Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1913-09-12

l.
sian merchant and peddler in regard
to buying and selling is the opposite
of ours. Instead of giving you a re-
duction if you buy large quantity OF
some one thing, he will almost in.
variably charge you more in proper
ton than if you buy small guam
tity. The reason is, probably, the
lack of small change in Persia and
the fact that it can always be disposed
of at a profit. I am told that the
same thing is true in Constantinople,
where, for example, a bridge ticket
emitting you to cross bridge ten
times costs more than if you paid
single fare ten times. This scarcity
of small change and the consequent
value placed on it makes the money
changer an important person in the
east today, as he was in the time
when Christ found it necessary to
drive him from the temple.
Foreign Goods In Evidence.
When he carries out his own ideas
exclusively the Persian is always ar
CAoLAC. AC OdLddlS Ill WAlCkl vi lSuLc1
goods are displayed in oriental fashion
are always pleasing. But there is a
growing demand for European arti-
cles; everywhere in the bazaars one
is confronted by cheap broadcloth,
cheap cotton goods, shoddy cutlery
and glassware and tawdry foreign
articles of all kinds. These things,
displayed with the native goods, cheap
en- the latter without themselves
gaining dignity by the contact, and
the combination is one not pleasing
to the eye.
Save for one month in the year. the
bazaars, even in the capital of 100000
people, are never open at night. Dur
ing the month when the Persians fast
every day from sunrise to sunset it is
customary to do some marketing,
some business and much visiting at
night. Then the food bazaars, tea
shops and so forth are open; pedes-
TRANS with huge lanterns of oiled
paper and carriages give an appear
ance of life and gayety to the streets
which is quite unknown at other
times. To one who has known the
quiet of an oriental city the noise of an
American city is almost uncomfortable.
Many occupations which in west
ern lands are carried on in shops are
in Persia carried on in the open air.
This is due partly to the poverty Of
the people, partly to the warmness
of the climate, partly to the fact that
the Persian is pre- eminently a social
being, and-with the exception of his
domestic life, which is lived in great
seclusion behind high walls-he likes
to be with his fellowmen. The bar
Der, for example, seldom has shop
and never really needs one. At any
street corner you are liable to STUN.
BILE over man sitting on ledge OF
the wall and being shaved or having
his hair cut. 1t is your one oppor~
tunity for seeing a man with his hat
off; but as you look at his tonsured
pate you do not regret that your OPP
portunities in this direction are limit
ed BY the way, is the hair ones
most beautiful feature? 1t would
seem to be the one most often sac
rifced to the demands of asceticisrn.
The monk shaves his head; the nun,
while showing her face freely care
fully conceals her hair; the oriental
woman is fully as careful to cover
her hair as her face.
The only things that are free in Per
STA are air and sunshine. Water, not
only in the cities, but everywhere, is
one Of the most expensive commodi-
ties and one of the most difficult to
obtain. The entire water supply Of
Teheran comes from the snow on
the mountains north of the city. It
is brought for distance of many
miles in underground water courses.
There are "a such channels which en-
ter the city. At various places, as
they pass along, there are openings
into these. Through these openings
the water is dipped up with a leather
bucket and poured into goatskin
bag, which is slung over the shoulder
Of the private servant or the profes
SIGNAL water carriaz.