ill sounding, when I heard a different strain, "Chai chai
kirna cha-ee," which was sung in a sonorous nasal voice. This was a tea
man. In one hand he carried a bright brass tea-urn of boiling water; in
the other, several glasses, which he continually jingled against one
another. Fastened round his waist he wore a circular tin case,
containing glasses, a tea-pot, sugar, lemons, and tea-spoons. The tea
man continues his walk through the streets till the day is far advanced,
and he meets with a great many customers, for quite a number of Arabs
consider a cup of tea a good remedy for a headache in the morning.

The passers now increased, and they exchanged salutations such as "Nihar
said!" ("May your morning be enriched!")

There was a coffee shop opposite the window. This was the earliest
opened. The waiters came out of the store carrying low stools, which
they placed outside the shop along the sidewalk. Their dress was navy
blue baggy trousers, which reached a little below the knee; white
shirts, the sleeves of which were rolled over their elbows; crimson
girdles, and white skull-caps. A couple were barefoot, and the others
had red shoes on. They moved about lightly as they arranged the stools
for customers.

A tall young man came toward his store, which was a grocery, and next
the coffee shop; but before opening it he sat down on one of the low
stools, and was at once served by one of the waiters with an "argille,"
or hubble-bubble, and a cup of coffee. He wore a suit of dark green
cloth, a crimson satin vest, silk girdle of many colors, and a red
tarboosh. Another gentleman came up, dressed in a similar costume, only
of a bluish-gray. Before seating himself he saluted the other by a
graceful wave of the hand, saying, "Issalaam alek," or "Peace be on
you."

"Ou alek Issalaam" ("And unto you be peace"), responded the other.

These two are Christians, as can be seen by their dress. Two
Mohammedans, dressed very much like the others, but each wearing a long
loose "Jube" (which is a cloak) over his suit, and a white turban of
fine Swiss muslin wound round his tarboosh, came and took seats, after
having saluted the others with the same beautiful salutations. Many
others in various costumes seated themselves, and conversation became
general as they smoked their pipes and sipped their small cups of
coffee.

The sparrows were chirping merrily in the green caper bushes which grew
out of the walls of the old gray houses. Fr