The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-06-27
4N11R


barbarism of the east, despite the fact
that the capital of the Shah is the
most progressive city of the king
dom. The veneer OF Europe is at
tempted, but it is very thin. What
most interested me during my
versation with Persians of intelligence
and lead them to give me their ideas
about the outside world and tell me
stories of their own country. which
they firmly believe to be not only the
best. but the most powerful in the
world. This, of course, was possible
through my interpreter. / remember
me highly interesting piece OF informa-
ion. which, though 1t rather stagger-
ID me at first, was told me In good
.aith, and have since heard 1t con-
irmed. Teheran is surrounded by
high wall and moat, and the Persians
lay this wall early suggested itself as
| most convenient place for disposing
VI superfiuous and inconvenient per-
Ions. The ditch is usually dry, and
all from the top to the ground is al
most sure to prove fatal Probably the
shahs of Persia have had no trials in
III their history which can compare In
seriousness to the difficulties which a
iarem full of jealous and unruly wives
will create. Even the most merciful
ling has at times been forced to resort
70 severe measures, and the city wall
1t such junctures has been the regular
means of disposing of the ladies who
,aused the trouble. Several bodies OF
beautiful women once were found In
he ditch by peasants wandering about
me outside wall, and the peasants did
,ot have much difficulty in guessing
low they came to be there. The aver
lge Persian peasant is a shrewd and
sophisticated person, with an eye con-
inually out for the main chance. IN
smuch as in Persia as in all Moslem
countries beautiful woman has a de-
mite commercial value, these men la
nented that the king should have al
owed so much high-priced property
| % be sacrificed. They also grieved
hat good and desirable wives should
| De dead in the city ditch when loyal
subjects like themselves worried along
With very second-rate establishments.
| The reflections presently took more
Dratical turn, as the possibility OF pro-
iting by the kings maintenance OF
domestic discipline dawned upon
| hem. The eunuchs who were entrust-
ID with throwing the unhappy ladies
,ff the ramparts always performed the
operation at a fixed spot so that it was
IN easy matter to watch for the fall OF
| he discarded wives. The ingenious
.ountrymen did this, first spreading a
thick cushion of hay upon the bottom
II the ditch. The next time a condemn
ID beauty was pitched over she landed
safely on the hay and although some
what shaken up, was entirely unin-
lured. In the darkness the attendants
on the wall were unable to see either
The hay or the men crouching in the
moat Supposing, therefore, that all
was well. they returned to the harem
and reported that they had carried out
their instructions. AS soon as they
were gone the crafty peasants hiding
below picked up the astonished sultana,
woh, supposing she must be dead, fan
cied that they were attendants in the
prophets paradise. She was soon un-
deceived, however, and informed very
plainly that IL she preferred to 60
back into the sultan's hands they would
see that 1t was arranged. If not she
would better understand that a radical
improvement in her disposition was