The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-04-03
Life in Persia.
AN ENGLISH DOCTOR is SENT FOR BY
SOME PERSIAN LADIES.

AN ENGLISH DOCTOR Is SENT FOR Bl
SOME PERSIAN LADIES.
Doctors are privileged persons. Pos
sibly on his first visit, or if his patient
be the wife of holy man, they may
be veiled but afterward the veil is
cast aside. One great characteristic OF
the Persian is his curiosity among
Persian women it is developed in an
intense degree. And that is why it is
that the doctor is so often sent for.
| have been summoned to the house
OF Persian grandee In Difference to
Oriental prejudices l have discarded
my linen cutaway coat, which from its
shortness, is considered indelicate, and
substituted for it the professional
black cloth frock.
"Hearts Delight Hearts Delight -
shouts our guide, as he reaches grimy
curtain, at the same time signalling me
by wave of the hand to advance no
further. A scuttling of slippered feet
is heard, and Hearts Delight, hid.
eous negress of middle age, dressed in
clean and bright print garments, raises
the curtain. 'In the name of God, you
are welcome you have been expected.
One minute, sahib, till l inform our
lady," grins the black slave woman,
The curtain falls, and in the half dark
ness of the passage the porter gazes at
me and l gaze at the porter. "Ne-
crosses are the daughters of burnt
fathers" he remarks To which / re-
ply, eyes, yes" as is the custom in the
East On bearing self.evident PROPOSE
tion. Now we are aware of considera-
BILE commotion and shrill voices from
behind the curtain, and, before | can
be enlightened further by the door por-
ter on the subject of the daughters of
burnt fathers, the curtain is again rails
ed, this time to admit us. "Welcome,
sahib. Pray enter. May your foot
steps be fortunate !" Our guide, the
sooty Hearts Delight precedes us.
We reach the door of the principal
apartment, the windows of which look
down upon the whole length of the
hauS. | cast off my galoshes at the
door, but retain my head gear, for to
remove it would be the height of rude
ness. Hearts Delight motions me to
seat on chair (the only chair; Per-
slams sit on the groundD at the head of
the room. When | say that the inter
ior of this apartment resembles the
halls of the Alhambra Court at the
Crystal Palace, as they appeared in
their first splendor before the great fire
there, l exactly describe it. A price
less carpet, surrounded by felt edgings,
two inches thick and a yard wide ap-
pears like lovely but subdued picture
artfully set in sombre frame. In the
recesses of the walls are many bou-
quets in glass vases. The one great
Window miracle of intricate cargen-
try, some 20 feet by 2O-blazes with a
geometrical pattern of tiny pieces OF
glass, forming one gorgeous mosaic.
Three of the sashes of this window are
thrown up to admit air the colored
glass of the top and four remaining
ssshes effectually shut out excess Of
light.
The .trouJrou of silk is heard.
Thre ladies enter the room. Their feet
and legs are bare to the knee, for they
have cast off their shoes at the door;
but the rest of them is shrouded in
large sheet of dark blue silk, the outer
veil of the Persian lady. Gracefully
they sink down into the heaps in a
semicircle opposite us. "Salaam, sa-
hib. You are welcome. Tea, tea, for
the sahib y l respond in the custo-
mary way, and inquire after the health
Of my yelled bostesses. Only one re-
plies, in confident tone-she is evil
IDENTIFY of middle age; and self-possess-
ed. The other two blue heaps shake
with inward mirtb, but are silent. sit
can not be, it is too hot !" the lady
continues, as she casts off her dark blue
envelope-an example Immediately
followed by her companions.
Hearts Delight hastily folds up the
three wells; and plump, middle-aged
lady, very comely and her two inno-
cent-looking daughters, handsome
young women, fair as any English
girl, with round chubby faces and mag
nifcent eyes are disclosed to view in
all the splendor of the Persian lady's
indoor dress. The costume of all is
the same, varying only in colors, and
these are of the gayest; short and vol
luminous skirts OF silk, much bouffee,
reaching to the knees; shirts (the Per
sian word, like the French chemise, is
applied to the garment of both sexes)
of transparent silk gauze tiny Zouave
jackets of gaily embroidered velvet,
just covering the shoulders and the top
of the back (of these the sleeves are
unbuttoned from the elbow, hanging
down and showing the gay Innings of
pale'colored but brilliant silk; the top
of the head and the ears are hidden by
gorgeous silk kerchiefs, embroidered in
gold and there is no more clothing to
describe, unless the numerous brace
let's of the bangle form, of gold and
glass, which jangle as the ladies move
their arms, may be called clothes.
The ladies chat the younger ones
only to each other in an undertone, for
maiden modesty prevents their address
ing the doctor but they giggle and
litter good deal, and they are duly
reproved for it by the elder lady. Tea
in delicate old china cups is served; we
all smoke hubble bubbles, and four of
them are brought by Hearts Delight
and three other black female slaves.
Presently | hear a tittering behind me,
turn, and instantly there ia lead 81
lence as bright curtain of shot ilk
quickly falls, but not before / have OBJ
served an amused bevy of gayly dress
ed women and children. Excuse them,
DIR. Sahib they are so dull, so dull"
Conversation turns upon the curious
oastoms of Europeans. I am asked if
| am married. | have to admit that |
am not, and am duly pitied But
then, "After all, you are right. Where
there is woman there is discord,"
says my hostess More tea; more pipes.
Sweet cakes, oonfection, and conserves
are handed; iced sherbet, in Bohemi al
glass tumblers, gilt and of gaudy col
n