Who Lied?

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 268, 30 May 1888, Page 3

Who Lied?

A i'Komim,nt official at Tabii/, Peisia, had an altcieatien with an English gentleman, and repeatedly called him a liar fco his tace. The Kng'lislmi.'in, who eccmed not. to be acquainted with Oriental character, ?cnfc him a note demanding 1 either an apology or that he fhould accept a challeng-e to fight. The I'eisian wa> :iot a cow aid — few Persians are poltt eons— but the idea of risking his life because he had called another man a liar ,-eemed to him prepobterous, a.> it would to M)ino Euiopcans and Americans as well, who do not accept the absurdities of the duelh'-N' code ' I light ?' said he, 'what shall 1 hght lor 1 only called him a liar, and now he wants me to right him. Never v,b anything more ab&iud.' 'Well,' &aicl the gentleman who took the note to him, ' he t»a_\h you will ha\o to tight him ; there U no way of getting out of it. It will ne\ci do to call an Englishman a liar.' ' But 1 bay 1 won't tight," replied the other. 'Thenjou must apologise.' ' Apologise ? What doe* he mean by apologise?' ' Why, take it all back, and pa> that you are sorry that you called him a hat ; that is what it means." ']* that all?' replied the Peibian : 'ot eoutve I'll apologise. 11l -ay w hatevc he w i-Jic*? me to bay. I lied when I called him a liar. lam a liar, the •>on of a liar, and (he grandson of Han?. \\ hat mote doo he want me to say ?' We ic.ul in IlciodotiiM that the Persians of old instructed then soius in three thing's only -to lidc, to use the bow, and to speak the truth. They c- 1 111 ikie, but the only bow they u^e i* the long bow.