor. The writer knows them and often goes to see
them, especially to comfort the older wife, whose life is very wretched.
She is almost starved at times. She weeps many bitter tears and curses
the religion into which she was born. The Prophet Mohammed's religion
makes many a man a heartless tyrant. He is greatly to be pitied because
a victim by inheritance to this vast system of evil. Wild animals show
more affection for their offspring and certainly take (for a while at
least) more responsibility for their young than many Moslems do in
Palestine.

Werdie is another case. This name in Arabic means "a rose." There are
many sweet young roses in the East but, hidden away among thorns and
brambles, their fragrance is often lost. This Werdie, a fair young
blue-eyed girl whose six own brothers had all died, lived with her
mother and father and his other wives in a very large Oriental house
(not a _home_). She lived in the midst of continual strife, cursings,
"evil eyes," and fights. This household is a distinguished family in