Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-11-19
PERSIAN PLEASURES.
Plenty of Amusement for the Rich.
But None for tho Poor.

Plenty of Amusement for tho Rich,
But None for the Poor.
In the way Of popular amusemenis.
there is not much in Persia. The rich.
of course. rs elsewhere, know how to
find and sip the honey of amusement
from the chalicc of life. Not so the
poor The wealthy Persian INDUCES
in banqucts, TO which he will invite his
intimate friends, and where they get
beastly drank on arrack and wine and
date brandy, where from forty 10 two
hundred dishes and sweatmeats are
served, and where some female slaves
will dance To him and his guests:
where they W II rccine after the meal
by the bubbling kanaut, with the fragrant
fumes Of the ghalZan enycloping them.
while Jewish musicians will play and
professional Story-tellcr Will yet of his
best yarns and most luscious Jokes, the
whole crowd meanwhile swilling tea
and sherbet by the gallon. In the even
ing they will even have fireworks. aud
hundreds of little lamps. Enclosed in
varicolored glass globes, will have their
rays reflected from the glass ceiling,
The rich will 60 of on long hunting
excursions or on hawking parties, or to
pigeons matches. They viii employ
jugglcrs and prizc-fghters and magi-
clans. They will while the weary
hours pleasantly away in their anda-
rouns with their women in variety of
ways. Money always finds means TO
spend the time amusingly, if IT chooses
bat how about the poor Persians, and
they form 80 per cent of the popula-
ton? Practically they have only the
ghalzan. the tea-house. the bath, and
the professional story-tcllers and
"boutecs' TO give them their forctaste
of the paradise which Mohammcd has
painted in such glowing colorS. The
ghalzan is the Persian watcr-pipc. 1t
Is quite d tiercnt from the Turkish
narglilch, has no ileX bic tube and
mouthpiecc, but straight still stem.
and 1t Is SO heavy and announcement TO
hold that Il requires one two hands
and entire attention TO manipulate it.
But the splendid smoke it furnishes
COMPENSATE, for the trouble The
smoke passes through cool water and
j. quite tree from E,cot ne when il
comes TO the mouth
The tobacco used in the ohalZau j.
called "tumbekce.' TO distinguish il
from the "futun. or tobacco q the
chibouk. Il is raised IN three grades.
The best comes from Shiraz, and the
next best from lSpahau. and the cheap
est and least good from ke>ht The
latter produces q disagrctablc tickling
sensation IN the throat and j. rather
rank But the Sh raz tobacco Costing
in Persia about 20 cent, Il pound is
most delicious variety of The weed.
strong and mild al the same time, of
delicious fragrance aud very peculiar
but pleasant taste In the lower grades
OF tulnbekcc some op Um is admiNed.
and this with the invctcratc smokers
produces along in the afternoon sort
of narcosiS. called by them "kefl;' that
Is. the state Of greatest aitainablc. we'll
being, Of tranquility CHE Persian has
the same word for bl -, JOY, happiness.
and tranquility
Many Pcrs ans smoke forty TO fifty
ghalzans a day-that is. they viii gen
orally smoke MP half the tobacco II the
silver cup that holds it on top of the
bottle shaped ohalzau-, throwing the
other half away, n 4 IT, usually impreC-
mated with nicotine. Thcar pipe, are
kept exceedingly clean, a remarkable
fact in Il country where even the high
est are quite filthy To our notion. In
the households of the well-to-do. one
of the highest servants il the ghalzan-
dar pire bearer, whose exclusive duty
it is to clean the pipes and keep hi,
master supplied with fresh ones. Ihr
ladies. too, smoke the chaizan great
deal, both those of high and low rank.
| have seen ladies from the shah auda-
roun stop on the high road in their car
riagcs. by waysidc inn and have
half dozen gh3lzans brought to them.
the cunuchs and servants meanwhile
blocking The way 20 all other pas>crs-