Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-06-05
IN A PERSIAN TOWN.

Inc SCrCoCS are UuSy iuu Aull ~ q
beehive; such a clattcr Of tongues, too.
that l am quite bewildered at the d.
versity of sound. Everyone talks at
top of his voice, rs though the person
addressed were deprived of hearing.
Vendors of enticing swectmeats and
clarified butter expose their tempting
wares. ''Oh! sweet bcct-root. and
onions and carrots have l." cries the
costermonger, 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. Beg
gars appeal to our charity, raising
themselves from the heaps upon which
they lie. baskiug in the sunshine; if
you give them something they arc con.
tent, but if their prayer is unheeded it
is because you are u Christian dog, or
the sou of q burned father, and with
alternate yitupcrations and furtive
scratchings they again subside. We
wind between long strings of camels;
each beast is tied with a cord or iron
chain to the back trappings of the one
that precedes it. With an unpardona-
BILE breach of good manners one pokes
his nose Familiarity 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 tho neck; the
legs, also, are covered as far as the
knees with soft masses. which look
like knickerbockers. What a motley
collection it is various types blend
with a confusion of soHnd, Women be.
stride manfully their steeds, and q
large white jackass, the property of a
sayid, brays u welcome in a voice
which for strength, richness, and un-
limited compass l have never heard
surpassed. In Il small square there is
q circular platform opcn to the public,
and, although it u hardly be called
a public building, is ono of interest to
many. 1t is planned after no particu-
lar form of architecture, and is certain.
ly not tho creation OF IN artistic mind.
The basement is y sakkoo or platform
raised u few feet from the earth, and
anything more dismal can not we'll be
conceived, for this is the execution
ground. the long pole in the center OF
which was formerly tut Too often
adorned with 4 grim or gastly head.
Except in extreme cases the penalty OF
death has boon almost abolished; still
from time to time the cXecutioner has
an opportunity Of reveling in the
%odiousness OF his vocation. The laws
of each country, however barbarous.
are generally adopted for the good Of
tho respective inhabitants, and the
method of executing criminals in civil
LIKED countries would produce but little
effect upon the very mixed and half
barbarie people who assemble here,
The puolic spectacle acts as q warning
to others that punishment will surely
follow crime. and doubtless deters
many from similar oflcnscs. How
strongly are comedy and tragedy blend.
ed in this life! Dirty, barefootcd
little children, clad in very short skirts,
or v in natures garb only, are
playing, %unmindful of the horrid place,
making the Persian equivalent for mud
pies from the dust which may have
been dyed with the blood of a score Of
m~alefaclors. The road is here so bad
with deep ruts, half hidden by piles Of
mud, that We are forced to advance
slowly and with care for fear of break.
ing our horses legs Or leaving u por'
ton of the carriage behind us. l have
never had such a shaking in all my life,
and every time we miss destruction by
ono of tho wheels just skirting in a
hole instead of going into it my hear,
is filled with uncxpressed satifaction,
although the jerks have nearly dragged
my joints apart. After all, happincs.
is mi relativc!-London Society.