Smyrna times., 1889-03-20
A DREAM oE TIE EAST
The Entertainment Given by Tiro wor-
sinner of Tndfa

shipper of India.
Perhaps no race of people is less known
OF more interesting to the student and
traveller than the Parsees or Fire Wor-
shippers of India. They are delightful
hosts, and as it was my good fortune to
form the acquaintance of Sir Framgee
Demshaw Petit, who was knighted for a
gift of S5O0,000 to an educational insti-
tuition, l will endeavor 20 describe an
entertainment attended at his palace.
Sir Framgee lived in patriarchal mag
niticence, and when his whole family
Is seated at table they number fifty
hve. We were received in the grand
drawing room, as large as a fair sized
church, and presented to the ladies' We
found them pretty, intelligent and viva
clous, and it is no exaggeration to say
that they compared quite favorably with
their American sisters.
The ladies were attired in graceful M
tive costumes. The dress consisted of a
waist, such as is worn by Europeans.
with long scarf of embroidered silk or
Grape, called sarre, wrapped several
times about the waist and falling in
broad folds about the limbs in lieu of a
skirt. One end Of the sarre was BROUGHT
over the head and dropped gracefully in
front, constituting a very effective head
dress.
Their jewels were magnificent. No
crowned head of Europe possesses their
equal. and such an array Of diamonds.
pearls, sapphires and emeralds can
scarcely be imagined. One Of the quests
wore eight strings of pearls, which far
cEcelled the celebrated necklace of Queen
Marguerite Of Italy.
The state costume of the men is white.
but on ordinary occasions they appcar
attired in the conventional Eur0npan
evening dress. One peculiarly of their
costume Is not, however, to be met in n
London drawing room. They never un-
cover their heads, and Il high, conical
Persian hat-or at meals a skull cap
always completes their dress.
On the occasion l am describing an
orchestra played selections from Italian
operas, and after convcrsing while
upon topics Of universal interest. cur
host made sign to the servants. who
brought in baskets filed with large bon
4uets Of eastern flowers.
Each lady selected one, sprinlileI il
with rose water from a tall silver vase
presented it to the gentleman who wa
70 escort her to dinner, and then. taLin.
his arm, showed the way to whore 4.
table was spread, overlooking the sea.
There we were regaled with tea. cof-
fee cakes, fruits, and twenty-five kinds
OF delicious native sweets. which had
been collected in honor Of our coming
lt was an event not to be forgotten.
The waving palms and tropical flower.
he splash Of the waves, mingiing with
the soft strains of music. beautiful
women with flashing jewels and graceful
dress were typical Of the languid, dreamy
cast. and carried one unccnsciousIv back
to the days of IIaroun al il5chiI
When tea was over we were taken ror
a delightful drive in handsome EuroDau
turnouts and then to dine at another
Parsee house. The cerenQny was long
and stately, all the dishes were native.
but the wines were European. and this
dinner. with that exception. was rcure-
sentative OF native manners before they
had received the European touch.
The ladies' whom we escorted gave us
bouquets, as in the afternoon, and the
host hung chaplets of white iasmines
about our necks and wrists.
The menu cards bore gilded crests and
they gave us bOnbons wrapped in gold
leaf to carry away. 1t was a dream Of
the east, but the perfectly appointed
table, surrounded by intelligent men and
women, made it hard to believe
that the members of this refined society
were the fire worshipers we had been |
brought up to despise as heathen.-
America.