San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-01-24
TEMPORARY MARRIAGES.

pprsian Couples Tia. Contract EzntE:rnony
fOr a sycuilod Time.
A writer In Tho Philadelphia Worth
American describes one marriage custom
among tho Persians which would hardly
noot with favor In this country. 4 Per,
sian couple may onter into honorable
rnatrimony for any specified Hmo--a day,
O week, q month, s!S months or longer.
A priest and written contract orc re-
aulrod, 90 In the usual form, end q
dowry and present bestowed. Whether
the transaction is entered upon for mat
ter OF days or years, nj is termination
each one goes thair way free OF al
further obligations toward each other.
This form Of marriage II INDUCED in
Iaraely hy travellers and men whose voca-
tons take them from place TO place. A
mixed party Of traycleTB--mcT, women
and childron-arrive at q village. Tho
SUSCEPTIBLE heart of one OF tho gentlemen
Is touched by tho charms OF some rustic
belle. The village priest is summoned
forthwith, and tho young. lady's tather
invited to tho caravansara!.
~ wish to be united In nntftmony to
your honored daughter, the light Of Mo
ham,ned, oh, my iQthor, says the smlt-
ten travclor. "lnshnllGh,"
"Bisnillnhl' returns the parent, "for
how longF
"For three weeks, oh, my father" says
the traveller, "and VIII mako the Gcttle--
mcnt ten tornans--iivc tomaus down and
i've upon our rsblIVn from Mc3hcd, the
holy, three weeks hence, when your
dauChtor shall bercturned, thrice blessed
from having made with ug pilgrimage
TO Inman kiza's sanctuary"
"What! ten tomans pooh, pooh'
ecrams the father dcrlsivoly, and max
Ing llttlo Of the advantages Of the pill
orfnaxr to Meshed. "My daughter i
iewel and the belle OF the village. The
kpttlement must be 100 tomana cash
down"
The prospective bridegroom and tho
father Of the young lady In the case now
argue and squabble for probably nn
hour, ut the eud Of which time they
compromise on thirty tomans and three
quarters. The priest draws ny mnr-
riage contract then and there, which the
groom and the brides parents sign In
Il is stated the oTact terms Of the mar
rlage, tho amount Of tho settlement, md
tho time the contract IL to oKpiro. TIE
priest Is fed, the settlement money paid
over 10 the father, and tho blushlng
bride, who he's had nothing to ray IN
tho matter whatever, is handed over TO
her husband. 6ho h mounted on IN
ass or bundled into a kojaveh and &c
companies the party TO Meahed .,
Three wcel.a later the travellers halt
at the aame village on their return. The
bride of three weeks slides off her donkey,
kisses her husbands hands and returns
TO her parents roof. She 10 now n
charming young widow, and possesges
thirty tomaus and throe-quartcra, besides
on extra tonan or two presented BY hrr
husband at parting If 10 has been pleeaeo;d
with her conduct rs q spouse. With
this snug cum, ond the additional charms
of her new cordlton, she Of course very
soon makes minccluoat Of some worthy
young peasants heart and settles down
Tor life. It sometimes happens, how
ever, TINT the young br!do takes advap.
tago Of the temporary marriage to steal
away her husbands heart, and thon at
the old home q new marriage contract Is
drawn W and she becomes his lifelong
helpmoCk