'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎26] (55/360)

*
THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
dreary sight, especially in wet or snowy weather, when
they flip-flap through mud and slush in the thinnest of
heelless slippers.
The townsfolk were quite as fair complexioned as
Italians, and, as a rule, were tall, well-built men, with hand
some features and large dark eyes, although often the
upper classes were delicate and undersized, owing to their
unhealthy mode of life.
From highest to lowest their manners were most courtly,
and the nation prides itself on a knowledge of etiquette
and a profuse use of elegant phrase and compliment. For
example, the British Minister told me that the words
' Telegram received' were expanded, on reaching him,
into, 'The message of the most exalted threshold has
become a place of pilgrimage!' 'Your place is empty';
' May your shadow never grow less'; ' May your nose
be fat,' are usual forms of greeting ; although it must be
confessed that, with all their love of politeness, the
Persians are by no means behindhand in vituperation,
should occasion require it.
'Pader sukhteh* 'son of a burnt father,' is a common
expression, referring to the supposed abode of the relative
in question, and our servants used frequently to reduce
one another to tears by their ingenuity in casting asper
sions upon the belongings of those whom they wished to
insult.
We stayed at Tehran for seven weeks, and feeling that
I should have to start housekeeping very soon, I asked
my lady friends for hints on this momentous subject. It
was not very encouraging to hear on all sides accounts of
the thievish propensities, uncleanly habits, and numberless
other delinquencies of the Persian servant. One lady