Evening star., 1922-10-28
FAIL IN! CRY PESTH,
AND ALL IS WELL
Persians, Seeking Sanctu-
ary, Have a Sort of "Tag,
You're It," Game.
Especial Correspondence Of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.)

Especial Correspondence Of The Star and
chicago Daily News.)
MEHOMMERAH. Persia, September
l'.-ln this strange country. "pesth"
or "bast." according to whether you
speak it or write it. is sort of 'Tag,
you're IT," for grown-ups. All you
need do Is to rush into mans house
or fall over the back fence into his
yard. shout "pesth!" with what breath
you have left and sit down and rest.
He'll do the worrying after that. for
mes IT. with a vengeance. The free
translation of ''pesth" is give sane
tuary." To refuse the request. IL the
applicant is already inside your do
main, is to violate one Of the most
sacred customs of the country.
When I went ashore this afternoon
was introduced to one of the local
notables A notable In this part of
the world is the equivalent Of what
the newspapers in other countries
call a prominent citizen. anybody
from the victim of an automobile ac-
cident to the organizer Of the cabbage
growers guild. This notable was an
placent Persian way. Over the coffee
cups he explained volubly in Persian
what was thus translated to me:
Aided His Bitterest Foe.
When 1 entered my home last
night man was sitting in the dark
OF my courtyard. AS I approached he
rose to his feet. and. bowling low,
said: 'Pesth" I asked him: Why do
you come to me for sanctuary? and
he answered: You can give 1t better
! than any other. The authorities are
searching for me. and 1 have done no
| wrong I bade him enter the house.
where light was burning. There /
discovered that he was my bit.erest
| enemy. a man who had defrauded me
of fifty camels, and whose arrest l
had just that day requested from the
sn-ik
"'Do you know that 1t is my de-
mand that the authorities are search
ing for you" l asked him.
That Is why / have come to you
for sanctuary he unblushingly re-
piled.
Certainly Seems Tough.
Il gave him food and a place to
sleep. l must entertain him as
| guest until he is ready togo Then
l shall provide him with an escort to
whatever destination he selects. II
anything should befali him it would
be a disgrace to me. Verify this Gus
tom Of sanctuary is hard on honest
men. ! have lost my camels and can
do nothing. But l have turned out
that evil one to enter my compound"
The homes OF influential Moslem
| priests of the shrine of some departed
saint or ruler are favorite havens
| for the ''pesth'' hunters. Stories are
; told of divine vengeance on those
who violated the sacred custom. but
| they are not numerous, for few re-
| fuse, no matter how much of an or
deal it may be. The most famous
story is that of Shah Nazir el din.
Shah Assas.inated.
When Said Jamel ell Din. the IA
nous nationalist leader of the past
| in Egypt. Turkey and Persia, was on
one Of his frequent visits to the lat
ter country. Shah Nazir ell Din be-
came apprehensive that he was plot
! ting a revolution and ordered his ar
of Shah Abdul Aim. near Teheran.
The shah sent soldiers and arrested
him in the shrine. He was deport-
ed to Russia. but later escaped to
Constantinople. A few months
afterward the shah made a pilgrim
sassinated on the spot where Jamel
ell Din was arrested. Though the
murder was committed by an en-
thusiastic nationalist 1t was inter-
preted as a divine vengeance on Shah
! Nazir ell Din for his violation of the
custom Of sanctuary.
Slaves or bondsmen. men and
| women. take advantage Of "pesth"
| whenever the opportunity offers. but
! as they have extreme difficulty in
reaching the head Of the Persian
| household. their favorite place Of ap-
peal is in the consulate of some Of the
| foreign powers. The consuls are not
| hampered by superstitious fears. but
usually take steps to ameloriate the
unfortunates' condition
| Saves Head BY "Pesth.'
| One favorite story is Of a man who.
after being sentenced to death by q
| local governor. managed to escape
| from the prison. He reached the
! governors house with just breath
| enough to gasp "pesth.'' Shortly
afterward the Jailor arrived to ex-
| plain through a window how he
would be executed in place of the
escaped prisoner. and how his family
! would starve. all of which could be
obviated If the prisoner would step
outside and have his head cut off in
formally in the roadway. The prison.
er suggested that the jailor come in
side, have coffee and talk 1t over.
Once inside, the willy ex-prisoner sg-
gested, "You cry 'pesth" too. and we'll
both have sanctuary. The governor