The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1893-03-10

~ 'tsttA y SAbVslN1 Iltis RISING sun.
often held in this few hours ate
death has interviewed. The de- e.lsed on
this occasion had been i bombay mcr-
chant on . visit 70 his kindred ia Per
I sia, and death had como suddenly. trhc
body, loosely wrapped iristhe folds oil n
spotless white shawl OF soft material.
but leaving the face exposed. was
stretched out in the mid die Of the room
on a bier. The floor was strewn with
flowers, and the motrners stood around
In a scrnj-eircle, with the priest
a tail, handsome man near the
head Of the corpse. Their faces
We're grave, while the priest ex-
pressed the hope that the soul Of this
dead man would be found worthy to
dwell in the good place and that Ash
man would have no part OF lin. Il
silent prayer followed, and the bcne-
diction, pronounced by the priest with
outstrctched hands, closed with these
parting words: Let now the sun have
his part and the water its part OF this
form of clayip
Then the bier was lifted up, the
shroud drawn over the still face. and
the procession moved out. The body
was carried head foremost, and when
passing the threshold the priest opened
the fold over the mouth triiIe, SO as
TO allow the soul to escape
In front of the door there was Il litter
drawn by four mules, and the whole
crowd accompanied this 70 the Guebre
cemetery, the men on donlseys the
women in lsedchawehs (baskets hang
ing from the backs OF niilcs). some
three miles out from the Derwazeh
Izfahanee uspahan gnte) The ceme-
terry is on the ridge Of mountain.
forming part of the Elburz range. and
Is visible from a long distance by rea-
son Of the glaringlg white color Of the
circular wall surrounding II. standing
il out distinctly against the som Der hue
of the bleak rock. The mountain is
very steep, and it takes some hard
climbing to get up to the cemetery; but
there we were at last, but n stones
throw from the dismal place. A piece
OF wall had already been broken out to
admit the corpse 1.-THE opening always
being closed afterwards as 10 prevent
intrnsionl and through 1.-THE field Of
the dead could be plainly surveyed.
Nothing bnt bleached bones could be
seen here and there on the calcareous.
porous soil, but overhead, far up in the
sky, the vultureswere already drawing
their circles, ready 10 swoop down soon
and begin their CHASTITY feast: for the
dead are IN nowise protected here, eth
er against the elements or the birds OF
prey.
These were q few incidents in paf.sec
life was an eye witness TO, but at the
south of Persia, particularly at yezd,
more of the original ceremonies of this
almost defnnct race have survived.
There, too, they still have temples
very much as in the days OF Darius or
Kosroes where .Hormazd and his sym
Dol, the sun, are worshiped with some
show Of spiendor There, too. ON the
holy days consecrated to the sun. the
rising Of the orb is greeted with music
and joyful shouts As to the never
ending fire. however, which used 10
draw Parsee pilgrims from all over the
Orient TO BalSu, the ancient city by tlia
.Sta'k'ttA4A Sstit ~ tuus pSrll Ssst lnHutSuena
by order Of the Russian government,
for Baltu to-day forms part ~ the ear
Asiatic possessions.
No longer docs the noble and simple
creed, Of which Zoroaster Cin Persian.
Zerdusht1 was the ablcst exponent.
rule IN the ancient land 81 Persia. The
Allah, whom Mohamnicd taught. with
slight native notifications. rules ii.
stead of the dnal; divine essence. The
very. name Of their forcfnthetss religion
has been blotted out OF the memory OF
the modern Rersians. and they look
upon the Guebres or Parsees purely as
iniidels, as pagans.
u WOLF voS ScnIRispRASD
A wEII-KSowS oninvestigator in
.s,,,s,,, ~. t,s i..,. 1.,,s.,. 49,