Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-07-29
Power of the Stick in Persia.

No rank or position in life is beyond
the reach of the stick 10 Persia, and the
people really seem only to admire and
respect those who have the power and
the will to use it. / have seen Per-
sian minister whose toe-nails had been
beaten off by the shah, and whose feet
were so lacerated that they festered, and
he was obliged to keep his bed for six
months in consequence; but be seemed
to feel no anger, irritation, or shame upon
the subject, but spoke of it without hesi-
tation or reserve. "He is very great
king, the shah A very great king in
deed !" be would say. "Look at my
feet p
The King Of Persia is called "king of
kings" and ''the center Of the world."-
He often concludes an official document
with the information that if the receiver
does not obey the commands contained in
| it he shall have kick from which he
will not recover in this world.
A kind and merciful man was, not long
ago, appointed governor of province
through the influence of one Of the Eu-
ropean embassies, and he had got, some
how, many new-fangled ideas into his
head. Among other things, be desired
to govern with justice and moderation as
far as the rapacity of the court would al
low him, and for some time, he could not
understand how it happened that he was
so universally unpopular. There was no
overlooking the fact that the people not
only disliked, but they despised him. In
his perplexity he asked counsel Of one Of
the oldest inhabitants of the city which
was the seat of his government. The
venerable sage, who had been brought TO
his presence with some difficulty, eyed
him slyly. "We are" said he, ''accus-
toned to be beaten, and you do not beat
us /; We, therefore, naturally suppose that
you cannot and dare not do SO, and we
consider it as an affront that person of
so little consequence has been appointed
to rule over u.s." ''If this is the case"
returned the governor, reconverted at
once to the faith and customs of his coun-
| try by an argument SO unanswerable,
"you shall be satisfied to your hearts
content; and to mark my respect for your
person, will have you beaten first" The
old man made no objection, and, some
time after, hobbled away with sore feet
to tell his admirers that the governor was
not really such contemplate person as
he seemed. The opinion was confirmed
on the following day, when all the chief
merchants were seized and fogged, after
which the governor got on very well with
them, till, in due lime, he was, of course,
replaced by one who had no European
prejudices at all. These stories would
have no salt in them if they were not
true but, indeed, the stick is the princi-
pal element in the life Of Persian
There was khan with whom / was in
the habit Of dining while in Persia, and
one day it must be confessed that the pi-
laf was less succulent than could have
been wished. iRnocently confded my
sentiment upon the subject to my enter
tainer, and shortly afterward we heard
some shrill cries. at is" said my host,
politely, in answer to my inquiring glance,
''the cook we shall have better pilaff
next time" And, in truth, when dined
with the khan again the pilaff was quite
a gastromic triumph. The stick and its
uses are SO well known in Persia that it
is considered the extreme of i'll manners
to enter a house with cane in ones
hand.
OF course such state of things as this
could only exist together with extreme
ignorance, and truly the ignorance of the
Persians can hardly be surpassed, though
hey have indeed great natural wit.