The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-11-30

wife might be sitting up. He would
say, Reallyr as though such an idea
as ones wife sitting up for one was
preposterous, but could never concern
him.
need not 90 into the causes
which led to my conversing with
Simpson on the subject of matri-
mony. Suffice it to say that l did not
do so of my own free will. l had re-
ceived instructions from my wife to
"sound - Simpson on the matter, with
relation to some "ideas" that she
had got into her head with respect to
our second daughter Jane, and g to
hear was to obey" as they say at Bus
sora.
my dear Simpson," said I, as we
were cracking our walnuts together,
after little dinner under my own roof,
Il often wonder why man like you,
with large income and fine house,
| as you describe your home to be at
Bussora, has never married. 1t must
be rather wretched living out there all
| alone"
"Well, it would be, no doubt" said
Simpson, in his quiet way. ''But, Lord
bless you! I've been married these
twenty years.
You might have knocked me down
with a feather. Married these twen-
ty years! You astound me. Why, how
was it you never spoke about it?''
go, L don't know; l thought it
wouldn't interest you. She was Per-
sian, you know. If she had been a
European, then 1 should have told
you"
ga Persian wife! Dear me-" said L,
6 how funny it seemsn' | said funny"
but at the same time all the suspicious
that | entertained (and now entertain
more than every respecting travellers
and persons who abiurc civilization,
crowded into my mind. "Now, what
color, my dear Simpson, if | may put
the question without impertinence, are
your children?'
"Well, we've got no children said
Simpson, in his usual imperturbable
tone. 1--WE never had any,
l don't quite know why, but some
how or other | thought this creditable
to Simpson. 1t was very wrong in him
to have married Persian, perhaps a
tire-worshiper, or at best Mohamme-
dan, but it was a comfort to think that
the evil had, so to speak, stopped there.
To think of Simpson with a heap of
parti-colOred children, protesting, per-
haps, their mothers outlandish faith
as they grew up, would have been pain
full to me, in connection with the fact
that Simpson was at that moment I'M
der my roof, the same roof with my
wife and daughters. and that l was the
church warden of our district church
| forsook at once the particular subject
of Simpsons wife to discuss the general
subject of polygamy.
THE Persians have more wives than
one, have they not?' inquired l.
"Those who can afford it have" said
he; 81 but it is not so usual as you may
imagine"
81 need not ask how so profligate a
system must needs work." said |. cit
is domestic failure, of coursen'
You need not ask the question, as
you say" replied Simpson, cracking a
walnut. but if you do ask, l am
bound to say it is so far like marriage
in this country-it is sometimes a do
nestle failure, and sometimes not. Per-
haps it requires more Judgment in Sc
lection; you have not only to please
yourself, you know, but to please your
other wives"
Goodness gracious!' said I, chow
coolly you talk about it! | hope no
European who happens to be resident
in this strange community ever gives in
to the custom?'
"Some do and some don't" was the
reply of Simpson. 81 lived in Persia
with one wife for fifteen years before |
gave in"
"What! you married a second wife,
your first wife being alive?"
"Just So" was the unabashed re-
joinder. Simpson swept the walnut
shells into corner of his plate, and
helped himself to sherry. 81 have now
four wives"
BLESS my soul and body!" said L.
"Four wivesr'
Eyes, The story of my little me-
mage may seem in your ears rather curl
Gus. If 1t will not bore you III tell you
about it,
II had no words to decline the offer,
even if | wished it. My breath was
fairly taken away by Simpsons four
wives. The traveller that had liked his
food uncooked had given me rather a
turn, but that was nothing to this reve-
lation of my present companion, man
we had always considered of the high
est responsibility, and who my wife had
even thought would have suited our
Jane.
"Well, it was at a picnic party on
the plains near Bussora that the thing
first came about. My wife and 1 were
both present at it; and my European
notions preventing my believing there
could be the least misunderstanding
about it, since was already married,
| made myself very agreeable to GER
tain Persian lady. She was neither
young nor pretty-just like what my wife
herself, indeed, had grown to be about
that time-and no more thought of
making her my No. 2 than-dear mel
of embracing Northumberland My
attentions, however were misconstrued;
and her brother, being violent man
in the Shah's cavalry, and knowing
had fairish income, insisted upon my
becoming his brother-in-law. | believe
that Irish marriages are often brought