There were no beautiful residences to admire while passing along, and you can scarcely imagine how strange it seemed to look at high blank walls. In the far East houses are built with a court—an enclosed space—and on all sides of it are doors which lead into different rooms. Our hotel had an upper story, and the stairway which led to it opened on one corner of the court. Every one going into a house must first pass through a gate in the high wall. There are a great many references in the Bible to the courts of houses, and you know king Ahasuerus made a feast in a court. It was customary for the door of a court to be locked, and consequently a servant attended to the opening of it. You remember when Peter was placed in prison by Herod and guarded by four soldiers he was released from his chains and set at liberty by the angel of the Lord? Well, Peter came “to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark,” and “knocked at the door of the gate, and a damsel came to hearken.” These instances show that the custom of having houses with courts to-day is the custom of centuries ago. The bazaars of Damascus are very highly spoken of all over the world, and every traveler is anxious to visit them soon after reaching the city. We found the bazaars to be shops like open stalls, in avenues roofed over. When a customer purchases goods he walks up to the stall and is waited upon by the merchant, who is usually sitting down cross-legged. The purchaser stands on the street, which is very narrow, and the throng of buyers and wayfarers have a good chance to jostle him about unpleasantly. Merchants make much ado in selling their goods, for they talk furiously. To me it seemed a fight was brewing; but by and by the sale was completed and quiet reigned until another purchaser happened along. We wanted to purchase a few silk handkerchiefs, and before an attempt at a sale was made we were furnished with a cup of coffee each; after which an effort was made to sell the articles. Sales are not always made, for the buyer is not always pleased with the goods. You may wonder how large the cups were, so I’ll just tell you they held perhaps two tablespoonfuls of coffee ready to drink. That may seem like a very little bit, but it was quite enough, for we had to get rid of grounds too. In that country coffee is pounded in a mortar, making the grain as fine as powder. After having been boiled the mixture is sweetened, and then you get rid of it as best you can. A very strange custom you will think, but in time one becomes used to it. While walking along we noticed some of the bazaars were without salesmen, and upon inquiry found the men had gone to the mosque for prayers. No matter when the hour of prayer came, business was cast aside, and away they went. Could not many Christians learn a lesson from the Mohammedans to-day? Surely they could. [Illustration: _Water Seller._]