The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-03-20
SIMPSON OF BUSSORA.
THE STORY OF THE MAN WITH
FOUR WIVES.

Ono OF the quietest and best fellows I
ever knew-and I have known him all
my life-was Simpson Of Bussora. I was
at school with him fve.and-forty years
ago, and though his house Of business
is ut distant place, I had met him
from time to time during his periodical
visits to this country, and always found
him unchauged-gentle, unassuming,
modest, and orthodox in his opinions.
Our house does little business with
him in shawls md carpets, but our ac-
quaintancn is mainly social. My wife
and daughters are very partial to him,
aud delight in his Persian tales, which
are picturesque and full Of local color.
Ho brings them little bottles Of scent,
which perfume the whole neighbor.
hood, and now and then scarf that is
the onvy OF their friends. I never Gu
tertained any idea Of Simpson rs son.
in.law until my wileLu it into my head.
He lived too far away for me to picture
him in such o relation, and though l
knew he had made money, | did not
think he had made enough to return
home aud settle. His income was q
very handsome one; but living at Bus
sora, he had given me to understand,
was dear, and did not admit OF much
saving. Above all, Simpson struck me
as by no meaus q marrying man. When
ever the subject of matrimony was
mooted, he always smiled in that dry,
cynical way which proclaims the con.
tirmed bachelor. Household matters
did not interest him; he did not take
much to children; he would smoke until
the small hours OF the morning, and
raise his eycbrows when one said it was
late, and perhaps ono's vito might be
sitting up. de would say, "Really!
as though such IN idea rs ones wife sit
ting up for one was preposterous, but
could never concern him.
need not go into the causes which
led to my conversing with Simpson on
the subject of matrimony. Suffice it to
say that did not do so OF my own free
will. I had received instructions from
my wife to sound" Simpson on the
matter, with relation to some "idcas !"
that she had got into her head with re.
spect to our second daughter, Jane, and
"to hear was to obey" rs they say at
Bussora.
"My dear Simpson," said !, as we
were cracking our walnuts together
after little dinner under my own roof,
az often wonder why man like you,
with largo income aud fine house,
as you describe your home tc be at iIns-
sora, has never married. 1t must be
rat, er wretched living out there all
alone"
"Well, it would bc, no doubt" said
Simpson, in his quiet way. "But, Lord
bless you! I've been married these
twenty years"
You might haye knocked INC down
with Ii feather. "Alarried these twenty
years You astonish mo. Why, how
was it you neverspoke about it 7"
"0h, l don't know; thought it
wouldn't interest you. She was Per-
s;au, you know. If she had been
European, then 1 should have told you
"a Persian wifc Dear me-" said !,
chow funny it scems!" I saiu
"funny," but at the same time oil tho
suspicious that l entertained respecting
travellers aud persons who abiure ciyili'
zation crowded into my mind. "Now,
what color, my dear Simpson, if l may
put the question without impertincnce,
arc your childrenl"
"Well, we've got no children" said
Simpson, in his usual imperturbablc
tone. ave never had any,"
don't quite know why, bat somehow
or other | thought this creditable to
Simpson. 1t was very wrong iu him to
have married Il Persian, perhaps fire
worshiper, or ut best MohammedaR,
but it was comfort to think that the
evil had, 80 to speak, stopped there.
To think OF Simpson with a heap OF part
ly.colored children, protesting, perhaps,
their mothers outlandish faith as they
grow up, wouldhave been painful to me,
in connection with the fact that Simpson
was at that moment under my roof, the
same roof with my wife and daughters,
and that was tho church warden OF onr
district church. forSook Mt once tho
particular subject Of Simpsons wife to
discuss the general subject Of rolygamy.
"The Persians have more wives thGn
one ,Ihasa they mott" inquired I.
'sBhosk Yho can afford it have" said
he; 'S6bk n Is not so usual as you may
imagihasiss,
81 need not ask how 80 protligatc o
systeff must needs work, said ]. at
Is Gtiomestic failure, Of coursei"
r. You need not ask the question, as
You ssay," replied Simpson, cracking q
walnut. But il you do ask. l am
bound to say it is so far like marriage in
this country-it is sometimes q domestic
failure and sometimes not. Perhaps it
requires more Judgment in selection;
you have not only to please yourself,
you know, but to please your other
wives" -
"Goodness gracious p said I, "how
coolly you talk about it l nope no
European who happens to be O resident