The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-12-04
SIMPSON OF BUSSORA.

my conversing with Simpson on the subject o
matrlmony. Suffice 1t to say that did not &c
SO of my own free will | had received in
sructions from my wife to sound" Simpson
on the matter. with relation TO some ideas
she had got into her head with respect to oul
second daughter, Jane.
My dear Simpson" said |, 81 often wonder
why man like you, with q large income
and fine house as you describe yours to be
don't marry; it must be rather wretched lv
ing there all alone?"
swell, 1t would be, no doubt" said Slmp
son, 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 twenty years, you as
found me- Why, how was It you never spoke
about it?'
oh, | don't know; thought it wouldn't
interest you. She was Persian, you know; II
she had been European, should have told
YOU
"a Persian wife! Dear me-" SAID ], chow
funny it seems"
said funny" but at the same time all the
suspicious that | entertain toward travellers
and persons who ALLURE civilization crowded
into my mind.
Now, what color, my dear Simpson, if !
may put the question, are your children?"
well, we've got no children" said Simpson
IN his usual imperturbable tone, 1--WE never
had any"
| don't quite know why, but somehow /
thought this creditable to Simpson. 1t was
very wrong in HIM to have married Persian,
perhaps a lire worshlpper, but it was com
fort to think the evil had, 30 to speak, stopped
there. To think of Simpson with heap OF
party.colored children, protesting, perhaps,
their mothers outlandish faith, would have
been painful to me, in connection with the
fact that he was now under my own roof, and
that | was church warden. | tOrsook the
particular subject of Simpsons wife to discuss
the general one of polygamy.
"The Persians have more wives than one,
have they not?" inquired |.
Those who can afford have said he.
IL need not ask how 50 proiligate system
must work." said l. at is domestic failure,
of course"
"You need not ask, rs you say" replied
Simpson; "but If you do, am bound TO say
1t is 80 far like marriage in this country-lt is
sometimes domestic failure, and sometimes
not Perhaps 1t requires more judgment in
selection; you have not only to please your
elf, but to please your other wives"
Goodness gracious!" said | "hOw coolly
you talk about It, i hope no European who
happens to be resident in this strange commu-
nifty ever gives IN TO the custom ~
"Some do, and some don't" was the reply.
III lived IN Persia with one wife tor fifteen
years before | gave in"
"What! you married u second wife, your
first wife being Aive?"
Just So" was the unabashed rejolndcr. 81
have now four wives"
Bless my soul and body" ! exclaimed !;
-four wives!'
"Yes. The story is rather curious; if it will
not bore you, I'll tell you about IT.
had no words TO decline the offer, If had
wished it. My breath was fairly taken away
by Simpsons four wives. a man we had con
sidered of the highest responsibility, and
whom my wife even thought would have suit
cd our Jane.
well, it was at a picnic party that the
thing first came about My wife and ! were
both present. and, my European notions pre-
venting my thinking there could be the least
about it, since ! was mar
ried, made myself very agreeable to certain
Persian lady. She was neither young nor
pretty, and had no more thought of making
her number two than-uear me-of embracing
My attentions were, howev-
er, msconstrued; and her brother being n
violent man in the shah's cavalry, insisted on
my becoming his brother.lnlaw. | spare you
the trouble that ensucd between my number
one wife, with her sharp tongue, and the officer
Of Shah's with his sharp sword, | was in
very unpleasant position but IN the end |
married khaleda | am sorry to say the two
ladies got on extremely i'll together.
at was said by an English wit that when
ones wife gets to be 40, one should be allowed
TO change her tor two twentes, like "A forty
pound note and dare say that would he very
nice; but unhappily had now two wives
40, ifthey were day, and no prospect of get
ting them changed
"Pirouze and Khaleda led me most unhap.
py life. They quarreled from morning to
night and instead OF playing off one against
the other, as had secretly hoped, | was treat.
My position, in fact, became intolerable; and
AS could please neither of them, | resolved
to please myself by marrying No. g."
"a twenty suppose" said |, becoming
interested in spite of myself in this remark
able narrative.
"Well, yes. She was charming creature,
and cost ne"
What! did you buy herr" exclaimed in
horror
well, no, not exactly Her father, however,
insisted on something handsome, and there
were fees to be paid to her mother and sisters,
and to the governor of Bussora. The custom
of the country is curious in that respect. AT.
ter ones second wife tax is levied on marry
ing men. However, Badoura was worth the
money. She sang dlvinely; that Is, she would
have done so il she had not been always cry
ing Plrouzc and Khaleda made her life utter
ly miserable Hitherto they had been at dag
gers drawn with one another. Now they had
united together to prosecute the unhappy Ba-
doura Her very life was scarcely safe with
them. Wretched as my former lie hud been
it now became unbearablc, for one can bear
ones own misery better than that of those we
love. | felt myself powerless to protect her.
l did not understand one-half the epithets they
showered upon her, but could see the effects.
i think she would have sunk under their per
secuions had not married Zobelde."
NO. Az said |, aghast What on earth
did you do that for"