old bad customs still exist, though the great European nations try to
prevent the public markets for slaves being held. People are happiest
in countries where there are no slaves and everyone is free to do the
work for which he is best fitted.

In Egyptian households where there is more than one wife there is
often quarrelling. The wives of one man all live in one "hareem," and
cannot help being jealous if they see their husband likes one better
than another. Then there is quarrelling and ill-will among them. As
the children grow up there is a further cause for jealousy, because
the mothers of boys are more important than those who have only
girl-children. Children cannot respect their mothers if they often
see them quarrelling and jealous. Again, there is always a
possibility that a husband may divorce his wife. He is not likely to
do so if she has a boy-baby, but until she has, her position as a wife
is not very secure. These bad marriage customs lead to much
unhappiness, and prevent the women of Egypt from doing so much good as
the women of some other lands are able to do. We must not, of course,
think that all Egyptian homes are unhappy; probably many poor women
are quite glad when their husband brings another wife to help with the
work. But where servants do the work, there are only the pleasures of
the home to be shared, and then jealousy will be likely to come.

4. The Big Towns

If we went for a walk in the narrow streets of an Egyptian city or big
town, we should see on either side open shops, each with its owner
ready to sell his goods. Many of the people of the towns have shops
or trades. They sell jewellery, furniture, cloth, and everything that
is wanted in the house for cooking. In the streets there are some men