The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-04
MARRIAGE IN PERSIA,


IN Persia a girl marries to fill the
place of her husbands confident and
friend, to rule his household, and, above
all things, to be mother of children.
The marriage of the rich are generally
dictated by policy; while those of the
middle and lower classes are often az
ranged by the parents. Love matches
are the exception. Persians as rule
try to arrange what they consider sutia-
BILE matches for their children. Polyg-
amy is the exception and not the rule,
and where there are two or more wives
there are also two or more establish
ments. Neither lodgings, money, serv-
ants, clothes nor jewels are held in
common, and the only source of con-
tention is the society of the husband.
But the wives, instead of being jealous
rivals. are usually the best of friends.
While it is quite true that theoreti-
cally man can be rid of his wife by
saying before witnesses, Thou art
divorced" yet practically to obtain a
divorce in Persia is almost as difficult
as it is in Europe. In Persia the
poorest of women does not marry with
out settlement, which has to be made
good in case of divorce; and at her
marriage her relatives exact from the
husband an acknowledgment of far
larger portion than is actually paid to
him. 1t is the liability to pay this, the
''mehr," that restraints the husband
III hn Of roof
grounds. In cases where mutual dis
taste isvery strong, and divorce desired
by both parties, the matter is simply
arranged by the wife agreeing not to
exact the whole or even part of her
settlement There is another safe
guard against frivolous divorce: a
divorced man or woman does not find
it easy to make respectable marriage.
The marriage of first cousins is the
favorite union. The reason is that cous-
ms have been acquaintances and friends
from childhood, while to all the rest of
the world, save her brothers and SIS
tiers, the young girl is yelled mystery;
SO that, unless there is mutual dis
inclination, or too great disparity OF
age, the Persian youth looks naturally
to the daughter of my uncle" as his
future wife. Often the cousins are be-
trothed from childhood. AS a rule,
classes do not mingle in marriage.
The sons of merchants wed merchant S
daughters, the young tradesman mates
with his like, and so with the members
of the servant and soldier classes.
But in Persia, as everywhere else,
extraordinary personal attractions soon
become known and have their advan-
tage The beauty of the lower or mid
die classes need not aspire in vain.
The mother of the Kings eldest and
favorite son, the most powerful man in
Persia, was the daughter of miller,
who caught the Shah's eye while wash
ing cloths at the brook-side. Many a
poor and handsome girl is welded
without portion for her beauty's sake.
The young wife does not immediate
| ly assume the responsibilities of her
position. Carefully tended as bride
for the first year of her welded life,
she willingly remains under the tute-
| lage of her mother-in-law, if she have
one, or if she be the daughter of q
widow her mother usually accompanies
her to her new establishment. Mothers
| in-law have better time in Persia than
| in some other countries. There they
are regarded as the natural guardians
of the inexperienced bride, and the
proper care-takers of the young mother
and her infant offspring, From the
mother-in-law are learned the arts OF
housekeeping. Under her eyes all
purchases are made from the huckster
or female peddler, for a visit to the
bazar by young wife before she has
blessed her husband with children
would be considered scandal among
the upper, middle or tradesman class.
Only among the very poor or the vii
layers does the Young wife, save on
ceremonial occasions, leave the shadow
of her husbands roof-tree during the
first year of her marriage.
Consulted in all matters, the Persian
wife is her husbands trusted confident
and counsellor "But she is yelled,
the poor thing, closely veiled!' eXclaims
the pitving Englishwoman. Yes, she
is yelled. And loath would she be tc
part with what she looks on as 4 dis
tinction and privilege. To her the
veil is the badge of modesty and the
token of responsibility.
And has she any accomplishment,
any education; or is she merely the
mother of the children? These ques
tons are easily answered. Many O.
the Persian middle-class women are
highly educated according to the
Oriental ideas. They read and otter
write poetry; they sing and play, as ;
rule, well, and are mistresses of all the
arts of plain and fancy needle work
cooking is second nature to them
pastry-making and confectionery are
among their pleasures. The accom-
plishments of the poor ones are natur
ally of more useful kind. They are
good cooks and bread-bakers; they
make the clothes of the entire house
hold; they often are able to add Target,
to the daily income by their knowledge
of some business or trade, and none o
them are idle.-Sk James Gazette.
They were pairing the elephants
toe nails when dropped into the circu
yesterday morning. At a motion o
Prof. Newman one of the huge brute
would be loosened and come forward
| i Il