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Show a I AN UNTRUTHFUL RACE f $! Lylnri Is n FJnoArl in I'or.li fjg II r I 111 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE) l 1 Lying is In Persia n soclat nbcom-pllshmont, nbcom-pllshmont, nnd tho Persians havo for centuries boon known as a nation of liars. Whatover may ho tho fair promises prom-ises which a Persian may make to ono power, thero Is no telling what ho may bo whispering to another. It thus seems to ho tho Instinct of tho descendants of Cyrus to exaggerate wherever fiction Is moro picturesque than truth. A chief part of their conversation con-versation Is flattery, and tho higher tho rank of a man the moro extravagant extrava-gant aro the compliments paid him. Blackmail Is also a recognized institution insti-tution In Persia. Dcsplto tho avowed hostility of the present ruler to tho nnclcnt "mudakhll" or "pickings," this Fpeclcs of extortion or 'graft" Is still n3 essential business principle In Persia. Per-sia. Ueforo Muzaffer-cd-DIn camo to tho throuo In 1SD0, on tho assassination assassina-tion of his father, 'graft" was not only tho basic prluclplo of commercp, but of gocrnmcnt ns well, and such It hnd boon slnco tlnio Immemorial. Kor example, ex-ample, tho shah sold his appointments of tho provincial governorships to tho highest bidder. Tho governors sold tho prlvllego of farming tho taxes for a certain sum to tho "kalantar" or tax collector, who o'xacts a. certain percentage or "mudal:lU" from bis underlings. Tho taxpayer, too, has his rovengo In obtaining "mudakhll" from thoso below him. If ho Is a merchant ho adds 10 per cent to bis prices for ro-Inburseaiont. ro-Inburseaiont. If a broker ho puts Into his bill to his client tho slniplo itom "mudakhll," nnd tho Itom cannot bo stricken out. Tho Judges of tho courts tako their "mudakhll" from tho nc-cusod, nc-cusod, nnd should It bo largo enough tho prisoner goes freo. Tho pollco havo their "mudakhll," to wink at evil, nnd to fall to nrrost. Servants also havo their "mudakhll." As it ia nn indication of low birth for a Persian Per-sian to buy anything In market himself, him-self, ho Is compelled to trust his purchases pur-chases to his servants. Tho cook, who buys his provisions, adds 10 por cont ns her "mudakhll." Tho groom, who buys for tho stable, pockets his 10 por cent Even tho laundress has her "graft," and buys soap with a fat "mudakhll" latberod on tho bill. Should a man of station visit a friend ho Is supposed to tip tho servant, ser-vant, and should ho forgot to do so ho will rocelvo a pointed romlndor. An Amorlcnn who had visited a wealthy man In Pcrsja gavo on his departuro 2S0 kornns, or about $50, to tho head servant to .dlstrlbuto among tho half hundred other oniployes of tho establishment, estab-lishment, Though tho amount was far In excess of tho ordinary tip tho head servant seowlod, as If offended, In the liopo of Mil moro As tho Araer-'can Araer-'can was driving out of tho gate a donkey boy suddonly ran up und grubbed tho brldlo. "Where Is my present?" ho domand-od, domand-od, giving several vicious Jerks at tho hit. In his astonishment tho American Ameri-can sold ho had given tho head servant ser-vant a sum to ho distributed, und that 'ho boy would get something. Tho bid grow only tho moro importunato, and Bald the head servant was a thief, nnd always took everything himsoir. ile even threatened throwing rocks nt tho departing guest unless something was coming to assungo his Injured dignity. Tho American, however, Anally struck tho Insolent servant a smart blow with his whip and drovo on. The Persian, unlike tho Moor, does Old Mojqua at Kercht not bellevo much in prisons. Death Is a quicker and less expensive method. When death Is too drastic torturs then affords a hundred varied mcanB of "satisfying Justice" as well as affording af-fording a diversion to society. It Is an ordinary sight for a stranger on entering a city to see some wretch standing stock still against a wall. Sometimes Investigation will show' that ho Is held there by a nail through his car. At other times nails will htivo been driven through his hands or feet. An ordinary execution only attracts a few loungers, who nro wont, ns In thlB country, to fro-qucnt fro-qucnt parks. As tho chief Industry Is tho making of rugs nnd shawls, much wool Is needed, nnd although somo of tills is now lmrortod, tho better quality they grow on tho backs of their own sheep, nnd manufacturers clennso it, comb It, and mnko It ready for tho looms as they need It. No machinery Is used In this work, for to tho woodon frames and wire combs can scarcely bo given that title. Tho wool carding Is dono out of doors, as Is most of tho weaving. Tho carders aro usually found at work on tho principal streets of a city, but on tho outskirts of a town other tredes aro plied. Hero tho buttor maker does a flourishing flour-ishing business and his work Is no less Interesting than thnt of the wool comber. No churns aro usod by these dairymen, Duttcrmnklng Is tho trado usually followed by tho nomads, when the wanderers take to any occupation whatever, for It permits them to travel trav-el from placo to place. Plcturesquo Indeed nro tho butter makers. Occasionally Oc-casionally they como to town driving beforo them a herd of goats, but moro frequently two or moro will wandor In, and going straight to tho owner of somo flno goats will bargain with him BflVflVflVflWsBBBLyflBBiBBHBBVflWsT iBBVflVflVflVflVflVflVsVVsBEwsBBM iBBB The Peacock Throne. for tho milk. This procured, ho and his companion will fill their goat skin, which they laco up tho sides, nn-til nn-til it looks nn Inflated football. This they proceed to toss back and forth to each other with a slow, oven movement, move-ment, until tho milk begins to curdlo. Then seating themselves ono tnkes hold of each end of this peculiar churn titd thoy seesaw back nnd forth until tho liquid has become a kneadable mass. Tho churnors then untie Uiolr slclna and refresh themselves wlu a fraught of tho buttermilk. The cienmy mass, which would not bo very palalublo to any but n Persian, Is shaped Into pats of noout ono pound each. These aro placed back In tho kln to keep cool nnd sold to all who wish to buy. |