The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-08-20

JUSl ~. 1913.
the whole salaries must be calcu-
lated much higher in Persia than
even in India. Nothing under a
thousand pounds sterling yearly
will keep family decently; and to
60 to Persia for mere 7ictuals and
driuk, without being able to save a
dollar, would be a.poor business,
indeed. There is no mistake about
the actual cost of living and moving
about in Persia, and tents, cooks,
guards, tent pitchers. Interpreters,
food and wine are not to be had
and carried about for nothing.
There is, indeed, q certain queer
sort of respect paid to the Frank in
Persia. For instance, the soldiers
present arms to every man who
wears a chimney-pot hat, under the
belief that he is a foreign ambassa-
dor or one Of his suite; but the
fanatic Shiites, or heretical Moham-
edans, will not allow a Christian to
enter their public baths lest he
should defie them. They will not
drink out of a cup ora glass which
be has used, or sit upon a carpet
after him.
THE COURT OF PERSIA.
The Persian Court is the most
brilliant in Asia, and if any one
desires to know more precisely
what that may mean, in the present
day, it may be briefly described.
When a foreign envoy is about a
day journey from the capital he
halts his caravan, and fftv-three Of
the principal officers OF the Court
go on horseback to welcome him
and to conduct him to Teheran.
They are very well mounted, but
will sell any Of their best horses to
the Franks. In Persia a mans
rank is estimated by the size and
height of his horse. The Persian
magnates all ride tall horses of the
Turcoman breed. splendidly capar-
isoned, with golden bits and saddle
cloths wrought with embroidery
aud precious stones. Each mag
nate has q cloud of armed servants
mounted behind him, and these fel-
lows gallop round and round in
circles t., show off their horseman-
ship. Their horses tails and their
own beads are often dyed bright
red, like. to nothing in nature.
Their hair is also dyed from their
earliest youth with a mixture Of in
digo and henna.
TEHERAN as RESIDENCE.
It would be difficult TO imagine
a more desolate place of abode than
the capital of Persia. 1t is a strag-
Cling collection of houses, rarely
more than one story high, and there.
is no part of the city, if it can be
called a city, which deserves the
name of a street or square.
There are: no places of public
amusement. no buildings of any
Importance. The money which
should or might have gone to make
Teheran habitable is all in the
Shah's pocket. Indeed, it would
be in the highest degree dangerous
for a Persian to live in such man
ner to indicate to his government
that he might be squeezed with
good results. Now and then a sly
person treats himself to soft carpets
and delicate food, and he hangs q
few fawed and generally worthless
Jewels about his womankind; but
he takes care to preserve an ap-
pearance of the utmost squalor out
side his house, in order that bis
luxurious mode Of Life may at least
attract no attention. There is in
deed no way in which money can
be spent in Teheran. THERE'S no
social life there-no parties, no
balls, no park or pra'er or prone
made. When a man has bought a
few shawlls and made them into
long robes, when he has got togeth-
er half a dozen horses and a few
wives, there is practically the end
of his tether. He may multiply
his female establishment if he
chooses to do so; but he very sell
dom does choose to do it, because a
custom exists of taking wives upon
lease, or marrying fer definite
period. Concubinage, in the sense
of a disgracefnl intercourse be-
tween the sexes, is almost unknown
in Persia. The Mahometan religion
allows of four wives to begin with,
and these wives are divorceable
upon easy conditions and for a va!
rietv of reasons. Then q Persian
may contract for as many illegal
ized'' marriages as he pleases. That
is to say, he may take. up ladies at
short dates and get rid of them for
q trifing pecuniary sacrifice, as
soon as they become too numerous,