The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-11

option in the matter, the business being
transacted by the near relations with the
aid of the Intermediates. Compulsion is
often used and in Mohammedan countries
the parties most interested have most prob
ably never seen each other. 1t is perhaps a
consciousness of her helplessness that once
married woman in the East more often
identifies herself with hsr husband and
merges her interests in his than an Ameri-
can woman. This may account for the fact
women often get along better sharing one
husband between them than an American
who has husband all to herself.
Persian and Turkish women also find
much compensation for their peculiar mar
riages in their children, The relation of
those countries than with US. The mother
knows that as long as her son lives she will
be cared for tenderly and reverently, how
ever she may be treated by her husband.
Her daughters also live in the anderson
with her until they are married; they never
their mother. TO obtain husbands for her
daughters, the mother must begin betimes
to provide them with a dowry. Without
that it is hopeless to think of marrying
them off. Be it ever SO little, they must
have something, be it lands, or clothes, or
sxs;tFy, cattle tile, or household Is,,
Persian girl begins to talk her marriage and
her dowry become the chief topics of her
thought, and of her talk with her mother,
And yet when the selected and favored one
looked to from infancy comes along and
she is carried closely yelled to his house. a
bride. perhaps they look on each other for
the first time.
The women of Persia appear to be quite
as happy as our women. One cam imagine
that Persian lady may be happier in the
simplicity OF her home costume, SO free
from the changing round of fashions than
the American women, whose chief end of
life appears to be to oscillate from one mil
liners shop to the other. The Persian
woman and most Oriental women are far
more concerned in concealing their faces
when abroad, than their persons. This is
| Asiatic and European women. The face
must be hidden at all events; the limbs, if
possible, but they must not be protected
from observation at the expense of the face.
The Wends of Prussia, who are an Asiatic
tribe, retain the Asiatic indifference in re-
gard to exhibiting the neither limbs. The
peasant women Of Turkey or Persia work
in the fields with their husbands. For con-
venience they tuck up their skirts and drop
tho mantle that conceals the face. But if a
stranger comes along they take alarm at
once, and hastily draw up the mantle over
the face, but the limbs are left to take care
of themselves. This trait is characteristic
of all classes and indicates subtle differ
ence between the women of the east and
the west, regarding the delicate question of
modesty.
We hear great deal about the severity
practised by the lords of Asiatic creation
towards their weaker halves. 1t is doubt
less too true that men of high degree pos
sessed OF powe. and of many wives as we'll,
have too often in the past exhibited terrible
tyranny and exercised sudden and horrible
vengeance. The lash, the bowstrine and
the yataghan have too often played deadly
part In the mysterious tragedies of Oriental
households, and such deeds NAV vet be
wrought sometimes in the east. But among
bands have not had the domestic
agents at hand to execute their
bloody mandates. or have preferred to avail
themselves of the facilities for divorce-
which the law places in the hands of any
husband who. with certain prescribed
formula, says to a. woman thrice before
witnesses: ''Thou art divorced" She suf-
fers little or no obloquy by such a sudden
release, but easily finds another husband.
unless indeed. the former husband repents
of his haste and asks her 10 remarrv hin,.
This often occurs. But il . husband Of hastv
temper, or one married to . wife OF vsy.