Connecticut western news., 1886-01-20
STREETS OF TEHERAN
Scenes to be Witnessed in a
 Persian Thoroughfare.
How the Tradesmen Ply Their Various
 Occupations in the Open Air.

How the Tradesmen Ply Their Various
 Occupations in the Open Air.
 s. G. W. Benjamin, recently United States minister at the court of Persia de- scribes his impressions of that country in the Century. He says: 'Tn such climate as that of Teheran life is naturally passed chiefly in the open air. The chill of win ter, rarely severe, seems to make little difference in the habits of the people. The shops are all open to the streets; the customers stand outside, and even the shop-keeper attends to most of his busi- mess from the exterior of the shop. If he is baker, grocer, or costermonger, in all probability he and the customer both stand in the street, retreating into the shop only when string of camels or a dashing cortege forces them to move out of the way. A carpenter may frequently be seen arranging piece of joinery on the pavement in front of his shop. The schools often in no-wise differ from the shops; in the midst of crowded thor oughfare one may see twenty or thirty lads seated on their heels repeating the lesson together in monotonous tone.
 Another common sight in the streets of Teheran is the itinerant barber. The Koran enjoins the masculine Mohamme- dan to shave his crown. The Sunnees shave the entire head excepting long lock in the center whereby, it is said, the archangel may pluck them out of the grave. But the Sheahs or Persian Mus sulmans shave from the forehead to the nape of the neck, leaving a highly prized lock on each side. It is, therefore, com mon to see man of the lower classes seated on the pavement, going through the operation of having his head shaved. The remaining hair and the beard are dyed, and it is rare that one sees gray hairs in Teheran. The first tint applied is henna, an orange-yellow vegetable dye. Many consider this so handsome as to prefer it without the further application of indigo which most select. The last tint, combined with the henna, imparts durable and rather agreeable dark brown color to the hair. The wom- en also have their hair dyed and join the eyebrows with the pencil. All classes make use of the bath at least once week, the wealthy having steam-baths attached to their dwellings. No Christian is ever permitted admittance to the baths of the Persians. The public baths answer the purpose of clubs and sewing circles; the women go in the morning, take their sewing with them, and, after being thor ougly steamed and scrubbed, devote sev- eral hours to smoking the ''kalian," em- bordering, and discussing the scandal of the neighborhood, which they assiduously circulate on their return home
 Another street sight of Teheran is the tea-house, equivalent to the coffee-house of Constantinople or the beer-garden of Munich. These establishments are gen orally thronged towards the close of the day.
 Both wine-drinking and card-playing are forbidden to true believers; and there fore, neither is seen in these places of pub lie resort. But both are freely indulged in at home. The card-players of Persia use a set of twenty cards in five suits of four each.
 'It is an interesting fact that America must relinquish the claim of having in- vented the gamblers favorite game of poker, for it was known in Persia centur- ies ago. The game played by the Per sians is in principle poker or brag pure and simple, and betting often runs high with them.
 Another characteristic sight in the streets of Teheran is the bread. Persian bread is made in sheets the thickness of sole leather; the best quality is somewhat thinner. It is formed in the shape and size of a side of leather. The baker with bare arms dexterously raises sheet of this dough from the counter where it is rolled out, losses and rolls it over his left arm until reduced to the proper tenuity. With a rapid fling of both arms he then spreads it over the hot floor of the oven In few moments it is baked and spread out to cool. If there is convenient ledge in the street near the shop, one may see it covered with layers of bread. This bread is cheap, one cent sheet, and what is more it is sweet and nourishing, and, with curds, cheese, and fruit, forms 8 staple article of diet with large part of the population. Consequently, one constantly meets with people carrying sheets of bread home with them, the women holding them in front like leather aprons"
 1 Destroying the Effect.
 i remember hearing " Curfew Shall Not Right Tonight" recited by young lady of considerable elocutionary talent. l She was making a very favorable imnres-