All over Palestine, as in some other parts of the East, such a scene as is here pictured is common. In the streets it is a usual sight to see two women sitting on the ground, grinding grain into flour. The machine they use is made of two stones. The bottom stone is large and has its ends hollowed out to catch the falling flour. The middle part of the bottom stone is raised, and upon this rests the upper and smaller stone. This upper stone is round with a hole through its center. It also has a hole in which a handle is placed so that the stone can be turned. The grain is put in the center hole. As the stone turns the grain feeds down, and is crushed by the weight of the turning rock. Almost all day long these women sit grinding flour. Two women can, in about five hours, grind flour enoug to last a family of five persons one day.

The grinding of the grain is always a part of the women's work in the eastern countries. This is also true of the women in Mexico, and the squaws of North American Indians. After the flour is ground, it is made into cakes and baked in a neighborhood oven. In many cities these ovens are built into the street. They look like old-fashioned beehives. The picture is also interesting because it shows you the kind of people that live in Palestine. Study their faces. Do they look like Indians? Are they Indians? Observe the head-dress of the women. What is in the bowl beside the grinding mill? The girl next the door is doing embroidery work. A great many of the buildings in this country are made of clay. Robbers oftentimes break into a house by cutting a hole through the wall.