The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-02-05
APcrsian Town.


A writer in London Society thus de-
scribes a town in Persia: ",The streets
are busy and full as a beehive; such
a CHATTER OF tongues, too, that | am
quite bewildered at the diversity OF
sound. Every one talks at the top
ofhis voice, rs though the person ad-
dressed We're deprived of hearing.
Vendors OF enticing sweetmeats and
clarified butter expose their tempting
wares. % sweet bcetroot. and onions,
andcarrots have II cries the coster-
monger, displaying his stock in trade
on the back of his donkey, and seems
to drive a brisk trade. Every one
appears to be out OF doors. Beggars
appeal to our charity, rising them,
selves from the heaps upon which
they lie basking inthesunshine; Ifyou
give them something they r%econtent,
but Ii their prayer is unheeded it is be.
cause you are a Christian dog or the
son OF Il burned father, and with al
ternate vitupeiations and furtive
s~cathings they again subside.
"We wind between long strings OF
camcls, each beast is tied by q rope or
chain to the back-trappinss of theone
that precedes it. With an unpardon-
able breach ofgood manners one pokes
his nose familiarly into the carriage.
Some OF them are fine, handsome
beasts, still wearing their winter coats
OF thick shaggy brown hair; a long
fringe OF it hangs about the neck; the
legs also are covered as far as the
knees with soft masses, which looklike
knickerpockers. What a motley col
lection it is-var.ous types blend with
a confusion OF sound. Women be-
stride manfuliy their steeds; and q
large white iackass, the property of q
Sayid, brays % welcome in a voice
which for strength, richness, and un-
limited compass | heard sur
passed. In Il small square there is q
circular platform open to the public,
and although it can scarcely be called
a public building, it is one OF interest
to many. 1t is planned after no par
ticular form OF architecture, and is
certainly not the creation of an ar
tistic mind. The basement is asakko
or platform raised a few feet from the
earth, and anything more dismal can
not well be conceived, for this is the
execution ground, the long pole in the
centre OF which was formerly but too
often adorned with a grim and
CHASTITY head. Except in extreme
cases the penalty OF death has
been almost abolished: from time to
time the executioner has an oppor-
tmli6y OF reveling in the odiousness OF
his vocation. The laws of each coun-
try, however barbarous, ire generally
adopted for the good of the respective
inhabitants, and the method OF exc
cutting criminals in civilized countries
would produce but little effect upon
the very mixed and half-barbaric
people who assemblehere. Thepublic
spectacle acts as a warning to others
that punishment will surely follow
crime, and doubtless deters many from
similar otfenses,
Glow strongly arecomedy and trag--
edy blended in this life! Dirty, bare,
footed little children, cladin very short
shirts, or even in ndture's garb only,
ere playing, u~nmindfuld of the horrid
place, making the Persian equivalent
for mud-pies from the dust which may
have been dyed with the blood o.
scores OF malefactors. The road il
here SO bad with deep ruts halfhiddel
by piles OF mud that we were forced ia
advance slowly and with care, forfear
OF breaking our horses legs or leaving
a portion OF the carriage behind us.
have never had such q shaking in al
my life; and, every time we miss de
struction by II OF the wheels just
skirting Il hole instead Of going intoit
myhearti is filled withunexpected salts
faction, although the jerks have near
~ dragged my Joints apart"