Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1894 — The Indian Parsees. [ARTICLE]

The Indian Parsees.

"I raid, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. [ will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. ’’ A medical writer, who believes in laying down a cast-iron rule for all appetites asserts that excessive meat eating will produce ill temper without fail, and says the irritability that is a chronic charactei istic of Englishmen is directly traceable to this source. This may be true, but all the same there are a great many people in a chronic ill temper this winter because of a scarcity of animal food. Twrtrcnstomary-No w^Yearls reception was held at the White House, Monday. The ceremonies were elaborate, the mansion beautifully decorated, the ladies handsome, the diplomatic corpS'gorgeous,the President urbane. The usual programme was observed. The customary crank was also on hand and was escorted outside by the customary policeman and rode in the customary patrol wagon to the customary police court where the customary judge assessed the customary fine. Mil Gladstone s American friends forgot or neglected to cable their congratulations to the Grand Old Man on his eighty-fourth birthday— Dec. 29,1893. A London cable says that he is visibly failing, and that since the Irish question has been temporarily shelved he no longer manifests such lively interest in Parliamentary proceedings. Mr. Gladstone's reception by the House of Commons on his eighty-fourth anniversary was most flattering and kindly, even his bitterest enemies* showing the most marked respect. There is always a market for Superior products of any description, although it frequently happens that the prices that can be realized are not sufficiently remunerative to justify the continued production of superior wares. Hoosier proprietors of woodland, or manufacturers of spokes, hubs and other material of that class will be interested with the information that English coach makers are now coming to America ■ for all of their, choicest raw material. Why may they not be induced to come direct to Indiana? They doubtless can if proper means are used to bring our great resources to their notice. Amateur photographers should beware how they let their zeal run away with their discretion, and will do well to remember that there is “forbidden fruit" even in our day; It is not necessary to offend the prud ish Anthony Comstock in order to acquire experience and knowledge of United States law, either. Anambitious youth' at Baltimore has been arrested for having photographic negatives of United States notes in his possession, and in spite of his earnest protests that he had not attempted to use them in any way, nor had he any intention of so doing, he was taken into custody. His little experiment is likely tc prove a very expensive amusement before he is done, and he will be fortunate if he escapes with a fine. Editor W. T. Stead, of the London Review of Reviews, who has been sojourning in Chicago for some time, states that the most remarkable phase of the American character apparent to him is the almost universal distrust that our people have of each other. If Mr. Stead would run a edrner grocery in some United States town for a time, he would cease to regard this trait as at ali remarkable. The foreigner, says Mr. Stead, never thinks of dishonoring a small debt in his own country, and dealings between neighbors and friends are always held sacred and pledges are kept inviolate. Whether this is true or not, there is no question but what Americans are, as a peop’e, given to dishonesty in the small transactions of every day life. Any tradesman who has had experience can give to those who care to listen a tale of woe that has cost him many dollars and much vexation of spirit to learn, and he is fortunate if his confidence in human nature, in the aggregate, has not forever wrecked his own financial future. Indianapolis “sports” to the number of 200 “enjoyed” a dog and rat fight, Christmas day, at a suburban road house near that city. Fifteen rats at a time were thrown into a pit with a dog and the battle began. About thirty “engagements” were conducted to the satisfaction of the sports and the dogs and the annibUationof the rats. Americans rail ;• ’VS; --- ....

at the Spanish custom of bull baiting, but reasonable people must admit that in comparison with such demoralizing spectacles as rat and chicken fighting it is immeasurably superior. Bull fighting as conducted in Spain is spectacular in a marked derree and the matadors are specimens of the highest type of physical manhood. If man can not exist without venting his malicious cruelty on dumb beasts, we may as well have it done in the best style and with the most imposing accessories. Victor Fernandez, the boy ttieosophist of New York, aged 13, is becoming proficient as a romancer or liar, as the case may*be. To a reporter of the New York Sun, last week, he related a yarn that, for original conception, is certainly refreshing. He is now cognizant of two previous stages of existence and gives details that are startling. Previous to the birth of Christ, he avers and recollects, he was incarnalel as a Jew —wealthy and old as he recalls the experience—and was blessed with a beautiful daughter, who was pining away with wasting disease. So distressed was he that he cried himself blind, and then his daughter, to prove the perversity of the sex, recovered her health entirely and flirted with young men right under his nose. The succeeding years are a blank to the adept, but he again recalls that his spirit was the animating impetus of Richard Couer de Lion. King of England. and he heard the same tune in the s treets of New York the other day that was played on the occasion of one of his triumphal entries into Ixuidon. It was this tune that recalled to his mind the experiences of his life while he was “in the clay of Richard of the Lion Heart.” Victor has also been experimenting with his astral body, and frequently makes nocturnal excursions to other planet s. He was over to Mars one night recently and was late in getting back—got lost in space so to speak—having failed to provide himself with a guide. It was 9 o’clock in the more.- , ing before his sleeping clay was again joined by his astral body, and his parents began to think he was dead. At this point in the interview a nine-year-old brother of the youthful adept rushed into the rom exclaiming: “What’s the %attcr Vic? Have you got ’em again?” And the theosophical atmosphere being dispelled the reporter depart ed.

Nlneteenth'Century. The Indian Parsees number now in.all 90,000 people. They are and always have been devoted subjects of her Majesty, and we may attribute this as much to a certain sympathy with Western methods of thought over Eastern as to the fact they would rather be ruled by entire foreigners than by those whom they might themselves have conquered had fortune favored them. The Parsee in the business of life and in public connections, is enterprising, eminently successful, earnest ami diligent. He doos most things with ease, is blessed with intelligence, has tact and adaptability so that his relations with all the different races around him are easy’ and happy. No caste distinctions have made for him his profession, as with the Hindoos. Parsees, as such, are all equally well born and equally favored by the Deity. The heaven-born Brahmin has not his parallel among them. Zoroaster came to priest and layman alike. Any census will give the range of their vocations. When not medical, legal or educational, they are commercial. Agricul turc they seem to have forsaken with Persian pastures although there is now some prospect of a return to early habits in this respect. In domestic relations the Parsee shows favorably. He is gentle and courteous, while, as in the case with ail children of the sun, his affections are strong. His treatment of his womankind is not oriental; no petty jealousy consnmes him lest they should be as powerful as himself if allowed simi.ar advantages. He is. perhaps, unecessarily luxurious in his style of living, and this reacts on his character, making him averse to .any exertion which would in w olv»personal discomfort. Doubtless it is not his fault,he has been too mud the center of his family’* affections to be anything but self-regarding by education. Bernhardt says that the longer she lives the more she likes durnf animals. “They are so friendly when you do them no harm—they are so unlike men," she says. “If I had try wish I should have a villa in the middle of the zoological gardens, among all the animals. ’ SarahV newest pets are two young jaguars which she secured in South America and a monkey. Eighty-five ladies were nominated for school commissioner in the late canvass in New York, and four wen elected. The Republicans nominated eight, the Democrats thirty, th> Prohibitionists forty-two, the Peo gle’s party four and the Politica [quality party one. The list of lady commissioners is increased by Mt over last year. 4*..