The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03

Christians.
DR.. Solyman, In spite OF his appointment
official doctor of the harem. was not
consulted by any OF the royal wives. Only
servants and slaves had recourse to his
services.
However. on hot spring afternoon,
when he was retained 10 attend a slave
Of the favorite. whose grave state neces-
STATED his constant presence, some one
came 20 tell him that the princess. who
was having her siesta, had started out Of
/ her sleep screaming. being prey 20 ter
rible pains. As there was no other doctor
within call he was asked to come and at
tend her.
The favOrite was in the Zirzamin, the
underground chamber with a Iow-vaulted
ceiling, paved with white marble. and
with richly tiled walls, which is the favor
tie refuge Of Persian women IN summer
sunk III the center was q fountain with q
jet of water which distributed a refresh
/ ing GOODNESS. crowd Of women sur
rounded the princess. She was lying on
thin mattress spread on the marble in one
Of the aTChed reCesses. between the two
dcoTways, facing each other 10 create Z
continual draught. These are the Charac-
teristics Of the Zirzamin.
4 Visit 10 the Princess.
On the arrival OF DR.. Solyman, the
women drew their wells over their faces,
and the eunuch rushed to the gate and
stopped him while d curtain was erected
in front OF the recess TO allow the doctor
10 approach the princess without seeing
her. When the doctor was at her side he
could at first only elicit means in reply TO
his questions; but the patient at last gave
him 10 understand, in sentences broken by
/ lamentations, that after her lunch she had
fallen asleep as usual. and that she had
seen herself, in her sleep. surrounded by
bad djInns. who had pierced her chest
with invisible darts which gave her hor-
cible pains.
Upon that, to the astonishment Of the
people present. Dr. SOlyman turned 10 the
eunuch and asked, without paying any at
/ tentiOu TO the djinns. what the princess
I had eaten for lunch When he learned
/ that her menu consisted of iced mast
khyar' (cucumber and curds) he under
stood that nothing was the matter eX-
/ cept indigestion. However. being con-
ventional man. ne wanted 70 draw an ex-
/ act diagnosis Of the case. She consented
+ 10 let him feel her pulse, and an arm
emerged from the curtain. He felt the
pulse, but when he desired to see the
/ tongue he had 20 enter on lengthy par
/ ley before the curtain opened far enough
20 let the princess, closely yelled, show
/ him the tip Of her tongue.
DIT. Solyman wrote his prescription,
and the mother Of the princess, Il very
superstitlOus person. performed the
/ ''Estekhareh' seized her beads az a
chance place. and then began 20 tel them
off 10 the end as We count cherry stones
on plate. But ar the same moment the
j regular doctor of the princess, who had
I been sent for. arrived. Everybody turned
I from DR. Solyman and his prescription as
: If he had never been there.
When the regular doctor had prescribed
I n his turn. the 'Estekhareh" was per
/ formed again, and this time the result
was unfavorable. Heaven had declared
itself; DR.. Solyman tTiumphed. His pre-
/ scription produced such a good and
prompt effect that the delighted princess
would have no other doctor from that day
/ forward.
JealOusies in the Harem.
/ All these women seemed 10 live in a per-
petual anticipation of the judgment OF
Paris. II was who should be the most
beautiful: who should possess the most
/ fascinating wardrobe. Jewels and pre-
cious stones excited the greatest covet-
/ BUSINESS. The Shah distributed them
Iprodigally, and On his birthday and at
the New Year he gave away turquoises
sapphires. pearls, rub:es, emeralds, even
diamonds. by handfuls.
/ This did not hinder them from buying
/ jewels on their own account from the
merchant women who CJme into the
4 harem. They desired 10 e,IiDse then
rivals by the richness of the fabrics
which they wore. Silks OF Resh velvets
I Of Kashan, shawls of Kirmau could not
/ be too expensive and fabrics from Eu-
/ rope We're not less popular Worth, the
great Partisan dressmaker, sells of IN
/ Teheran his special silks. when they arc
/ left on his hands long enough to be ont
/ of fashion. He has "a very clever lady
! there TO represent him, who is adored by
all the fair of Teheran. Often woman
who wants to be the only possessor OF q
/ speciality buys the. whole roll At no matter
/ what price.
They have much more tendency 10 dc
/ this now, for several times Il woman
! jealous of the admiration which Il riva
/ had won with a costume of new material
would buy some OF the same material
and have costume made Of it for one OF
/ her slaves and then invite the dear
/ friend TO tea served by that slave. The
rivals qualification can be imagined
/ UuScroupulOus doctors and dervishes
/ freely exploit the credIlity accentuated
in these grown-up children 10y the passion
for maternity. The most extravagant
medicine and charms are often tried. pur-
chased at their weight in gold. If wolf;
gaI does not succeed the wife will try
the swallowing Of a little of the sacred
sill these attempts had been unsuccessful
was advised as a last resort TO grau
( every day a piece CT a brick which wa.
/ supposed 10 be brought from the toni
/ OF a holy Imam and to take it internally
after early morning prayer She took this
prescription SO scrupulously that after
while she died of it,
TaIismans Freely Used.
Among the most highly esteemed tails
mans are the fried skin Of a hyena
monkeys liver, lynx's hair, and the back
bone of an owl-not to mention the mos
amazing decorations and broths, and, o
course, transcribed prayers which are in
closed in leather for hanging around III
neck and waist, or invocations and SACRED
or cabalistic names written on parch
ment. which is washed in a cup of no
water for the ink to dissolve The waite
is then regarded as impTegnated with tn
virtue Of the words, and drunk as potion