The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-10-10

lEZA --cLS hIc1H SL70IES
| through the muddle of men with bags
of rice and bales of licorice root or
their backs.
One hardly-human creature l saw
paralyzed from shoulders to feet
moved by rolling over and over, pro
polling himself by pushing the ground
with his head. Scraps of bread
thrown to him he ate from the earth
like a dog. Only his head was alive.
Nearing the Goal.
Nearing Kerbela we passed more
and more donkeys, laden with the OBJ
long cases in which the Persians pack
their dead. The golden dome of the
great Mosque of Hussein-the goal for
which many of these pilgrims had
ly in the afternoon sun but a few
miles ahead. Beside 1t glistened the
gilded minarets, rising like light
houses from the sea of green date
palms which surrounds the city. AS
we Numbered into town, making the
final few rods at a great squirt OF
speed, / was struck by the unusual
width of the streets. In comparison
with the narrow, alley-like passages
which serve as streets in most mud
towns in Turkish Arabia, Kerbela
seemed city of boulevards. l found
hospitality with the Turkish officers
doing garrison duty at Kerbela, who
treated me with the kindly courtesy
so common to all Ottoman military Of
ficials. They gave me zaptiehs for
seeing Kerbela" next day.
Kerbela, like Paris, sucks life from
the tourist horde ~ except that pill
grims come to Kerbela mainly to pray
or bury their dead, and go to Paris
mostly for other things. The town is
distinctly Persian, though many Shias
from India also make it their home.
OF its 10000 permanent inhabitants.
fully $4,000 are Shias. Kerbela Is
known to natives as Meshed Hussein.
because the sacred tomb of the mar
tyred Hussein. son of ALI, brother Of
the Prophet of Mahomet, is located
here.
In all the world are few mosques
perhaps none-so striking, SO mystic.
and so rich in treasure as this great
gold-domed temple of Hussein. Gold
en- plates cover the great dome and
the six minarets of the magnificent
structure; in the dark, underground
treasure-vaults Of the gorgeous, forbid
den ediflce Is stored wealth of fabu-
lous value. It's true enormity was
brought to light only in recent years,
when the shah Of Persia made the hal.
and the stored-up wealth was revealed
to his astonished gaze by the Jealous
Shia keepers. For ages, be it known.
Indian princes, shahs and sultans of
the Shia faith have made precious
gifts to the temples at Kerbela and
Nedjef. pouring into these vaults
priceless stream of jewels. gold and
plate.
Though few foreigners have ever Wis
tied Kerbela, the Shias showed little
resentment as I wandered through the
crowded bazars, accompanied by my
escort of armed zaptiehs. It was only
when we halted near the great mosque
of Hussein Ali that I heard words of
abuse hurled at the infldel, and the
guards advised that we tarry not So
l had to be content with q mere
glimpse of the rich facade Of the great
building. caught In passing.
Other structures, mean and hud-
died. crowd the mosque SO closely
that, with its own high wall, 1t Is all
but invisible to those who pass with
out. People spat. and cursed my re-
ligion. and I felt 1t wise to go away
from the neighborhood of the mosque
From the roof Of building some dis.
lance away finally got q good view
Of the golden dome and the graceful
glistening minarets.