Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-05-19
LIFE AMONG THE KURDS
The Customs or an Intolerant
Race Described.
Where Men May Not Marry Until they
Have Become Robbers

The New York Hail ana ErpYess
says: that Yarroo NJ. Neesan, hand4
some Persian who is studying FOR mis-
sicnary service in his country, tells
some interesting Ears about his native
land. Mr.. Neesan is dark skinned.
wears a Black moustache and has
bright Intelligent eyes. he does not
took yery different from an American.
There are only three newspapers
in Persia" he says, "The women are
uneducated and can't even read. In a
village Of 500 inhabitants, in which
'once lived, a man began to teach his
wife her letters. The neighbors
.jeeEed at him on the streets and went
and reyiIed the woman's parents, tell
ing them that their daughter was be-
ing made a lawyer. The nuisance
became 50 intolerable that the parents
finally had to take the wife away.
They did not allow her to 60 back
to her husband until he signed con-
tract pledglng himself not TO interest
himself any further in her intellectual
development.
They are getting more tolerant of
Christianity" he went on. Formerly
when Mahometan killed Christian
he was fined SIS. Now he has to pay
$50 for the same privilege. If a Ma
hcmetan can capture Christian girl
and convert her TO his religion, when
her father dies he inherits his property
to the exclusion Of all other heirs.
This causes great run after the
daughters of rich Christians, even when
they're not pretty. If a Mahometan.
when out walking. meets Christian
on horseback. the latter has to surFen-
der bis steed and allow the follower Of
the Prophet to ride to lis destination.
1.-THE Kurds are pretty bad lot.
They are warllke and ferocious. The
WOMEN are very pretty, though living
out in tents and drinking nothing but
water. A Kurd is not allowed a wife
until he is a practiced robber. 1know
a case where the son Of rich Kurd
who had never had occasion to steal
Tell In love with girl, but her father
laughed at his suit because he could
neither burgle nor pick pockets. The
Kurd went to his aged parents for adj
vice. My son. said the old man, get
zap at sunrise and steal some sheep and
COWS from your own pastures. Drive
them throught he village. and everyone
will suppose You have stolen them.
This the yong man did, but on his
way to the village he fell in with some
real bandits, who so admired his pluck,
Tor they believed he had stolen the an
finals. that they made him one OF their
number. a2G he became area thief
and got the girl too.
"When Kurd wants to join band
OF thieves, the chiefs stand him on a
rock and make him swear by the beard
Of the Prophet that he is not standing
on rock. This is in order to give
him chance to show what a liar he Is.
If he cannot stand the test he is reject
ed. If he does stand it he is next
made to swear that he is not among
the thieves and has never met any in
his life. This is to see ifhe would be
able to lie with straight faceif the
Philistines caught him.
among the Persians. the first time
a man is caught stealing be is bastina-
doed and made 70 sign paper to
the effect that robbery has no more
attraction for him. With the soles of
his feet smarting from the bastinado
he is usually willing to do this. AT
the moment the statement is often
true. If he be caught a second tine
his hands are cut of, and If q third
time he is decapItated."