Scotland/Scots > Last years of Livingstone

THE LAST YEARS OF LIVINGSTONE.
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decked with gold lace, reached to the waist, and allowed
about a finger’s breadth of the skin to appear between it
and the upper edge of the skirt, which was of white Indian
muslin, dotted over with tamhorine spots of crimson silk.
The drawers came nearly to the ankles, on which were
thick silver bangles, and the feet were shod with greenish
yellow slippers, turned up at the toes and roomy enough
to make it probable she had neither corns nor bunions.
Around her neck were many gold and silver chains, and
she had earrings, not only in the lobes of the ears but
others in holes made all round the rims. Gold and silver
bracelets of pretty Indian workmanship decked the arms,
and rings of the same material, set with precious stones,
graced every finger and each thumb. A lady alone could
describe the rich and rare attire; so I leave it. The only
flaw in the get-up was short hair. It is so kept for the
convenience of drying soon after the bath. To our
Northern eyes it had a tinge too much of the masculine.
While talking with this, the chief lady of the harem, a
second entered and performed the ceremony of breaking
bread too. She was quite as gayly dressed, about eighteen
years of age, of perfect form and taller than the chief lady.
Her short hair was oiled and smoothed down and a little
curl cultivated in front of each ear. This was pleasantly
feminine. She spoke little, hut her really resplendent eyes
did all save talk. They were of a brown shade and
lustrous. Like the “ een of Jeanie Deans, filled wi’ tears,
they glanced like lamour beads.” (“ Lamour,” Scotice for
amber.) The lectures of Mr. Hancock, at Charing Cross