The Portland daily press., 1879-03-01

about. My wife and were both present at
it; and my European notions preventing my
believing there could be the least mlsunoer-
standing about it, since / was already mar
ried, I 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 by that tlme-and
no more thought of making her my NO.
than-dear me l-of embracing Mohamme-
dansm. My attentions, ho1ever, were mis-
construed; and her brother, being violent
man in the Shar's cavalry. and knowing l
had fairish income, insisted upon my be-
coming his brother-in-law. | believe that
Irish marriages are often brought about in
the same way, so there was nothing in that;
the PECULIARLY of the case lay in my having
a wife already, and one who was very reso-
lutte indeed about my having another.
spare you the trouble that ensued. Between
my No. wife on the one hand, and her
sharp tongue, and the officer of Spahis on the
other with his sharp sword, was placed In a
very unpleasant position, promise you; but
in the end married Khaleda. am sorry to
say that the two got on extremely ill togeth-
er. 1t was said by a great English wit that
when ones wife got 10 be forty, one ought to
be allowed to change her for two twenties,
like Foreground note, and l dare say that
would be very nice but, unhappily had now
two wives, each forty if they were day, and
there was no prospect OF getting them
changed, or parting from them anyway.
"Pirouze and Khaleda led me most I'M
night, and so far from being able to play off
one against the other, as 1 had secretly
hoped, 1 was treated with great unkindness
by both of them. They were a matter of
very considerable expense, of course, and
very little satisfaction. My position, in fact,
became intolerable; and as l could please
neither of them, resolved to please myself
by marrying No. g."
ga twenty, I suppose ?' said J., interested
in spite of myself in this remarkable nara
ton.
"Well, yes-that is, she would have been
twenty in England, but in Persia young la
dies marry good deal earlier. She was
charming creature, and cost me-"
"Whatl did you buy her?" cried I 10 as
constituent and horror.
well, no, not exactly. Her father, how
ever, insisted upon something handsome, and
there were heavyish fees to be paid to her
| mother and sisters and to the governor of
Bussora. The custom of the country is curl
GUS in that respect. After ones second wife
considerable tax is levied by the govern
ment upon marrying meE. However, Ba-
doura was worth all the money she sang,
she played divinely-that is, she would have
done SO if she had not been always crying.
Pirouze and Khaleda made her life utterly
miserable. Hitherto they had been at dag
gers drawn with Lne another, but now they
united together to prosecute the unhappy
Badoura. Her very life was scarcely safe
with them. Wretched as my former lot had
been, 1t was now become uncomfortable, for
one can bear ones own misery better than
that of those one loves"
Here Simpson took out his handkerchief,
OF a beautiful Persian pattern, and pressed it
to his eyes. ''Yes, my dear friend, they led
my Badoura dogs lfe-did those two
women. I felt myself powerless to project
her, for was never physically strong; and
| though did not understand one.half the
| epithets they showered upon her, 1 could see
| by the effect they had upon her that tia
| were most injurious what, l have no doubt,
would In this country be considered actie n
| able. For her, however, there was no reme-
| dy, and l think she would have sunk under
| their prosecutions had l not married 70.
beide."
mo. APP cried aghast. "What on earth
did you do that for?"
81 married ZObeide solely and wholly for
Badoura's sake. Ichose her. not for her
beauty, nor her virtues, nor her accomplish
meRts, but entirely for her thews and sinews.
said to her: .Zobeide, you are strong and
powerful young woman; if l make you nv
wife will you protect my lamb? and she
said, Il will 1t was the most satisfactory
Investments mean the happiest choce-I
ever made. My home is now the abode of
peace. In one wing of the house abide
Pirouze and Khaleda, in the other Zobeide
| and Badoura-two on the east side and two
on the west. Each respects the other; for al
| though Prouze and Khadela are strong fe-
males and each could wiring the neck of nv
| dear Badoura, Zobeide is stronger than both
of them put together, and protects her. Thus
the opposing elements are, as it were, neu-
traliZed; the combatauts respect ono another
| and am the head of united house. 1 cot
letters from all of my four wives this morn
ing, each of them most characteristic and
interesting. Badoura forgot to pay the post
age-she has soul above pecuniary details
and her letter was the dearest of al.'
Don't cry, Simpson," said -''don't cry,
cd fellow. The steamer goes on Tuesday,
and then you will see all your wives again.
They will welcome you with outstretched
arms-eight outstretched arms, like the
| octopus"
confess was affected by my friends att
less narration at that time, though since
have reflected upon the matter my moral
sense has asserted itself and IS outraged.
state the matter as fairly as 1 can. I have
been to picnics myself, as a married man,
aud made myself agreeable to the ladies'.
Well, in Persia this might have cost me my
life, or the expense of second establish
ment. So far, there is every excuse for
Simpson. But, on the other hand, the as
| founding fact remains that there are four
| Mrs. Simpsons at Bussora. Whenever I
lock at his quiet, business-like face, or hear
| him talking to my wife and the girls about
Persian scenery, this revelation of his strikes
me anew with wonder. Of course 1 have
| not told them about his domestic relations
it would be too great shock to their re-
spective systems; yet the possession of such
a secret all to myself is too hard 10 bear, aud
| have, therefore, laid it before the public.
The whole thing resolves itself into a rue-of-
three snRn. If even quiet, respectable fel-
low like Simpson, residing at Bussora, has
four wives, how many wives-well, don't
mean exactly that; but how much queerer
things must people do who are not so quiet
and respectable as Simpson, and who live
still further of.-Belgraria.