The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-01-26
IN a PERSIAN STREET.



The Odd Things to He Seen I'm the fhsr
| oughfsres of Teheran.
In such a climate as that of Teherar
life is naturally passed chiefly in the
open air. The chill of winter, rarely
severe, seems to make little difference
IN the habits of the people. The shops
are all open to the streets; the custom.
ers stand outside. and even the shop.
keeper attends to most of his business
from the exterior of the shop. III he is
baker, grocer or costermonger, in all
probability he and the customer both
stand in the street, retreating into the
shop only when a string of eamels or a
dashlng cortege forces them to move
out OF the way. A carpenter may fire.
quently be seen arranging q 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 a
crowded thoroughfare one NAV 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 Mo-
hammedan to shave his crown. The
Sunnees shave the entire head except
ing long lock in the center whereby,
it is said, the archangel may pluck
them out of the grave. But the
Sheahs or Persian Mussulmans shave
from the forehead to the nape of the
neck, leaving highly priced lock on
each side. 1t is, therefore, common
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 ap-
Piled IS henna, an Orange-yellow vege-
table dye. Many consider this so hand
some as to prefer it without the further
application Of indigo which most Sc
lect. The last tint. combined with the
henna, impartS a durable and rather
agreeable dark-brown color to the hair.
The women also have their hair dyed
ami 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 admit
,ance to the baths of the Persians.
The public baths answer the purpose of
Tubs and sewing circles; the women
20 in the morning, take their sewing
with them, and, after being thoroughly |
steamed and scrubbed. devote several |
hours to smoking the Edlidn, embroid- |
ering, and discussing the scandal of |
the neighborhOOd, which they assidu- |
ouSly 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 establish
ments are generally thronged towards |
the close of the day.
Both winc-drinking and card-playing
are forbidden to true believers; and. |
therefore, neither is seen in these places |
IF public resort. But both are freely |
INDUCED in at home. The card-play-
ers OF Persia use set of twenty cards |
in five suits of four each.
1t is an interesting fact that America
must relinquish the claim of having in
vented the gamblers favorite game of
AOL IL y" do hiIO"n III IcTSld CEN
turtles ago. The game played by the
Persians 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. Per-
sian bread is made in sheets the thick
ness of sole leather; the best quality is
thinner. 1t is formed in
The shape and size of side of leather.
The baker with bare arms dexterously
raises a sheet of this dough from the
counter where it is rolled out, losses
and rolls it over his left arm un-
Ill reduced to the proper tenuity. With
3 rapid fling of both arms he then
spreads it over the hot floor of the oven.
In q few moments It is baked and
spread out to cool. II there is a con-
1enient ledge in the street near the
'hop one may see it covered with layers
If bread. This bread is cheap, one
cent sheet, and what is more It is
sweet and nourishing, and, with curds, /
cheese and fruit, forms . staple article
II diet with large part of the popula-
ion. Consequently, one constantly
meets with people carrying sheets Of
,read home with them, the women
iolding them in front like leather
'prons.-S. g. n. Bsniomin, 10 Cen
wy.