New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-01-27
APersian Town.


R.writer in London Society thus de-
scribes a town in Persia: .'The streets
are busy and full as 3 beehive; such
q chatter of tongues, too, that am
quite bewildered at the diversity OF
sound. Every one talks at the top
ofhis voice, as though the person ad-
dressed were deprived OF hearing
Vendors OF enticing sweetmeats and
clarified butter expose their tempting
wares. O.sweet beetroot, and onions, /
and carrots have II cries the coster-f
monger, displaying his stock IN trade
on the back OF his donkey, and seems
to drive brisk trade. Every one
appears, to be out OF doors: Begsars
appeal to our charity, rising them
selves from the heaps upon which
they lie basking in thesunshine; Iyou'
give them something they are content
but II their prayer is UNDECIDED it is be-
cause you are Christian dog or the
son of a burned father, and with al
ternate interpretations and furtlve'
seathings they again subside.
'sWe wind between long strings OF
camels, each beast is tied by rope or
chain to the back-trappings OF the one.
that precedes it. With an unpardon-
able breach ofgood manners one pokss
his nose Familiarity into the carriage
Some OF them are fine, handsome
beasts, still wearing their winter coats
of thick shaggy brown hair; a Tong
fringe OF it hangs about the neck; the
legs also are covered as far as the
knees with soft masses, which look hike
knickerbockers. What a motley col
lection it is-var.ous types blend with
confusion of sound. Women be-
stride manfuliy their steeds; and q
large white jackass, the property OF a
Sayid, brays a welcome IN a voice
which for strength, richness, and I'M
limited compass | never heard sur
passed. In a small square there is a
circular platform open to the public,
and although it can scarcely be called
q 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 a sakko
or platform raised 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
centre of which was formerly but too
often adorned with 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-
tunity OF reveling in the odiousness OF
his vocation. The laws of each coun-
try, however barbarous, are 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 assemble here. Thepublic
spectacle acts as warning to others
that punishment will surely follow
crime, and doubtless deters many from
similar offenses.
Glow strongly are comedy and trag-
edy blended in this life! Dirty, bare
looted little children, clad in very short
shirts, Or even in natures garb only,
are playing, unmindfuld of the horrid
place, making the Persian equivalentH
for mudpies from the dust which may
have been dyed with the blood OF
scores of malefactors. The road is
here SO bad with deep ruts half hidden
by piles OF mud that wewere forced to
advance slowly and with care, REAR
Of breaking our horses legs or leaving
a portion Of the carriage behind us. I
have never had such shaking in all
my life; and, every time we miss de-
struction by one OF the wheels just
skirting a hole instead of going into it,
my heart Is filled with unexpected salts
faction, although the jerks have near
y dragged my joints. apart"