Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-01-25
PERSIAN BAzAARS
Curious Business Methods OF the
Oriental Shopkeepers.
HAVE NO GENERAL STORES.

VIC NhAiOuo AlliH6 ubOul tue DdLddi-
of Persia, writes Mrs. Mary A. g. Col,
quhoun In the Los Angeles Times, Is
the fact that all the shops of one kind
are grouped together, and so we speak
OF the 'cloth BAZAAR" the that ba
zaar," the ''shoe bazaar" There are
both wholesale and retail shops. bur
there are no department stores as in
America, nor Is there such a thing as
general grocery or dry goods store.
One grocer keeps spices only, an
other tea. coffee. sugar. etc one dry
goods merchant will sell you muslin
another %broadcloth, another silk. There
are no large manufactures In Persia
1t Is common to have q small factory
and a shop together or side by side.
All the metal utensils used In the
country are made of either brass OF
copper. These substances are hammer,
ed into shape. A stroll through the ba-
zaar where this work is going on gives
one the impression hat pandemonium
has broken loose.
Different kinds of bread are made In
the bazaar. One kind which Is espe-
cially liked by the people and which
a be obtained fresh at almost every
hour OF the day Is called "non-i-san.
gak," literally little stone bread. 1t is
made by pouring the dough on very
hot pebbles, which bake IL quickly and
give 1t a crisp crust. or course It is
thin, not more thar a quarter of an
inch in thickness. The sheet is about
a foot and a half wide by two and .
half long.
Near the bazaar where this bread Is
baked you will usually find a place
where mutton chops are being cooked
on skewers Owe a charcoal fire. Any
one desiring a lunch will buy from the
baker a sheet Of the thin. crisp, fresh
Iy baked bread, then a few "kabobs,'
as the chops are called. Wrapping the
chops in the bread, he will proceed OF
his way. eating his lunch as he goes.
AS you walk through the bazaars oil
stand to examine or purchase goods,
especially IL you are q foreigner, you
must expect to be jostled, not only by
crowds Of curious pedestrians, but also
by caravans of horses and donkeys and
eve of vicious camels. You will per.
haps have TO wait also for the shop.
keeper to finish his prayer.
Foreigners usually go to the baZaars
not to purchase things. but to see orien-
tai life, and In the bazaars are to be
seen many interesting phases OF II.
When you really wish to buy some
thing you will find the peddler, that SUI
preme nuisance OF America. your best
friend. He will bring to your door
anything that you wish to see and give ]
you all the time that you desire In
TO examine 1t.
You must needs be a haggler to deal {
with any merchant In Persia. but usu- ]
ally you can make a better bargain in I
the quiet Of your own home than you {
can make In the bazaar.
Save for one month in the year the
bazaars, even In the capital of $4,000 {
are never open at night. Dur r
Ing the month when the Persians fast Il
al day 1t is customary to do some mar b
keting, some business and much visit II
ing at night. Then the food bazaars, I,
tea shops and so forth are open. Pc a
1estrians with huge lanterns OF oiled 3
paper and people In carriages give an c.
appearance Of life and gayety to the 8,
streets which Is quite unknown at 9th @
n times. W
Many occupations which In western q
ands are carried on in shops are In
Persia carried on In the open air. This
9 due partly to the poverty of the peo- tr
'le. partly to the m Of the eli N,
nate, partly to the fact that the Per. o.
ian Is prominently a social being In
lnd-with the exception Of his domes- Re
ic life, which is lived in great seclu AZ
ion behind high walls-he likes to be OF
nth his fellow men. of
The barber, for example, seldom has nj
shop and never really needs one. At nj
ny street corner you are likely to or
tumble over a man sitting on a ledge ss
{ the wall and being shaved or having pl
Is hair cut. 1t is you one opportuni. RI
= Tor seeing a man with his hat OF.
ut az you look at his tonsured pate
do not regret that your opportuni -
lee In this direction are limited. J"
The only things that are free In Per- 9,
b are air and sunshine. Water-not q
My In the cities. but everywhere-is =.
- Of the most expensive commodities :.
one Of the most di1icult to obtain. =,
'he entire water supply OF Teheran -
Dmes from the o on the mountains q
orth Of the city. 1t Il brought for a 4.
loennco Of many miles In underground y
.|0torcouraeS. There are thirtv-four =,