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From Chambers' Journal.

WHITE LADIES PLACE.

AMONG the reminiscences which a venerable friend often indulged us in narrating, some singular details connected with her early experience may not prove uninteresting, given in nearly her own words as follows:

darling child, but a few weeks previous to the time* fixed on for her marriage, eloped from a villa at the sea-side, where she was staying with her sister, Mrs. Dormer, her companion being a certain Lieutenant O'Donnel, an Irish cousin, disowned by Mrs. Irwin, the respective families having had deadly feuds for generations concerning some hereditary claims, which neither of them could now explain satisfactorily.

After many years of absence, marked by vicissitude and domestic bereavement, I once more became The lieutenant was in the same regiment as an inmate of my father's home. He was a physician Captain Dormer; and the latter-who was as goodof note, and much beloved by all classes. About natured and thoughtless a young man as O'Donnel seven miles from the town of L, where we himself, and would have nothing to do, he said, resided, there stood an old mansion, which might" with stupid old family bickerings"-could see no be seen from the high road. It was surrounded on reason why O'Donnel should not visit him now he three sides by extensive pleasure-grounds and dark was married; his wife had nothing more to do with woods, but the frontage was comparatively open; her mother's prejudices, and the "old lady" need shaven green terraces rose one above another, bor-know nothing at all about it. And, indeed, the first dered by monumental-looking urns and funereal she did know on the subject was, from O'Donnel, cypresses, and crowned by the square stone house beseeching forgiveness for Josephine and himself, itself. Seen from a distance, it was like a miniature, frowning and gloomy, set in a sombre frame; for there was something inexpressibly mournful and solemn in the general aspect of White Ladies Place, so named from occupying the site of an ancient conventual pile.

I often passed that way with my father, when accompanying him on distant visits, and I used to fancy the waving woods were sighing forth a requiem for the departed. I pictured to myself Mrs. Irwin, the present occupant, (whose ancestral domain it was,) in her loneliness and desolation; and a strange yearning came over me to penetrate those precincts, and to sympathize with the mourner. But my father told me that Mrs. Irwin never received visitors, seeing no one but the minister of the parish and himself. The time, however, at length arrived when he was permitted to introduce me—this, indeed, being at his particular suggestion -for my father was a privileged favorite. Mrs. Irwin had once been noted, not only for beauty and grace, but for the pride and imperiousness of her character. She was left a widow with two daughters, the eldest of whom resembled her deceased parent in a passive, yielding disposition and plain exterior; while Josephine, the younger, who was her mother's idol, more than equalled that mother in surpassing loveliness, also inheriting the same high spirit and resolute will, dashed, however, with a spice of levity and flightiness which Mrs. Irwin had never exhibited. Both these young ladies were affianced at an early age to suitors selected by their mother, for Mrs. Irwin was earnestly desirous of seeing them "well settled," according to her notions: Captain Dormer, to whom Miss Irwin was speedily united, being the next heir to an earldom; but Josephine's fair brow was to be adorned by a coronet even on the celebration of her nuptials, although the intended bridegroom was old and withered, and Josephine laughed at and disliked him. Mrs. Irwin would not listen to her remonstrances; Josephine must be a countess, and be compelled to obedience. But what words can describe the mother's surprise and passion when this

the Dormers not having the courage to communicate the desperate intelligence of the marriage to Mrs. Irwin.

The mother felt her honor tarnished by her favorite daughter's imprudent marriage; the contract she had entered into with the old Earl of being thus shamefully cancelled, and an alliance formed with a hated race forgiveness, therefore, Mrs. Irwin refused to accord. Josephine's name was forbidden to be mentioned in her presence, and those who transgressed were treated by her as enemies.

To her son-in-law, Captain Dormer, Mrs. Irwin's anger also extended for a long time, for she considered him an accomplice in the disgraceful transaction. Georgina, she said, "was a fool"— she could not blame her-she had been trained to implicit obedience, and only transferred it from a mother to a husband. Georgina had been a dutiful child, continued Mrs. Irwin, nor should she suffer now for her husband's folly by any diminution of her mother's favor or affection. The earldom in prospective had doubtless a good deal to do with Mrs. Irwin's forbearance; but-alas for human foresight and calculations !—Captain Dormer's noble relation acknowledged a private marriage with his housekeeper, and a numerous race of heirs and heiresses came forth from their hiding-places. Poor Dormer died, it was said, of disappointment, leaving his wife and six little girls wholly dependent on Mrs. Irwin; Georgina did not long survive her husband; and this band of tender orphan loves alone were left to tell of frustrated hopes and mortal uncertainties.

Mrs. Irwin received tidings about the same period of Josephine's decease. The unfortunate runaway had been a widow since the birth of her only child, and had found shelter with a maternal aunt of O'Donnel's, who had espoused a French gentleman. Monsieur and Madame Duhamel led a retired life in a pastoral valley of Languedoc : they were not wealthy, but kindhearted, excellent people; and on the rejection of all their overtures on behalf of the child thus left on their hands,

(Mrs. Irwin turning a deaf ear to their represen- | discussed, it may be readily supposed that, when tations,) they had no alternative but to bring the my father spoke of introducing me to the interior orphan up with their own children, and the poor of White Ladies Place, I felt some slight degree little thing soon became nearly as dear to them. of curiosity, and perhaps nervousness; but he had Mrs Irwin betrayed no grief on hearing of her impressed upon me his desire that I might prove youngest daughter's premature death; she took a cheerful and soothing companion to Mrs. Irwin; no notice whatever of the announcement; but the the necessity my father saw for such companionhousehold saw that she was a changed woman- ship, in a medical point of view, having made him the iron had entered her soul. Pride supported persist in the attainment of his object, not without her; and neither sigh, nor tear, nor outward dem- exerting much guileless diplomacy and friendly onstration of any kind, warranted the offer of authority. sympathy or condolence. The letter containing the death-message she cast into the fire, and watched it consuming without sign of emotion; and none would have suspected the intelligence it conveyed, had not the obituary in the public papers notified the fact.

But

Mrs. Irwin received me courteously, and at first evidently put up with my presence for my valued father's sake; but by and by I flattered myself that the kindness she evinced towards me was for my own. She abhorred any display of sorrow. Like many proud, high-spirited people, her grief Left with her six grandchildren, it was no mat- was silent, and vented alone when no human eye ter of wonder that Mrs. Irwin resolutely shut her- could witness it; but I soon felt sure that some self up, and declined receiving visitors, devoting ever-present corroding remembrance was preying all her time and energy to her arduous duties. upon her mind beyond that which the death of her People ceased to talk about her, or to lament and grandchildren might have caused. Sorrow for the wonder at her family misfortunes; and except when dead, pious and resigned grief, I had already seen, the lovely flock at White Ladies Place were seen when earthly struggles were quieted by heavenly at church, or flitting about the grounds, the towns- aspirations, and the mourner ejaculated, “I shall folk of L and the neighboring hamlets ceased go to them!—they may not return to me!" to trouble themselves about their concerns. My now I witnessed restless yearning, and a remorse father, indeed, sometimes had questions asked him which the outward self-possession so marvellously about the fair, fragile-looking girls, who clustered displayed by Mrs. Irwin had not the power to so fondly around their grandmother; she seemed conceal from a close observer; and when I imto love them with a love far beyond that she had parted the result of my observations to my father cherished for their mother-her own daughter he listened carnestly to all I said, and impressively Georgina. The "angel band" of White Ladies answered, "I think you are right, Mary; this Place was the epithet often bestowed on these sin-poor lady, you are aware, has a grandchild yet gularly lovely children. There was, indeed, some excuse for it; their exterior attractions and angelic dispositions forcibly reminding the spectator of pictures and legends of ecclesiastical love, wherein the holy spirits are represented to our imagination by pure and dove-like innocents.

Some ancient folks shook their heads mournfully, and whispered how much they pitied Mrs. Irwin, notwithstanding her pride and arrogance; for it was easy to see that none of these gentle creatures could be reared-they were too transparent and white, too good and gentle; such children, said the ancients, always joined the happy angels ere the innocence of early youth had fled! And it was even as they predicted one by one the delicate girls drooped and faded away. One attained the age of seventeen; the others were younger as they were severally summoned home.

living."

A new light suddenly broke on my mind, but I did not confide all my thoughts even to this dear father, fearing for the result of my visionary schemes.

My father went on to say, "I do not doubt that Mrs. Irwin will soon take you into her confidence, Mary; you have won her regard; but I must not anticipate. This confidence must be voluntary on her part; nor shall I attempt to raise the veil which she does not desire to withdraw. I know that you have strong nerves, and are not easily startled."

If I had strong nerves, this conversation did not tend to strengthen and brace them, for I lived in the perpetual assurance that some singular mystery overhung Mrs. Irwin's daily life however, I had determined on certain plans; and in putting them into execution, and in performing numerous active duties, all foolish fears or nervous trepidations were in the true way of being forgotten.

Everybody felt sincere commiseration for the Dereaved grandmother, and it was generally rumored that her intellects were affected. But my father I had now been acquainted with Mrs. Irwin for did not corroborate such accounts; on the contrary, some months: this acquaintance on her part had he spoke of Mrs. Irwin's strength of mind and res-ripened into cordial kindness, I may say friendignation. However, gossips persisted in saying ship; while I, on my part, felt deep sympathy, there was a mystery; but what it was no one could and interest, and earnest desires to see her mind find out. The domestics were few and attached, at rest. I often remained at White Ladies Place having all been in the service of the family for for days together. During one of these visits, many years, and devoted to Mrs. Irwin, who was on an October evening-how well do I remember much beloved by her retainers. it! it was a dim, melancholy October evening Having heard all these particulars frequently the wind was wailing amid the gray gables and

But

I found that on the anniversary of each departed child's birth-day, and day of decease, she passed her time among them from morn till night; she visited her rare collection every day; but on these festivals only the tapers were lit, the fresh flowers culled, and the waxen models decked in their festal robes. My father was right; for Mrs. Irwin was not mad. Once admitted, I became a frequent visitor to this secret chamber, to which he had long been accustomed.

By very slow and imperceptible degrees I had hitherto approached the subject with Mrs. Irwin on which all my hopes and wishes were centred : it was dangerous ground to tread, and the full extent of woman's delicacy and tact (in the right sense of that too-often misused term) was required, in order not to shipwreck the cause I had at heart. By very slow and imperceptible degrees I had won Mrs. Irwin to speak of the past—of the time when both her own daughters were children; then, as a matter of course, I carelessly asked if the offspring of both resembled their mother? For the first time Maud, the orphan of Josephine, was mentioned by her grandmother; and her existence once acknowledged, the stern restriction was broken: she had a living grandchild still, but dead to her"dead to her," she said, and sighed.

golden woods-I had been alone all day, for Mrs. ( more rare, and certainly more life-like, mode of Irwin had kept to her own apartments, when she preserving the resemblances of her family? joined me, and mutely seating herself, watched my rapid stitching of some homely garment. After a long time, she broke the silence, saying, "Mary, this is the anniversary of a sad day it is the day when the last remaining of my child's children was taken from me. These anniversaries I always devote to them will you come and view all that is left me of these beloved ones?" What could Mrs. Irwin mean? Fears indefinable seized me at hearing these words; but I looked at her intently, and no wildness in her eyes or excitement of manner gave evidence that her reason was impaired. what did she mean?-what was coming? She took my arm, and for the first time I found myself in that portion of the mansion whose windows all opened on the solemn woods and sombre pine vistas branching off in many directions. We entered a small chamber or ante-room, where we found Mrs. Irwin's confidential waiting-woman in expectation of our visit. Double doors led from this ante-room to a saloon beyond; the ancient domestic threw them open; and emerging from the gloom, what a spectacle met my bewildered eyes! The saloon was brilliantly illuminated by wax tapers, and entirely hung with snowy-white drapery, from the folds of which hung wreaths of freshlygathered flowers. At the head of the apartment, in a semicircle, were ranged six figures, clad in white robes, with veils of filmy texture half concealing their features. They looked like young girls attired for the solemn rite of confirmation; but how still and mute they were !-fac-similes, indeed, of the deplored and departed; but mere wax-works, fashioned by a skilful artificer. Mrs. "Your question is an odd one, Mary; for I confess Irwin took me up to the figures, one by one, speak- the thought has often struck me, that, in the event of ing in a subdued voice, and telling me their names the girl's death, I should like to possess her resemand the respective ages at which they had been blance, and place Josephine's child with her coustaken from her. From the tallest figure of the ins." Here her voice faltered; I had never heard group she withdrew the veil which shaded the her speak thus before. Presently she added, face, as tenderly and seriously as if the wax-work" But I do not wish her death, poor thing; she had been imbued with spiritual life, whispering has done me no injury, Mary; and had I not made as she did so, "She was the fairest of them all: a vow never to look upon her, unless she made one of look, is not this an angelic face?" And truly this this mute company, I might perchance yet have had model, taken after death, retained all the attributes the comfort of embracing a living descendant❞— of life; long silken lashes rested on the delicate Mrs. Irwin took my hands, the big round tears cheeks, whereon was a faint tinge of coloring; the coursed down her furrowed cheeks-" of asking lips were parted smilingly, as if about to speak; her forgiveness, Mary; Josephine died without the masses of rich dark hair fell in clusters on the mine." This confession from the proud, imperious neck; and the hand was stretched forth, holding a Mrs. Irwin! I could hardly believe my sight and rose; but, alas! not a living rose, as it had been hearing but the weak moment speedily passed; wont to do in life; the rose, like the figure, was and I almost thought she regretted having said so artificial—it was wax-work too. Presently my much; at any rate she became more reserved and imagination began to be affected. I thought the stoical for some days after the conversation alluded eyelids moved, and, shuddering, I turned away. to. She had made a vow never to look upon her But soon my tears flowed freely; for it was a grandchild, Maud O'Donnel, unless she made one touching scene to witness Mrs. Irwin fondly con- of the singular company in the white saloon. Ah, templating this singular assemblage—this company it was a wrong and fearful thing to take such a of the dead, as she designated them. And this vow; but once made, it must not be broken! was the mystery-yet my father pronounced her

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I heard the sigh, and I treasured the words. "And if she were really dead," suggested I, "would you object, madam, to place her effigy among these?" I almost feared having gone too far; but Mrs. Irwin answered mildly, after a keen gaze, beneath which I looked rather embarrassed.

The anniversary came round again, and again we entered the brilliant saloon. My father, too, was there. But, lo! a seventh figure had been added to the rest, veiled and robed in white, and

taller than the tallest there!

In

My knees shook, to maintain their ground in respectable numbers. my strength failed, and I turned faint, but my dear Some five or six thousand of them are to be found parent supported me, as Mrs. Irwin darted forward, congregated in Cairo and Alexandria, where, from exclaiming, "What is this?-who is this?" stop- the presence of the government, they are less liable ping suddenly before the strange guest, who ap- to be annoyed by the populace. It is rare to meet peared motionless like the others. She essayed with them in country towns, although a few are to touch and raise the veil, but her hands trembled; established both at Rosetta and Damietta. again she made a bolder effort, and succeeded. Ah, the eyes were not cast down, they were raised to her own imploringly; the hands were gently extended; there was healthful, mantling bloom on the cheek, and perfect grace in the proportions of this animated statue! A soft voice proceeded from it in pleading accents of deep yearning tenderness, crying, "I am here at last, grandmamma, a living guest among the company of the dead, and will you not give me a welcome?"

"Maud O'Donnel, how came you here?-who has dared to do this?" Passionate and stern was Mrs. Irwin's voice; but it grew fainter and fainter, and more and more subdued, as Maud knelt at her feet, and clasped her knees.

me,

"O, for my mother's sake, take me to your bosom!" exclaimed Maud; "forgive her through and you will die happy, dear grandmamma!" Maud O'Donnel's prayers were not in vain : we heard Mrs. Irwin's agonized sobs; we beheld her in the arms of her sweet and beautiful living grand-daughter, and then we withdrew, and left them alone together.

The result of their conference was such as to cause me no regret at having been instrumental in bringing it about; for I need only add, that M. Duhamel's sister was a valued friend and neighbor of mine during my residence in Languedoc; she readily assisted in the perhaps somewhat romantic scheme I had arranged of thus placing Maud in contact with her grandmother—a scheme, however, fully sanctioned by the kind couple who had brought her up, for they had no future provision to bestow on the orphan, having a large family of their own to inherit all they had to leave.

We had the happiness of seeing Mrs. Irwin restored to peace of mind, and dutifully tended by Josephine's beloved child. She lived to old age; and although she still continued to find solace and pleasure in visiting her wax-work company, it was always with the blooming Maud, and leaning on her arm for support.

In after years the figures in the white saloon were carefully preserved; and long after Maud became a wife, with children and grandchildren of her own, the wax-work was shown to visitors as the most interesting relic at White Ladies Place.

Cairo-their chief resort-they occupy a particular
quarter, which bears their name, and is considered
one of the most curious and characteristic in the
whole city. It constitutes a perfect labyrinth of
narrow passages, sometimes dignified with the name
of streets. To obtain the best idea of its aspect,
you must, on leaving the neighborhood of the Khal
Khaleeleh to return towards the Mooski, keep a
little to the right, instead of making for the new
street to the Citadel. You will thus soon find
yourself making all sorts of turns at right angles;
and presently, after traversing a batch of ruined
houses, you will see before you an alley having
the most cut-throat appearance imaginable, into
which it is necessary, for prudential reasons, to
urge your donkey at reduced speed. The walls
of the houses on each hand are rarely more than
three feet apart, which circumstance would of it-
self almost account for the obscurity that prevails.
In addition, moreover, you must know that every
front is covered with a multiplicity of projecting
windows, which sometimes touch the opposite wall,
so that it is only here and there that a few scanty
gleams of light penetrate to the regions below.
The street I allude to is unusually straight, so
that you can see at intervals these little patches of
dim light receding until the last is a mere point.
If there be anybody moving along, you know the
fact simply by finding your view intercepted, for
it is impossible to distinguish any form.
boldness is required in a perfect stranger to venture
alone into this cavernous aperture. However, pride
gets the upper hand, and in we go.

Some

The air becomes at once cold and damp, and the eyes, at first unaccustomed to the darkness, are of no assistance. You must trust to the sagacity of your donkey, for the little boy behind is a mere instrument of impulsion. Presently, however, you begin to distinguish that the walls on either hand are built of massive stone, but that they have begun to give way and lean forward, and exhibit enormous cracks and crevices. The doors are low, and in general carefully closed. If they be ajar, you can only see a sombre passage, with perhaps a little pale light coming round a corner; for it is a rule in all Eastern domestic architecture to make the entrance-corridor of a house to turn off at right angles, in order to prevent the eye of a stranger from penetrating into the court, and obtaining by chance a glimpse of the harem. Here and there dark alleys, or rather crevices, branch off, in EGYPT has always been a disagreeable dwell- which, though rarely, you may see a few indistinct ing-place for the Jews. In no Eastern country forms of women and children flitting up and down; have they been more ill-treated and oppressed. but there is nothing to tell you that you are travWith the tenacious energy of their race, however, ersing a quarter remarkable for its riches; that they have clung to this land of task-masters, and, within these gloomy, prison-like mansions there in spite of every discouragement, have managed are courts full of light and sunshine, adorned with

From Chambers' Journal.

CONDITION OF THE JEWS IN EGYPT.

fountains and creeping plants; and that Israelitish | for fear of consequences, I took to my heels, and taste has fitted up many of the apartments in the escaped with no other disaster than a bruise on most sumptuous style. This you can only learn my forehead, which I owed to my prudent precipiwhen a greater familiarity with the country enables tation. you to make the acquaintance of some shabbylooking Jew, who, if you please him, may take you home and treat you like a prince. As you ride along, you imagine you are in a quarter smitten with poverty and distress; and, not knowing the internal arrangements of the houses, imagine it next to impossible that human beings can exist in such an unventilated mass of buildings. Now and then you are disturbed in your reflections by a distant hail, informing you that some other bold character is

Sounding on his dark and perilous way

The business portions of this quarter are much more airy and respectable in appearance; but of course the Jews engaged in trade do not all congregate. Their shops are dispersed in various parts of the city. The occupations they especially follow are those of merchants, bankers, money-lenders, money-changers, jewellers, goldsmiths, provision-dealers, butchers, &c. In most mercantile houses in Egypt there is a Jew employed to conduct the small-money transactions. Despite the bad estimation in which they are held both among Moslems and Christians, they are rather honest than otherwise, quite as much so at least as the classes which despise and anathematize them. They return the hatred awarded them with interest, and seem really to consider themselves as a race infinitely superior in all the attributes of humanity to those around them.

through the Jewish quarter. This is a warning not to be disregarded. It is necessary at once, if you wish to avoid a collision, to find a place where the passage is a little wider than elsewhere, and draw your donkey close up against the wall, in order to allow the new-comer to squeeze by. Under In personal appearance the Jews of Egypt are the most favorable circumstances, knees and stir-not prepossessing. Their features, it is true, are rups often get entangled during this operation, and often finely formed; but they are a down-looking, sometimes abrasions and bruises take place. In gloomy tribe, as might be expected from the treat a crowded street in Europe it is not uncommon ment they have so long experienced. Many of for two people in a hurry to meet face to face, them are fairer than the rest of the population, and dance from side to side in the utmost distress which may be accounted for by their Syrian and confusion before they manage to pass by one origin. It has been remarked that they are freanother. In the Jewish quarter of Cairo a scene quently bloated in appearance, and are liable to similar in character may often be witnessed. If sore eyes; and some attribute the circumstance to both wayfarers hail at the same time, each selects the immoderate use of sesame oil. Whether this at once a place of refuge, and comes to a full stop, be the case or not, certain it is that this pecuand each generally begins to move again at the liarity in their cookery gives their persons a very same time; so that it is necessary at length to unpleasant odor, so that you may know a Jew in scream out at the top of one's voice, and hold the dark. I ought to add, that almost all the a long parley, before a proper understanding is Eastern Jews I have seen are very different in the come to. Occasionally, in passing through these type of their features from those of Europe; and unknown places, you stumble upon a woman in that I do not remember to have noticed the real the darkest and narrowest spot. Instead of run- Hebrew nose more than once-namely, on the ning on, they always halt, and try, as it were, to face of a young money-changer in Alexandria, squeeze into the wall. As you cannot turn round whose father rejoiced in a regular pug. The and go back, you must force past, driving your women, on the other hand, in as far as I have knees sometimes into the poor creature's side, been able to ascertain, preserve a very characterhowever much you may feel inclined to do other-istic cast of countenance. They are often handwise. They often implore your forbearance by communicating some particulars as to their state; and I used not unfrequently to manage to cross my legs over the donkey's neck, in order to avoid doing damage.

In some places the thoroughfares, which are by courtesy called streets, are low, covered passages, more resembling sewers in appearance than anything else. Into these, I suppose, few Europeans ever penetrate. I once got off my donkey and crept in, in a stooping posture. After one or two turns, I came to a small, open space, where a number of Jewesses of the poorer class were squatting together, assisting one another in the duties of the toilet, or, in other words, making a reciprocal examination of heads! A great scream told me that my intrusion was considered impertinent; so,

some and well made. Their mode of life and character resembles that of the Levantines, between whom and them, however, there exists an insuperable antipathy. I knew an Almek, or woman of this race, named Kalah, who gained her living by singing. She had a very fine voice, so that, although she had but one eye, was old, and had never been handsome, she was quite in vogue. As is commonly the case now, however, she found it necessary to add a knowledge of dancing to her accomplishments; and I have often beheld her with wonder and regret perform feats of agility of which I could not previously believe the human body capable. But Kalah's favorite occupation was singing; and when she called, in passing, at the house where I resided, to ask for a drink of water, she would often, of her own accord,

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