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

SAAAu uAsoiCo - A1evOCdDle, unless the WO-
man becomes the wife in every sense of the
term OF another man, who takes her with
the avowed purpose Of releasing her after
the contamination of this second mar
riage in order that she NAV re-
turn to her first husband. Cases have not
infrequently occurred in which husbands
fond OF their wives, but of hasty and ieal-
GUS temper, have been very seriously and
lrretrievably entrapped. The wife, having
seen man she likes better, arranges with
MIN by go between to force her husband
to divorce her three times. She is then to
marry her lover on the pretense that she is
then to be divorced by him in order to re-
turn to her first husband. He will then de-
cline to divorce her, and as they are in love
with each other. the first husband has no
remedy but to submit to the permanent
loss of his wife.
But horrible custom still exists among
the Druses which, in the course of ages,
must have wrought terrible injustice to
many poor, innocent women. It is the pos
slbllity that organized injustice like that
can exist and be permitted to continue in a
community which makes cynics, pessimists
and agnostics. When Druse woman mar
ries her absolute chastity is guaranteed by
her family. Marry she must whether she
Wills it or no. But the supposed evidences
Of chastity are carefully scrutinized BY the
husband. If he thinks he has reasons to
doubt that she came to him virgin then he
brings the matter to the attention of her
family. A. family council is summoned
at once and husband and wife appear be-
fore them. On both sides the judges are
be of her own kin who should pro-
tect her. If the woman succeeds in
proving her husbands charges to be false
she returns to her family and he returns the
dowry and is Indignantly thrust out from
their number. But if the dreadful charges
NA &hnrp hi - l. 49, -
too often the case, then the Oldest brother
or the next of kin if he be dead, has an
imperative duty to perform. With the ap-
proval of all present he draws his plitterinp
knife and cuts the throat of the bride in
the presence of her own parents and hus-
band. Screams and prayers are of no avail;
the custom of the Druses is Interchangeable.
The Armenian women of Persia and of
Turkey in Asia do not appear to have a
whit better time of it in matrimony than
their Mohammedan sisters in those coun-
tries. They have their husband entirely to
themselves, but they stand in his presence
and he eats alone. She must constantly
keep the lower half of her face mufied,
must always rise before her mother-in-l law,
and for the space of whole year or until
the arst child is born must not speak be-
Tore the mother-in-law. except in answer to
an inquiry. What paradise for mothers
The Armenian women belong to a bright
race, however, and they show their spirit
whenever the opportunity comes, they
have piquant and more refined style Of
beauty than many Oriental types, and
adapt a themselves very readily. to improved
Turkish women. The writer well remem-
bers dining with Turkish lady who was
entirely unveiled in company with her hus-
band and several others. This very extra
ordinary opportunity was only possible
from the fact that he had just embraced
christianity. Whether he continued in
that religion, SO uncongenial to the Turk.
know not, but ] shall not: soon forget
that remarkable spectacle of a Turkish
lady dining in company of both sexes al
Christian table. must admit that there
was an apparent incongrnity in her ap-
pearance there under such circumgtances.
The quick adaptability of the Armeniau
woman to new conditions was admirably
exhibited when Mr.. Finlay, the Philhelien.
| ist, fell in love with fair Armenian at
Constantinople and arranged an elopement
with her. She was to descend from hel
window by rope ladder; he would be in
seashore,. go on board his yacht and seek
| foreign shores.
But when the hour came the ladv hesi-
| lated, as we'll she might. 10 leave heI
home forever with strange Englishman
and have to go down a rope ladder besides
was too much for her nerves. In vain
PIE her sister, who was in the plot, and
the precious moments were flying fast.
"Well!' exclaimed the sister. "If Won will
not go / will; he shall not be Disappointed
Thereupon she scrambled down the ladder
sprang on the horse, the lover mounting his
J steed, and they fled to the boat. It waf
not until the following morning that the
| poor man found that he had brought away
the wrong lady. Unlike some men in sucf
circumstances, he married her on reaching
Athens. and they lived together numbe1
| of years until her death. She left daughter
who died when blooming into maidenhood
The Greek women have all the quicknest
of their race, the features mobile and the
eyes superb. But they lose the graceful