The Red Cloud chief., 1886-09-10
4 PERSIAN HORSE RACE.
The reason Why tho Shah's
H--sc Always WINS.
AZ NsE.-fT-- a.-s-araH-- aud III, IiiiI.
5sAs-~.-n~- 'pDn "a" T~Tac&->p,c-
t.s1Iar a.rch 81 ti,- irn,-
1 c..L.- s4If.

- u'FriN hour on amUrniur IN Ap-il
lat crowds - p~,plr mI-ht have been
sen Ipgr.rs through The western gate
al ls 81, 81 IcErran ou their SAY T.
thr annual hpr races. The si-ht
Wa~ on" which could scarcely hr seen
anySL"r" else ~ the world \ hun
cr-fi tuyht color, were - b. observed
in ia" drr,~e, of the men. the women
brin~ dressed all alike ia wide blue
trOu~-r-. blue overall and white lace
Coverings. >om. on foot. Others a,tr.dc
ca horses or donkcvS. but all bent on
the same errai.d a few hours inno-
cent amusement
Al nine a m- the firing of a gun ut
a." palare gates announced that the
STAMPEDE of the crowd. many Of whom
mIStcok Ia gun A. a signal for the
commencement of the racing. In a
fcw minutes. however. they were
sauniering gaily along again. Another
gun. announcing that the Shah WAS
ready In start. caused me Ia wcnd INV
WAY To- the palace. where a couple Of
horses were awaiting his Majesty. the
etstr carrisgc standing ready close by
sn ease he should prefer il. The shah.
who appeared one blaze IF diamonds.
mounted 4 iinr gray Arab. and. with
some fifty runners in front. and a mass
of horsemen ridin. behind. started tyr
Or s>snrre. Tn gray proving FESTIVE
another horse was brought. and. in a
few minutes = third gun announced
that the Shah had arrived at tn. grand
ktand. and The racing might begin.
Imagine an oval-shaped garden en-
cireled by a high mud wall. with a
hard gravel road thirty yards in width
and thickly covered with loose stones.
on the outer side of the wall, two miles
in circumference. and YOU have the
Tehersn taeing track. Sitting or
standing in the sun. on horseback. or
comfortably ensconced i'm tents around
che outer edge of the course. are some
thirty thousand citizens and soldiers,
eagerly waiting for the casual glimpse
which Is all hat can pe obtained If the
horses a. they pass; whilst n grand
stand. a large. substantial brick build
ang. opposite the starting aud finishing
post. Is hlled-with the exception OF
two rooms reserved for the European
1egations-by the Shah. his harem and
retainers. On the open plain behind
the grand stand some hundreds of
richly eomparisoned horses are being
he'd about by grooms. whilst their own
ers are comfortably seated in their
tents watching the races. In the cen-
frsl saloon of the grand stand is seated
the Shah. surrounded by his ministers
and personal attendants. the front of
The saloon bring entirely open. The
zen to the east are filled with the
t~tisr class Of Persians and . few
Europeans. while the whole Of the
~e-tern wing Is devoted To the hsrcm
sal Slscndznt eunuchs. Opposite
t-e grand stand. in a crescent
. OGt OF the garden. Two elephants
Nta COLA sSddle-cloths. their trunks
iaist all the oolors of the rainbow.
s@Rt. solemniy ignoring the hustle
.7eand thena- In the center of the
crescent h = tank. around which are
teztod some twenty nstiye musicians
pisssng tom-tons and tar-ihe latter
asP~csos If hcdle. probably the origi-
nsl ot the fiddle Itself. Wills, in front
al tks crescent. and directly opposite
she >azh's saloon. dozsa Lu:i boys
from c-hi IL twelve years II a-e. 20
tar01sa their Disgusting performances.
Iso srsSs basds occapy the remainder
a the er->~sat Here and there
SnsooSsc fAr crowd ogtssS.. horSemea
sr.rd alta husr silver bztcns-em-
Aims II aatsOnIy-push taSir gay o.
<criag tke rsO~a To 81 aovn. stand
tAk. sse-- and inssrueflng the t<r-
T<saes q foos. ~ho are armed with
snsg sssrA. 20 snforce these ora~n
TA4s u<y 20 sseevhss roaxhly. e.as-
ssg . eoasss-f vss oi worvA bu; isssis
eis~. sA< PNspk ne<kiy taking shsir
sks>-Aing ssA sitting down O. ialiine
Asrk - ths.ease nay he
>.t-.. twsasesssrirnl equipped
r -