The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-06

ashes, armed with long switches, clear
Ell the way. Never was there any
where such confusion. There was
jamb of the populace in the narrow
ways, followed by screaming, strug-
Cling, fighting. We felt nervous. But
two soldiers Kept near each Of US.
There was quite three thousand Per-
slams about, and, as we rode in circles
on our wheels and did stunts" the de-
light of the folks was tremendous.
The halt for couple of days gave
ho1semen travelling south the opportU-
nifty of carrying the news of our COM
ing. So our reception in every mud viii
lage and struggling hamlet was noisy.
At first we enjoyed the novelty, but
soon it became a nuisance. Then we
would make a circle round the place.
But the look-Outs saw the trio, and
there was a race between the villagers
across the fields to intercept us, and we
cycled for all we were worth to give
them the go-by.
1t was a bad habit but we turned it
INTO a rule. to wash as little as posi-
bic travelling across Persia. Certainly
we never touched water in the morn
ings, for in the dry desert air our faces
would have skinned to tatters Occa-
sonally little lukewarm water in the
evening was agreeable OF bedding
there was none. Therefore for a week
or ten days at a time we slept IN our
clothes, only removing them TO change,
or to battle our legs in some rivulet
Naturally our costumes got very tat
tered. For a pocket to be torn from a
jacket is nothing. Ii was when knich-
erbockers were slit at the knee, and
there were great rents in the hinder
parts-when threads refused to bind.
and canvas, fastened With tire repair
ing solution, rufused to hold, and our
bare toes peeped through-that we be-
gan to feel disreputable. AT Teheran.
where a kindly welcome was extended
to us by the English residents, we
walked circumspectly till s'ow-working
tailors had provided new suits. 1t was
necessary always to retire backwards
from the presence of ladies'
One could not go into the streets CT
Teheran without an enormous crowd
gathering. Yet there was never any.
thing but good humor We had the
pleasure of seeing the shah, and being
entertained al the palace, where all the
dazzling royal jewels were unfolded
for the sinister purpose of making US
blind and filling US with envy At
lsahan we had an interesting after
noon with the Zil-i-sultan, who is the
shah's brother. We rode about the pal
ace grounds, and his royal highness.
who is as round as tub, was so shaky
with mirth, that he rolled about like
an animated barrel.
Now ride down that path as hard
as you cam he said to me. 1 did.
! wondered why he was nearly having
an apoplectic fit from laughing Then
L saw. At the end of the path was
sudden drop. Tight went the brake,
and l jumped from the wheel. The iii
was disappointed. A broken neck and
q
verting.
"Ah, how wonderful!" his highness
said; "how suddenly you can stop the
bicyclew
There was one thing that puzzled
him. How was it that a bicycle kept
on end when it was running, but when
still toppled over? A bicycle was
turned round so that the wheels were
in the air. The fore wheel was given
a spin, and it ran for seven minutes
That also was curious. He could not
comprehend the working of ball bear
ings.
Neither could he understand the
spirit which prompted us to cycle in
foreign countries. When America is
so beautiful land, why do you want
to leave it?" he kept asking. Adyen-
ture does not appeal to the Persians.
Though there are no roads in Persia,
and though there are many mile of
rough tramping, very often we got
magnificent runs. The ground was
hard, gritty and sun-baked, just like
a cinder track. Once we left a place
with prospect of snow and slush, and
we expected to walk most of the way
Suddenly we came on to splendid
ground, and what we reckoned would
occupy three days we covered in six
hours and a half. AS it was winter.
and we traversed very high hills, the
cold and the snow troubled u.s. When
we were on a mountain called the Kohl