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genteel in a public place, I 'ardly liked | she can see distinctly the poor little improvements she made for Tilly's

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to own yer." "My dear!" cries Martha in a trem- coming. She turns the cheap lookingbling voice. 'My dear! My dear!" glass with its face to the wall. It was and she puts her withered old arms meant to reproduce Tilly, buxom and round the girl's neck, and kisses her twenty, and not Martha, poor, old, and cries over her for happiness. ugly, and disappointed. She catches "What a take on to be sure!" says sight of Tilly's picture at four years old Tilly, who is perfectly practical. "Let's-Tilly, stolid enough indeed, but go 'ome." little, loving, and good. And Martha

And they go home and begin life cries, and buries her head in her arms; together. and the tears mark grimy courses down her furrowed checks.

For a month Martha is happy. She is happy at least so far that she can watch the accomplished Tilda reading a novelette, and profoundly admire so much education. She puts her ridiculous old head on one side, to look proudly and fondly at the stylish black curls shading Tilly's rubicund countenance. She ventures to kiss Tilly's cheek very gently when that young lady is snoring profoundly after a day's pleasure, for Tilly has not yet started the dressmaking.' And the premium is still wrapped up safely in dingy newspaper in the money-box.

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"If you could 'a trusted me, Tilly," she says. "If you would but 'a trusted

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Mrs. Jones always have said that Tilda was a bad lot. "A impudent,. brazen-faced thing," says Mrs. Jones, warming to the description.

And Martha, with a little color coming into her poor white cheeks, knows as Tilly meant no harm. And marriages are made in 'eaven.

She may have to acknowledge Tilda erring to her own heart, but how can she give her up to the merciless judgment of a merciless world?

"You're a poor sperited one, that you are," says Mrs. Jones, and as

That is all. But that is why Martha falls back with her face drawn and ashen, and her lips trembling. That is all. It is the end of those years of work and denial and hoping. Yet what is more natural than that Tilly likely as not you've never looked to should desire matrimony, and try her see if she 'ave made off with the preblandishments upon a costermonger mium." who plied his trade most conveniently beneath Martha's window ? What is more natural in this cruel world than love repaid by ingratitude, and trustfulness by deceit ?

Martha gropes her way blindly to the attic. It is not yet so dark there but

Martha has not looked. Is startled into confessing it. She has not thought of the premium so hardly earned. She has only thought that she has loved Tilda, and Tilda has not loved her. And a swift burning color comes into Martha's cheeks, and some sudden,

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"Don't you be so sure," says Mrs. Jones vindictively. "You look and

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deadly premonition creeps to her heart | times. Long before the last of these and closes coldly upon it. And she an- eras, which we may call the Arab swers steadily, My Tilda's as honest irruption, Zoroaster had arisen to supas you are." plement the early Persian code of morality. The exact date at which he flourished is hard to fix-writers vary from 2200 B.C. to 1300 B.C. that is necessary for our purpose is to note that by the time the Arabs overran Persia there had long been established a faithful and devoted body of Zoroastrians, ready to renounce all for the religion of their prophet. Zoroaster had taught them that it was not enough "to ride, and draw the bow, and speak the truth," they must defend the revelation with which he had entrusted them. And so it came to pass that in the seventh century a little band of exiles from Pars (in Persia) carried their principles and their sacred "You can tell all as asks," she says, fire remote from Mahommedan persein an old voice that is very clear and cutors and the homes of their ancesfirm, 66 as my Tilda is quite straight and tors, first to Khorassan and then to the honest. And them as says she isn't-Indian province of Guzerat. At this lies.'

Perhaps Martha takes some sort of resolution as she goes heavily to the drawer where the money-box is kept. Or perhaps no resolution is necessary, because her ignorant, loving old soul is of its nature infinitely faithful. Her hands and lips are quite steady now, and she is not afraid of Mrs. Jones's "sperited " gaze. The money-box is quite light, and the money collected was chiefly in pence and halfpence. It is also unlocked. And Martha turns with her back to the drawer and faces Tilda's enemics.

"I'll believe as you speak true," says Mrs. Jones. "If you don't, well, the Lord forgive you.”

And who shall say that he will not ?

From The Nineteenth Century.
THE PARSEES.

THE history of the modern Parsees is in effect the history of Zoroastrianism since the seventh century; but they have an ancient history as well, partly legendary, partly authentic, stretching back to many thousand years before Christ, when in that vast empire known to chroniclers early Persian Gaiomards fought demons and giants, or, in later years, conquered territory and cultivated the arts of peace.

Herodotus say's that effeminate climes produce effeminate inhabitants, and that the same soil cannot produce excellent fruits and men valiant in war. Perhaps to some such reason may be ascribed the fact that Persia could not keep what it had conquered, but it did at any rate outrage historical tradition by rising and falling three successive

latter place they established themselves, after negotiations with the Hindu mouarch, and one is glad to feel that, notwithstanding the diluted form of Zoroastrianism with which they presented that potentate, they have preserved almost intact that for which they left home and happiness in the reign of the unfortunate Yazdezard.

To follow their fortunes from this point is to narrate an almost uninter rupted history of peace and prosperity. Once only have they taken arms, and that was in the battle of Sanjan, 1305 A.D., when they helped the Hindus against the Mahommedans.

In Akbar's reign they became com、 mercial, and began the trade with China which has largely made of them the luxurious nation they now represent; but their rise in India is almost simultaneous with the British acquisition of Bombay. The Indian Parsees number now in all ninety thousand 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 that they would rather be ruled by

entire foreigners than by those whom | round with blessings; while, in the they might themselves have conquered Fire Temple close by, another white, had fortune favored them.

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robed intercessor stands before the saThe Parsee, in the business of life cred fire, watching the incense of a and in public connections, is enterpris- nation's prayer ascend to the God of ing, eminently successful, earnest, and light and heat. Nor is their connecdiligent. He does most things with tion with the Deity purely vicarious ; ease, is blessed with intelligence, has religion enters into the life of a Zorotact and adaptability; so that his rela-astrian in more ways than one. When tions with all the differing races around old enough to learn anything, all Parsee him are easy and happy. No caste boys and girls are instructed in the distinctions have made for him his pro- religion of their race. At seven years fession, as with the Hindus. Parsees of age the boy is invested with the saas such are all equally well born and cred garments, the sudra and kusti. equally favored of the Deity. The The conception is, unlike the Judaic, heaven-born Brahmin has not his par- that he is born good, and that no evil ́allel among them. Zoroaster came to touches him till his seventh year. The priest and layman alike. Any census ceremony during the investiture is elabwill give the range of their avocations. orate, but noticeable points are the When not medical, legal, or educa- prayer of repentance and the declarational, they are commercial. Agricul- tion of faith. The sudra is a finely ture they seem to have forsaken with woven garment- "the garment of the Persian pastures, although there is good and beneficial way," as its name now some prospect of a return to early denotes-spotlessly white, to suggest habits in this respect. purity, while each seam is invested In domestic relations the Parsee with symbolism, exhorting to virtue. shows favorably. He is gentle and The kusti is a fine cord of seventy-two courteous, while, as is the case with all threads, representing the seventy-two children of the Sun, his affections are chapters of the Yazashne. This is strong. His treatment of his women- knotted round the waist of the child by kind is not Oriental; no petty jealousy the officiating dastur, who chants meanconsumes him lest they should be as time a monotheistic creed, declaratory powerful as himself if allowed similar of the faith left to Parsees by Zoroaster advantages. He is, perhaps, unneces- and of that prophet's divine commissarily luxurious in his style of living, sion. At the last knot the priest says, and this reacts on his character, mak-“Perform good actions, and abstain ing him averse to any exertion which from evil ones," and henceforward the would involve personal discomfort. young Zoroastrian is responsible for Doubtless it is not his fault; he has himself. The knots in the kusti reprebeen too much the centre of his fam- sent to him vows of truth and charity ily's affections to be anything but self- with such other virtues as he may from regarding by education. time to time desire, and he says his With a Parsee the day begins as with prayers upon this sacred cord many many other people, except that his times a day. It will thus be seen that, matutinal devotions are said for him though devoid of that asceticism which and his family by a white-robed priest, characterizes Brahminism, Zoroastrianwho, seated on a high stool and with ism is a beautiful ministry to truth and his face to the sun, chants prayers in goodness, and nothing is too small to beautiful language from a Zend liturgy. take part in this service. Life is repreEach family has its priest, who faith-sented as a contest with the powers of fully performs his duty by each member of the household. There must be something rather helpful in the thought that while they go about their daily tasks some one is hedging them

darkness, and man is encouraged to range himself on the side of light.

To turn now to things educational. The Parsees have always happily been blessed with intelligence. In the days

when their language was Persian, and | must hold to the old ways, and who their location the land of their origin, can say but that this very conservatism they had a literature worth possessing. is not the ballast of India, acting as a Sir John Malcolm tells how the men wholesome restraint to rashness and repairing his tents at Ispahan sang keeping us from outstripping ourmystical odes of Hafiz. Poetic sensi- selves? bility is independent of rank or education with them, as with most Orientals. But Persian poetry has long ago been expounded to the uninitiated, and we know now that the warm tropical glow, the rich imagery, the soft accents which delight, the ear, only veil the deepest and most mystical of philosophical long-them. With the Parsees, we start with ings.

As to women and girls, it is customary for people outside India to mass together the peoples who inhabit it, and to talk of "the poor, downtrodden women of India," and much sympathy is spent, and some imagination, on the troubles which are supposed to assail

a difference, however, for they do not The language of the Parsees in India shut up their women behind the puris Guzerathi, varied slightly from the dah, nor does their early history warlanguage of that province; the build-rant any such custom. The Avesta. ing up of a Persian literature is thus, has a delightful sketch of Iranian alas! more or less forsaken. The women-how they wove, and spun, Translation Committee does some good work in Guzerathi, and Zoroastrian research has of late years been solidly aided by many Parsee scholars.

and read, and rode, and drew the bow, and ruled their households. They combined all the elements necessary for a woman's education; they were companionable to their husbands and yet domestic; and so great was their spiritual importance in the Iranian family that they were allowed to partake in the sacred rites, and their names were invoked together with those of masculine saints and deities. This will be refreshing to such as are accustomed to hear Manu declare that he who does not pay his debts will be born again as "a slave, a servant, a quadruped, or a woman significant category ↓

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The education of a Parsee compasses the ordinary stages. He begins, perhaps, at a Guzerathi school, or with tutors at home. High schools and colleges or a university course in England next await him; but many Parsees give their children an entirely English education. They do not, like the Hindus, lose caste by crossing the waters. | As to statutes and such like, the university and her Majesty's inspectors make excellent provision. Schools, both primary and high, are under gov- The Parsees of to-day may be said to ernment supervision, and though much have retained most of these good tradiremains to be rectified in the manner tions; their womenkind are treated of imparting instruction, any visitor to with respect and deference, and if we India would, I doubt not, marvel that fail to be as great a power as the Iraeducation should have made such rapid nian lady, it is doubtless because we strides in comparatively so short a time. do not better use the aids which fall to India walks with large steps in this as us. Like the early Iranian, the Parsee in other things, and anomalies crowd child takes the sacred vows at about upon us; a university open in all its seven years of age; she goes to school branches to women, and the strict pur- or has her governesses. Too often (in dah system; the highest philosophical orthodox families) her parents stop her enlightenment, and the superstitions of education at fifteen or sixteen; she a temple to Kali. But then, like the comes out; she travels with her parvegetable life around us in India, we ents to the different hill-stations, in are not all winter or all summer at the pursuit of the season; she is marriagesame time; we are not all young to-able. The dastur of the family puts gether in mental any more than in her down in his list of marriageable physical development - the orthodox girls, together with a description of her

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and practised in the fight, who vanquished Sorab, the son of Rustum, whom no man could withstand (Firdusi). Perhaps beside her Parsee ladies are too little active; at any rate one longs for something-poverty perhaps, or the devotion to some idea, however exaggerated, which will rouse us out of our lethargy to prove ourselves worthy

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personal attractions, mental and phys-longer minds her spinning-wheel as in ical, and the amount of dowry which Iranian days), and Parsee ladies are her father is prepared to give with her. always peculiarly gentle and home-lovThis last is purely supplemental, and ing, showing to best advantage in their arrives at its largest figure when ugli- families. Poems sing the praises of ness and brainlessness predominate. the warlike Gurdafrid, firm in saddle Nor is character omitted in the computation -a bad temper is equated in the sound coin of her Majesty's empire. If beautiful or otherwise attractive, her father feels justified in concluding that his daughter needs no bush. Choice is pain; he will not dazzle the young aspiraut by too many attractions, although when the suitor has appeared the father is not loth to dower heavily. of our origin - emancipators of Indian A Zoroastrian is by no means a miser; women, builders of an Indian literature, he loves to do handsomely that to reformers of Indian abuses which he sets his hand. The dastur, not? We are so placed as to invite omniscient being, possesses an equally action; united and small, our lives significant list of marriageable young must touch each other's; the treasures men, with a forecast as to their prospects in their profession or otherwise; these lists, as will be imagined, make excellent literature for the respective parents. They are Iranian enough, however, to let the persons hand to supply our imaginations; concerned manage for themselves the real business of the wooing. The parents content themselves with making opportunities, and directing the tastes of the younger generation, and compulsion is rarely necessary, whether because the child is docile who knows?

of the university are at our feet; India, with its beautiful sunsets, its luxuriant hills, its wild wastes, its demonhaunted caverns, its ancient literature, its differing peoples and minds, is at

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beauty, in God's work and in man's work, is around us; the result of various civilizations is with us to influence us; looking on lovely things with a trained and understanding eye, our minds ought to grow beautiful. might fulfil that for which the prophet said Zoroastrians were born to add to One cannot regret any system which the sum of goodness in the world, and retains authority in an age when lib-diminish the power of Alireman, the erty, whether much or little, is likely to Evil Spirit. prove baneful; still I must confess to Perhaps one mistake made in the being intensely amused at the marriage education of a Parsee girl is that the lists I have seen, and the arithmetical religious and emotional side of her exactitude of the equations. One won-nature is not sufficiently developed. ders, too, why "accomplished" should Women have for long left the praying take so much off a dower when it to the men. Some effort has of late means what it does mean in India, been made to bring back the ancient for most Parsee girls, alas ! a little times, when men and women had equal music, bad enough to be painful, a religious duties. Compare Zoroaster's little painting, an acquaintance with prayer to Ahura Mazda, “that the virEnglish and French. This last is often tuous and noble Hataosa, the wife of put to no further use than the reading King Vishtaspa, may exert herself to of lachrymose novels, for there is no help in propagating among her sex the in a Parsee household who will moral and spiritual culture of which he trouble to suggest better. The domes- was the great pioneer and founder " tic part of the girl's education is not (Yt. ix. 25, xvii. 46). So Professor neglected, certainly (though she no Darmesteter says: "The moral vic

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