The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-30
IN PERSIA.
An Interesting Account OF This Far-awal
Land.

l
Land.
Nasr-ed-din, the Shah chat is, the
king of lsings), has reigned over Persia
for nearly forty-four years, and is the
same despot and cruel tyrant as he was
in the earlier days of his reign. Yet
Nasr-de-din has had the advantage of
European travel, and if he had used his
advantages, might have been an en-
lightened ruler,
Some sixteen years ago he made his
tour of Europe, and it is amusing to
hear how, with great perseverance, he
strove to initiate himself into the ways
and customs of the civilized world, ere
he left his capital for the first time
A series of court dinners were given
at his palace in Teheran, TO the heads
| of departments and to members of the
several legations, in order that the
king of kings might perfect himself in
| the minor details of civilized life, such
as eating with knives and forks, instead
of fingers; sitting on chairs, instead of
crouching on the ground, and other
small points of etiquette.
| At the time that the Shah was thus
cugrossed in assuming European man
ners, 1 was invited by a princess and
her sister to breakfast with them in
| Teheran. The hour fixed was twelve
o'clock, and on arriving at the house |
was greeted in the outer courtyard by
four women servants, and conducted
| by them to the garden, in the center OF
| which was the usual tank, inlaid with
| turquois- blue tiles; shading the running
stream stood rows of gaunt poplar
! trees, and briers luxuriant with golden
blossoms filled the air with their fra
| GRANGE.
| Here the princess and her sister
' rushed out to meet me, and, after many
| affectionate salutations, led me up a
fight of steep stone steps into a long,
bare room, where other guests (all Per-
sians) were assembled, who saluted us
courteously as we entered.
The walls of this room were decorated
with deeply cut plaster-scrolls and
| flowers in white on a ground of pale
green; the heavy wooden window-frame
was carved in old arabesque patterns
and inlaid with colored glass On the
floor were strewn the richly-traced car
pets, that Persia only can produce, and
| lying in one corner were cushions and
mattresses, on which the Persian lady
| takes her siesta daily.
The princess, among her friends, was
| considered great beauty. Her shin
! ing, rosy face was as round as the full
moon; her dress was decidedly Oriental.
| A short cashmere jacket, open in front,
and showing clear muslin dress be-
meath, covered her shoulders; round her
hips hung innumerable layers of short
skirts, braided in gold and frilled and
puffed; on her head was three-cor-
nered cotton handkerchief, surmounted
| by an emerald aigrette and fastened
under her chin with large diamond
| brooch; short cotton socks completed
her toilette.
At the announcement by a little black
slave that breakfast was ready, we
were escorted into another room still
more unfurnished than the last Our
| breakfast, around which we were mar
shaled, was spread upon a carpet in the
| certer of the floor, and, at the word
''Bismillah' CIn the name of God')
| from the princess, we all, with one ac-
cord, sank down upon our heels.
A variety of dainty viands was set be-
| fore us-fowls stewed in the juice of
] the pomegranate, 4nince folded in vine
| leaves, large tureen of curdled milk
| honey, pickles. preserves, and large
china bowl of sherbet, for the use of
| all, stood at one end of this array.
Persian etiquette demands on these
| occasions that the hostess should care
fully prepare, before any of the guests
partake, small portion from any or all
of the dishes before her, and present it
to the principal guest.
soon saw that l was unfortunately
the individual for whom this honor was
intended, and it was with but little
pleasure that watched the prepara-
tion of this somewhat unsavory mix
ture She first tore off shred of fowl,
then scraps of almost every dish fol-
lowed, and, finally adding relish of
pickles and honey, she rolled them all
| together in the palms of her henna-
stained hands, and held out to me this
very incongruous mixture.
Disgusting my feelings accepted the
offering graciously, and telling her that
| her politeness was excessive" and
| ShduOW never
| become less," with the aid of glass of
| sherbet swallowed the nauseous pill.
Breakfast lasted nearly two hours.
Silver pipes were handed at intervals
during the repast, and, finding did not
smoke, they all cried out, Not smoke!
Why, how do you pass the day?"
At the close, coffee in small china
cups, in gold stands, set with turquoise
and pearls, was brought round, and
rose-water, in copper ewers, wherein to
wash our hands.
AS yet civilizing influences have made
| but little way in Persia, and the cere-
monies and customs of past age, in
spite of certain concessions to foreign
powers, still remain untouched, though
there is no doubt that the anxiety of
the shah to become further acquainted
with the manners of Europe will in
time bear fruit, and that Persia has
many changes in store for her at no very
remote date.-Golden Days,
The Oldest Language.
Probably the oldest known specimens
of recorded language in the world to-
day are the inscriptions on the door
sockets and brick stamps found at Nif-
1