The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-26
sImpaon,a wife 10 discuss the general gub

l4LAGo hOt ~ AZ ~ I'D
ment in selection; you have not only e
please yourself, you know, but to pleast
: your other wives"
"Goodness graciousP" said I, chow
: cody you talk about I'll hope no Eu'
ropean who happens to be a resident In thiE
strange community ever gives in to the Gus
tom?"
"some do and some DON'T" was the re-
ply OF Simpson, ~ lived in Persia with
one wife for fifteen years before 1gaye ip.'
"What! you marry second wife, youl
first wife being alive%
Gust so," was the unabashed rejoiner.
Simpson swept the walnut.shells into q
corner Of his plate, and helped himself to
sherry. II have now four wives"
"Bless my soul and body psaid l. -Four
wiyes%
Eyes. The story Of my little menage may
seem in your ears rather curious. Tit will
not bore you, I'll tell you about it"
had no words to decline the offer, even
liz I wished 1t. My breath was fairly
taken away by Simpsons four
wives. The traveller who once told
me that he liked his food uncooked
(human fesh) had given me rather q turn,
but that was nothing TO this revelation OF
my present companions: man we had
always considered Of the highest respect
ability, and who my wife had even thought
would have suited our Jane.
swell, 1t was picnic party on the plains
near Busso1a that the thing first came
about. My wife and / were both present
at il; and my European notions preventing
my believing there could be the least mis-.
understanding about II, since was already
married, made myself very agreeable to
certain Persian lady. She was neither
young nor pretty-just what my wife her
self, indeed, had grown to be by that time
land no more thought Of making her my
M. 2 than-dear me !-of embracing Mo
hammedanism.
"My attentions, however, were miscon-
strued, and her brother, being violent
man in the shah's cavalry, and knowing
had fairish income, insisted on my be.
coming bis brother.in-law. l believe Irish
marriages are often brought about in the
same way, so thers was nothing in that;
the popularity Of the case lay in my having
wife already, and one who was very reso.
lutte indeed to prevent my having another.
spare you the troubles that ensued. Be.
tween my No. / vile on the one hand, and
her sharp tongue, aud the officer Of Spahis
on the other, with his sharp sword, ! was
placed in a very unpleasant position, |
promise you; but in the end l married
khaleda,
II am sorry to say the two ladies got on
extremely i'll together. It was said by
great English wit that when ones wife gets
TO be folty, one aught to be allowed to
f0r ftfT0 ttuanttau Itkn a tnFfV-
pound note, and / dare say that would
be very nice; but, unhappily, had now
two wives, each forty, II they were day,
and there was no prospect OF getting them
changed, or parting from them in any way.
"Pirouzs and Kha'eda led me most I'M
happy life. They quarreled from morn.
rng till night, and 80 far from being able
to play off one against the other
as had secretly hoped, was treated with
great urkindness by both Of them. They
were matter Of very considerable ex-
pense, OF course, and very little satisfac
ton. My position, in fact, became intol.
cradle; and as could please neither OF
them, I resolved to please my'elf by mar.
rylug No. 8. :,
"a twenty, suppose?' said l, interested
in spite Of myself in this remarkable mar
ration.
"Well, yes; that is, she would have been
a twenty in England, but in Persia young
ladies marry good deal earlier. She wss
q charming creature, and cost me -"
"What did you buy her? cried /, in
astonishment 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,
aud to the Governor OF Bussora. The GUS
tom OF the country is curious In that re.
spect. Alter ones second wife consider
able tax is levied by the government upon
marrying men. However, Badoura was
worth the money; she sang, she played
divinely; that is, she would have done 80 ii
she bad not been always crying. Pirouze
and Khaleda made her life utterly miser.
able. Hitherto they had been at daggers
drawn with one another, but now they
united together to persecute the unhappy
Badoura. Her very life was scarcely safe
with them. Wretched as my former lot
had been, it was now become uncomfortable,
for one can bear ones own misery better
than that OF those we love.
Here Simpson took out his handkerchief,
OF beautiful Persian pattern, and pressed
it to his eyes.
ayes, my dear friend, they led my Ba-
doura dogs life-did those two women.
/ felt myself powerless to protect her, for ]
was never physically strong; and though
did not understand one-half Of the cpl
thets they showered upon her, l could see
by the effect they had upon her that they
were most injurious-whatI have no doubt
would in this country be considered ac-
tionable. For. her, however, there was no
remedy, and think she would have eunk
under their persecution had not married
Zobeide."
"No. AZ" cried aghast, "What on earth
did you do that for %
~ married Zobeide solely and wholly
for Badoura's sake. l chose her, not for
hor beauty, nor her virtues, nor her &C.
complishments, but entirely Tor her thews
and sinews. / said to her, 'Zobeide, you
are strong and powerful young woman;
| il make you my wife, will you protect
my lamb p and she said i will It was
the most satisfactory investment-1 mean,
| the happiest choica-I ever made. Ny
home Is now the abode OF peace. Ia one
wing Of tho house abide Pirouze and Khs-
lleda, in the other Zlbeide and Badoura:
1.-TWO on the east side and two on the west.
Each respects the other; for although
PirouSs and Khaleda are both strong 10.
males, and could each wiring the neck Of
Imy dear Badoura, Z)beide is stronger
than both Of them put together, and pro-
| tects her. Thus the opposing elements arc,
as It were, neutraljzsdI the combatants les
apect one another and / am the head OF Q