TWO PERSIAN SCHOOLBOYS.

Ecbatana and Pasargade, situated in the mountain-
ous regions of Persia, where it was often bitterly cold,
the boys were ordered to bathe in the icy water of the
rivers flowing from the heights. In place of the
dainty dishes and sweetmeats for which Persian cooks
were famous, they were allowed nothing but bread
water, and a little meat; sometimes to accustom them
to hardship they were deprived entirely of food for a
day, or even longer.

On this morning the exercises seemed specially long
to the two brothers, full of anticipations of pleasure ;
put finally the last block of wood was hurled, the last

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chase, were already mounted, among them the father
of the two lads, who greeted them affectionately as
they respectfully approached and kissed his hand.

“Make haste, boys, your horses are ready. Take
only bows and shields—the swords and lances
will be in your way; you must not try to deal with
larger game than you can manage with your arrows,”

“‘May we not carry daggers in our belts too,
father?” cried Otanes eagerly. “They can’t be in
our way, and if we should meet a lion”? —

A laugh from the group of nobles interrupted him,
“ Your son seeks large game, Intaphernes !”’exclaimed

 

THE BOYS HURRIED OFF TOWARD HOME,

arrow shot, the last wrestling match ended, and the
boys, bearing a sealed roll of papyrus, containing a
leave of absence for one day, hurried off towards
home.

Their father’s palace stood at no great distance
from the royal residence, on the long, wide street
extending straight to the city gates, and like the houses
of all the Persian nobles, was surrounded by a beau-
tiful walled garden called a paradise, laid out with
flower-beds of roses, poppies, oleanders, ornamental
plants, adorned with fountains, and shaded by lofty
trees.

The hunting party was nearly ready to start, and
the courtyard was thronged. Servants rushed to and
fro bearing shields, swords, lances, bows and lassos,
for a hunter was always equipped with bow and,
arrows, two lances, a sword and a shield. Others
held in leash the dogs to be used in starting the game.

The enormous preserves in the neighborhood of
Babylon were well-stocked with animals, including
stags, wild boars, and afew lions. Several noblemen
cladin the plain hunting costume always worn in the

a handsome officer. ‘“ He must have better weapons
than a bow and dagger, if” —

The rest of the sentence was drowned by the noise
in the courtyard, but as the party rode towards the
gate Intaphernes looked back: “ Ves, take the dag-
gers, itcan dono harm. Keep with Candaules.”

The old slave, a gray-haired, but muscular man,
with several other attendants, joined the lads, and
the long train passed out into the street and to-
ward the city gates. Otanes hastily whispered his
brother: “ Keep close by me, Smerdis; if only we
catch sight of a lion, we’ll show what we can do with
bows and arrows.

The sun was now several hours high, and the streets,
lined with tall brick houses, were crowded with people
— artisans, slaves, soldiers, nobles and citizens, the
latter clad in white linen shirts, gay woollen tunics
and short cloaks. Two-wheeled wooden vehicles,
drawn by horses decked with bells and tassels, litters
containing veiled women borne by slaves, and now
and then, the superb gilded carriage, hung with silk
curtains, of some royal princess passed along. Here