Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-01-06

Yezd is a true city of the desert, an
enchanted town of glowing cOlors and
beautiful architecture set among the
great sandy plains of central Persia.
One might say it's inhabitants live
without moisture, as the air itself is
exceedingly dry, while the only water
granted for their refreshment is
brought by primitive courses from the
snow of the distant mountains, and
becomes in its wanderings SO travel
stained and dirty that to see through
6 IS often a matter of difficulty. The
most striking features of the town as
ne approaches it are the tall wind
shaft towers, one or two to every
house, built to catch the desert breeze
(if hot. still a breeze), which is driven
down them usually into the sherbet
pantry, a very attractive place lined
with bright tiles, and having a tank
for goldfish in the middle. During the
noontide heat people live in the Gel
lars, and at night they sleep on the
roofs in genuine oriental fashion, all
the household work in the compounds
being done early in the morning or in
the evening. That any human beings
should prepare themselves habitation
in such a barren and impractical spot
seems inconceivable folly, but legend
relates that Alexander the Great erect
ed the first building, solid structure
to-day, as a prison for his captives,
and they and their warders were the
original founders of the town of Yezd.
Here one finds the east pure and I'M
adulterated-the east with its primi-
tive passion, its jealousy, its intense
conservatism which may or may not,
for prophecy is dangerous, yield to out
side influences. The women exist in
their golden cages ESQ poetical with
cut, so sordid within), as they have
done for generations back, their Keen
est emotions excited by new fashion
from Teheran, where there is rather
desire to adopt western notions in de-
tails of dress and manners and a big
sale for Manchester finery. They
never venture abroad except closely
yelled. looking mere shapeless bundles
with their large outside trousers, gen.
orally of a bright grass-green color,
drawn over their indoor clothes; and
the higher the lady, the stricter her
seclusion. If she ride into the desert
on her mule, or journey to her sum-
mer residence among the hills, her
muleteer walks in front with his back
towards her, and should she speak, he
does not turn his head to answer her
as western civility would demand. A
princess of the royal blood was stay
ing in Yezd. When she returned from
an outing, a herald went in front to
announce her coming. Immediately
every man fed down a side street, and
if any one among them was unable to
escape he threw himself on his face
in the dust until the feminine process
sion had passed by.
Every Persian house consists of two
parts, the darum (within), the mems
quarter, and the andarum (without),
the women's quarter. No furniture
of any kind is used, but the inside
walls are covered with fine white
plaster decorated with lovely mould
ings. Pretty little arches (such a
feature of the graceful Persian arch
tecture) are all round the place to be
employed as tables, sideboards, etc.,
and the ceilings are adorned with mir
rors and more mouldings. As all the
windows in the women's part are
made of stained glass, the effect of the
eastern sunlight fiItering through
them on to the white walls is striking
and beautiful The inmates of this
oriental establishment sit on the floor,
and nearly everywhere the Persian
lady goes she is accompanied by
sort of thick quilt or thin mattress
stuffed with cottonwood, which serves
either as bed or couch. She invariably
sleeps in her clothes (not very numer-
Gus, by the way), and as busting and
sweeping are unknown, the simple life
.an be studied in a Persian house to
great advantage.