ed, which portion is called a
present. If this 'present' is not large enough to please the count, he
has an unfavorable opinion of the subject and soon finds faults in him
and withholds favors. All of the count's work is done by his subjects
without pay. When he builds a palace or cultivates a vineyard, he calls
upon his subjects to do the work. He punishes his subjects if they
rebel or are discourteous to him. Sometimes the punishment is so severe
that death is the result. The count collects a large sum of money
annually from his subjects in the way of fines--some of them for most
trivial offences or discourtesies, and these numerous fines keep the
subjects very poor.

The counts are the most immoral class of people in Persia. They are
without education, knowing nothing of the sciences, geography,
mathematics or political economy, but most of them can read and write
the Persian language and know something of Persian history. It is not
much wonder that this leisure class becomes immoral, for it is a
disgrace for them to do any kind of work, and "Satan finds work for
idle hands to do." A count can't keep his own accounts or sell goods in
a store. There are no newspapers and magazines circulated throughout
Persia to occupy and lead out the thought of the people of leisure
hours. No public libraries, and no private libraries except those of a
few Persian volumes. The only newspaper published in Persia is an eight
page paper published every three weeks. It does not circulate much
outside of the capital city. The Presbyterian Mission publishes a
monthly paper about Christian work.

When a subject goes before his lord, he finds the lord seated in his
private room before a window. The subject bows before approaching near
to the window. When the lord is ready to listen, the subject comes to
the window. He usually meets with a frown and gets replies to his
questions in a gruff voice. As a class the counts are not strong
physically; they eat and drink too much for their own good.

CHAPTER IV.

CITIES, SCHOOLS AND HOLIDAYS.

The Persian cities generally are very old and most of them are
surrounded by walls about six feet through and twenty feet high. The
walls are made of clay, tramped solid by buffaloes or by men. The gates
giving entrance to the city are opened during the day from eight
o'clock in the morning until night. These walls would not withstand a
charge from modern cannon, but they were very useful fourtee