The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-06-07
The Woman with Seven Husbands.

Wlen ABOUT couple Vi mues iIoni
missouri, I overlook a young Paharrt
damsel, driving cows. My attention
was caught by her graceful figure, and
her highly picturesque costume. Her
hair was gathered into knot upon the
crown of her head, and thence fell in
the fashion of horses tail, down her
back. Across her shoulders bright
red scarf was thrown, and from her
waist short gray petticoat descended.
As passed the girl, instead of screen
ing her face from observation, as do the
modest females of the plains, looked
innocently up into my face, exclaiming,
"Do not drive my cows, l pray you,
sir, for they may scramble off the road,
and then 1 shall have much labor in
collecting them again"
I was surprised at the freedom and
simplicity of the damsers address, and
more so at her comely countenance,
and sparkling eyes, the Paharris being
characterized by the broad cheek-bones
and small, twinkling eye of the Chi
nese.
swell, then, my pretty lass" l re-
piled, "you must let me amuse myself
by talking to you as far as our journey
may lie upon the same road.
livery well, sir; but what can a
Feringhi Sahib have to say to poor
girl of the mountains?"
"Why, you see, l am a stranger in
these parts, and wish to pick up infor-
nation respecting your beautiful coun-
tries. Young and artless as you appear
to be, you will be able to tell me much
of which, though a traveller through
many countries, am yet ignorance"
"Alas, sir" replied she, els it for
the infant to instruct its parent or for
the young kid to direct the steps of the
goat' l am but child in knowledge,
and do you bid me show you what our
wise men call their own? Shall 1 tell
you of my cows, or of the butterflies
which sport over the flowers, or of the
eagles sailing aloft yonder:"
Eyes! even there you could tell me
much which do not know. But have
you no family or home to talk to me
about: There can not enter, and can
only learn by hearsay. Are you mar
ried?"
Married." certainly I am married,
and have seven handsome husbands, the
finest men in the village; but can not
say they are such tall, straight fellows
as the servants who follow you gentle
men from the plains"
"Seven husbands, did you say: What
all your own or did l misunderstood
you?"
Gay, truly! seven husbands; what
else should say We are not like the
unfortunate women in the plains, who,
it is said, have but one man, good or
bad, belonging to them. But l am
wrong to say seven; l have only six
now. One of them l discharged yes
terday. He was an idle, useless fell
low, with only one eye, and crooked
back"
"What, do you send them away if
they have any defects, or if you do not
love them?"
Certainly; for if a man should be
idle or poor, woman could not expect
TO keep him, when she might have fifty
better. Go your way, sir; my cows go
up this turning to the right"
"But tell me, before you go, my
pretty girl, if all the women in your
villages are as fortunate as yourself in
the number of their husbands; and if it
be usual with them to turn their good
men off with as little ceremony as you
appear to have done?"
"Why, said the woman, call my
sisters are not considered so handsome
as am; but some have two husbands &;
some have three or four !; few are so
poor as to have only one"
land would you have more than
seven, if you could find them to please
your"
"Noi if had more than seven, it is
impossible that they should be all good.
Seven is happy number"
Then suppose you will get anoth-
er to supply the place of the. seventh,
whom you discharged yesterdays"
''When l find one whom l can love-"
"But do not your husbands quarrel:
Are they not given to jealousy one
toward the other."
mo; why should they Are they
not treated according to their deserts ?"
Have you any children"
The girl drew her red scarf over face,
and, turning abruptly away, followed
her cows.-Bacon's Hindostan.
SurcrDr DIR Holland has n