Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-03

ART Htlu III NOhh'h1 "hN Wv D'd
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 theo-
retically man can be rid of his
wife by saying before witnesses,
"Thou art divorced yet practical
w to obtain a divorce in Persia is
almost as difficult as it is in Europe.
In Persia the poorest of women
do not marry without settle
ment which has to be made good in
case of divorce; and at her mar
riage her relatives exact from the
husband an acknowledgment OF a
far larger portion than IS actually
paid to him. 1t is the liability to
pay this, the "mehr,' that restraints
the husband from divorce save on
the strongest grounds. In cases
where mutual distastc IL very
strong, and 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 divorce:
a divorced man or woman does not
find it easy to make a respectable
marriage.
The marriage OF first cousins IS
the favOrte uiOn. The reason Is
that cousins have been acqualn-
tances and friends from childhood,
while to all the rest of the
world, save her brothers and sisters.
the young girl is a veiled mystery;
so that, unless there is mutual
dlsinclinatiOn, or too great a dis
parity of age, the Persian youth
looks naturally to the "daughter
of my uncle" as his future wife.
Often the cousins are bctrothcd
from childhood. Asa 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, as everywhere
else, extraordinary personal at
fractions soon become known and
have their advantage. The beauty
of the lower or middle classes need
not aspire in vain. The mother OF
the Kings eldest and favOrlte son,
the most powerful man III Persia,
was a daughter Of miller, who
caught the Shah's eye while wash
| in clothes at the road side. Many
a poor and handsome girl is welded
without portion for her tcauty sake
The young wife does not I'M
mediately assume the RESPONSE
| biIities of her position. Carefully
| tended as a bride for the first year
| of her welded life, she Willingly
remains under the tutelage OF hel
motherin-law, if she have one OF
If she be the daughter of widow
her mother usually accompanies
her to her new establishments
Mothcrs.in.law have better tint
in Persia than in some other cOun
tries. There they are regarded Z
the natural guardians Of the mex
perienced bride, and the prope
care takers of the young mothe
and her infant offspring, From
the mothcr.in-law are learned thu
; arts Of housekeeping. Under he
eyes all purchases arc made iroT
) the huckster or female peddler, 70
a visit to the bazaar by youn
wife before she has blessed he
| husband with children wonld b
considered a scandal among til
Z upper, middle, or tradesman clas
Only among the very poor or th
> villagers does the young wife, sav
: on ceremonial occasions, leave tn
shadow of her husbands rOOftre
r during the first year Of her mai
riage.
J, But the first year of wilehOo
J. has passed away, and relatives an
5 friends have been summoned
+ celebrate the happy birth of a SC
J. or daughter. If the former, the
s indeed is the position of the wife
G happy one. She receives the col
j. cratulations of her friends an
c acquaintances and holds hig
II festival. Her husband dignifC
her by the title Of "Mother
Hassan" or watever the little one
name may be, and from that da
e, her own name is no longer used.
/ she is only blessed with daughte
= still she is not cursed with steTilit
that terror of the Oriental woman
n and she may hope that heave
IS NAV vet bless her with a son.
Consulted in all matters, til
~ Persian wife is her husbands trus
n ed confidant and counsellor. "Bl
o she is yelled, the poor thing, clos
s, ly veiled!" exclaims the pityir
= Englishwoman. Yes, she is veile
"a And 10th would she be to pa
with what she looks on as q di