The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-23
TEMPORARY MARRIAGES.
Persian Couples That Contract Metrineo9
for n Specified Time. 1 t

for Specified lime
A writer In The Philadelphia North
American describes ono marriage custom
among the Pcrsians which would hardly
meet with favor in this country. a Pr
sim couple may enter into honox9bD
matrimony for any specified ttme-A oA8s
q week, month, six months or longer
A priest and written contract ere 9.
qulred. as In the usual form, ana =
dowry and present bestowed Whetb1I
the transaction Is entered upon Tor q m1e>
ter of days or years, at its tefniu1fp9
each one gore their way FREQ Of ~
further obligations toward each othc{
This form Of rnarriags 10 indulGed -
largely By travellers and men whose vuoes
tio1s take them from place TO place. =
mixed party CT t-aveleSs-mcn, wo1e9
and chfldrcn--arrive at a village IN
susceptible heart Of one OF tho GenttQoeo
Is touched by tho charms Of some rvD19
belle. The village priest = summe9oQ
forthwith, ind tho young ladys s9fh0
invited to tho caravansarat.
~ wish to be united In mafrimouy ~
your honored daughter, the light Of No
kammed, oh, my father" Gays the m1e
ten traveller. "lnshallah."
"Bismilhhr' returns tho parent, "foe
how longy
"For three weeks, oh, my father, > seyo
the traveller. land | will make the settios
mcnt ten tofnans--five tomaz1s down an
Ave upon our return FROM Mesheds ~
holy, three weeks hence, when youR
daughter shall be returned, thrice bIeooo4
from having made with us = pilGFima0o
To lnman RiZa's sanctuary"
"Whatl ten tomans - POOH pooor
screams the father dcrisivoly, and mar
inQ little Of the advantages OF tho RI
grimage 10 Meshed. my daughter r. .
Jewel and the belle Of the village. NJ
settlement must be 100 tomans CO.
down"
Tho prospective bridegroom ard ~
father Of the young lady In tto coDo uow
argue end squabble f'r probably -
hour, at the end Of which time th1y
compromise on thirty tomans and tlaroo'
quarters. The priest draws up 3 MIR
rage contract then and there, whiGA ~
groom and tho brides parents sign y
Il Is stated the exact terms OF the mar
riage, the amount Of the settlement, and
tie time the contract Is 10 expire. The
priest Is fed, the settlement money paid
/ over to the father, and the kiQo1fr1
bride, who has had nothing 70 p1yi(
the matter whatever, Is handed Ov(R q
her husband. She Is mounted On q
ass or bundled into kejavch and -
companies tho party 70 ueshed
Three weeks later the traveIo<1 1&N
at the same village on their return. -
bride OF three weeks slidos Of her doQko1I
kisses her husbands hands and ro<lny1
10 her parents roof. She Is nov
charming young widow, and poene.11
thirty tonians and three-quazters, bo1loe
en- extra tor,an or two presented " ~
husband at parting u he has been pIeeo9.!!
with her conduct as q spouse. WI
this snug sum, and the additional charm
OF her new condition, she OF course vey1
soon makes minceneat Of some wcgtn1
Young peasants heart and settles 4o~l
Tor Life. II sometimes happens, boz
ever, that the young bride takes ody01
tagc Of the temporary marriage % go
away her husbands heart, and then
the cid home new marriage coq!xo(
drawn up and she becomes his ulQ|
helpmeet. Vi. u