The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-17
PERSIAN ETIQUETTE.

Flint, Mich
PERSIAN ETIQUETTE.
The Persian etiquette concerning wo
men is very strict. In "a visit of cere
moDy no man approaches the anderson
and he is also careful TO avoid III.
slightest reference to the ladies' Of th'
household. Conversation always opens
with complimentary inquiries as 10 The
health of the visitor. together with f0i.
nal compliments. all Of which he is *
pected to reciprocate. But though a
wife might be ut the point OF death II
would be- a breach Of decOrum for tht
male visitor to press inquiry III that
direction. The same custom prevail
in letter-wriling. A Persian letter
or dispatch always opens with compli-
meuts In place Of our Dear Sir a
Persian gentleman would commence
somewhat in this way: ITO the
exalted in dignity; to the glo-
nous companion Of honor. Mr.
Jones write 10 inquire after your
h5alth. and AN deeply anxious that all
your GAYS should pass happily, for YOU
are good and perfect This is SO much
matter of form In Persian writing
that in Blue Books containing dispatch
es from the Ameer of Afghanistan
which are usually written ia Persian. il
may be noticed that every one begins
with the words after compliments, p
which is sometimes abridged TO "A
G. tho irfeducible minimum of Thu
oriental fashion. In no Mohamme.
dan country are domestic slavery
aud pologamy so general as Ia
Persia. OF course, without a large
immigration or importation OF wo-
men. polygtmy cannot in any country
be universal. for nature provides
practical equality of sexes, and so it
happens ia Persia that polygamy pro-
moles the appropriation Of marriage
able women by all but the poorest. In
Persian streets and in travel, the wo-
men are in the landscape what the
black coated and chimney potted Euro
pelus are in the street scenery Of the
western continent. 10 Persia it is the
men who give the b-auty Of color to
the scene clothed most gracefully in
thos. iinis Of green and blue. Of red
and yellow. which the improving taste
of Europe has learnt t. love and TO
adopt. In the towns the traveller re
cognzes in the people the characters
Ut the tales. of The Arabian
Nights" There is the hlndsom-
stalwart porter, scratching his
shaved head. with painting. sunburnt
breast. ready for any Summons, in
C uding that of the vellel and Away
mysterious lady in blue or black EN-
velope. There is the merchant from
Blgdad or Tabriz. wearing the lie
spectacle turban of pilgrim. or some /
other mark, to show that he has night /
to be greeted in the market place as
"ha1ii His green or white turban is /
spotless and ample. a cloak of fiue /
cloth or cashmere, goil-braided, hang /
from his shoulders. and his tunic OF |
purple or green is bound with a costly /
silken sash Of red and yellow, IL /
which. probably. the case containing I
MS reeds a1d iukhorn, for writing. is /
thrust like a dagger. Every here is
seen the priest or the mOllah. mounted. |
when he can afford to ride, with all the
airs of a superior person, upon a white
donkey. The tradesman. all pictur-
esQu.. sit smoking "kalian" or read.
lng the Koran upon the front planks OF
heir stalls in the COLOR in winter
bitterly cold bazaar. without any more
apparent interest in their business
.han if it were mere cloal
for the supernatural concerns OF
heir life in such another world a.
that in which moved the genii Of those
~oudsrful tales. Even without magic
art there are in Persia always two mys I
.eries. There are the yelled lady aud
The walled up house. No foreigner
nay see even the eyes OF a Persian
woman OF the middle and superior
classes except 10y accident. Sac moves
through the streets aud bazlars, on he
white donkey. or OH foot. in a complete
iisguise. In all Der outdoor life she Is
1 mytefy. She may be young or old.
white or black. fair or ugly-on
mission of sin or upon an errand of
one knows who she is as sh,
,builles along upon red or yell
ow shoes which ii is iIf
icult to keep upon her feet, becaus.
he upper leather ends about the mid
II of he foo nd the beei Is not con
fined. Soc, or her attendant slave
Uses at some mud walled house a.
ron knocker upon door like that OF
orulcalion, is admitted. the door
; os.d. aud tbere is no window froI
= h ca the women, the children, or a.
t,ves If that house can communlca
yith The outer world. 1t IS despoli
S,thu despoti,m. Esch one OF the
mud walled houses 10 the seat Of