Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-08-25
MARRIAGE IN PERSIA
Great Importance OF the Mothcrs-ia.
Law in that Country

1 IN
In Persia a girl marries TO fill the
place of her husbands confidant anC
friend; to rule his household and. above
all things, to be a mother of children
The marriages of the rich are geserally
dictated by policy; while those of tile
middle and lower classes are often ar.
ranged by the parents. Love matches
are the exception. Persians as a rule
try to arrange what they consider suita.
ble matches for their children. Polyga.
my 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, ser
wants, clothes or jewels are held in COM
mon, and the only source of contention
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 theoretically
a man can be rid of his wife by saving
before witnesses, "ThOu art divorced. y
yet practically TO obtain a divorce in
Persia is almost as difficult rs it is in
Europe. In Persia the poorest of women
which has to be made good in case of
divorce; and at her marriage her rela-
tiyeS exact from the husband an ac-
acknowledgement of far larger portion
than is actually paid to him. 1t is the
liability to pay this, the ''mehr," that
IeStrains the husband from divorce save
on the strongest grounds. In eases
where mutual distaste is very strong.
md divorce desired by both parties, the
matter is simply arranged by the wife
agreeing not TO exact the whole or even
a part of her settlement. There Is
another safeguard against frivolous di-
vOrce; a divorced man or woman does
not find 1t easy to make a respectable
marriage.
The marriage of first cousins is the
favOrite union. The reason is that
cousins have been acquaintance and
friends from childhood, while to all the
rest q the world save her brothers and
sisters, the young girl is a veiled mys-
terry; so that, unless there is a mutual
dissemination, 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 merchants
daughters, the young tradesman mates
with his like, and so with the members
of the servant and soldier classes.
But in Persia, rs everywhere else, eX-
tTaordinary personal attractions soon
become known and have their advan-
tage. The beauty of the lower or mid
die classes need not aspire III vain. The
mother of the Kings eldest and favor
ite son, the most powerful man i'll Per-
sia, was the daughter of Il miller, who
caught the Shah'S eye while washing
clothes at the brook side. Many poor
and handsome girl is welded without
portion for her beanty's sake.
The young wife does not Immediately
assume the responsibilities of her posi-
tion. Carefully tended as a bride for
the first year of her welded life, she
willingly remains under the tutelage of |
her mother-in-law, if she have one, or ii |
she be the daughter of widow her |
mother usually accompanies her to her |
new establishment. MOtherS-in-law I
have a better time in Persia than in
SDll1t slN
regarded as the natural guardians of the
bride and the proper care
takers of the young mother and her in
fant offspring. From the mother-in-
law are learned the arts of hOuSekeep
ing. Under her eyes all purchases are
made from the huckSters or female ped
lars, for visit to the baZar by young
wife before she has blessed her husband
with children would be considered Il
scandal among the upper. middle, or
class. Only among the very
poor or the villagers does the young
wife, save on ceremonial occasions,
leave the shadow of her husbands roof
tree during the first year OF her mar
riage.
But the first year of her wifehOod has
passed away, and relatives and friends
have been summoned to celebrate the
happy birth of a son or daughter. If
the former, then indeed is the position
of the wife happy one. She receives
the congratulations of her friends and
and holds high festival.
Her husband digniiieS her 10y the title of
Mother of HaSSan." or whatever the
little ones name may he, and from that
lay her own name is no longer used. If
she is only blessed with daughter, still
she is not cursed with sterility, that ter,
ror of the Oriental woman, and she may
hope that heaven may bless her with Il
son.
Consulted in all matters, the Persian
wife is her husbands trusted confidant
and counsellor. But she is veiled, the
poor thing, closely veiledi'' eXclaimS the
Ditying Englishwoman. Yes, she Is
yeiled. And 10th would she be to part
with what she looks on as distinction
and a privilege. To her the veil is
badge of modesty and the token of re-
,pectability.
And has she any accomplishments,
INV education; or is she merely the
mother of the children? These questions
Ire easily answered. Many of the Per-
,ian middle-claSs women are highly
according to Oriental ideas.
They read and often write poetry; they
ling and play as rule well, and are
nisstreSSes of all the arts of plain and
ancy needlework; cooking is a second
nature to them; pastry making and con-
iectiOnery are among their pleasures.
The accomplishments of the poor ones
ire naturally of a more needful kind.
They are good cooks and bread bakers;
hey make the clothes of the entire
households; they often are able to add
argely to the daily income by their
of some business or trade,
md none of them are idle.