The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-11-03
ABOUT EASTERN WIVES.
OF Interest - the Women Of This Free
Western World.


There are few things relating to
Eastern manners concerning which
Europeans entertain such erroneous
notions as the degree Of authority and
influence exercised by the regularly
married women, says the Saturday
Evening Post. especially among the
Turks and Persians
OF a thousand Persians. for instance.
! not dozen have more than two wives;
not thirty have more tan one; and
where this is the case the best-informed
travellers agree that the routine OF do
nestle life does not differ very mater
ially from that which We behold in
every well-rcgulated family at home
that is to say, the real substantial head
of the administration is the lady Of the
mansion. The Persian word nader"
for mother, sounds not unlike our own.
She Is throughout the East the object
of the most sacred and beautiful affec-
ton from the prince to the peasant;
she almost invariably directs the mar
riage of her children.
II a woman has property OF her
own, the Koran secures to her full
command OF it during her life, and that
control is In no way affected by her
marriage. The Mohammedan wife.
moreover. has similar control over her
DOVER At her death her husband is
only entitled to half her property, in
GLIDING her dover, il there be NO
children. II there be he only takes
one-fourth. the remainder being equal
IL divided among the children. males
and females sharing alike.
Even among the Tartars the po-
sition of the wife differs not very ma
terially from that which she enjoys
here. although she is treated on some
points in a manner that would lead q
stranger to think otherwise. She Is
purchased from her father. according
to primitive custom. But though the
father may sell his daughter. the hus-
band cannot dispose Of his wife after
that fashion. II she proves faithless
he may send her home and obtain
what he paid for her back again. But
If she be well conducted. and becomes
the parent of children. she may go
through life as happy as any woman
in this country.
It is true that among some nations
of Tartars she is not permitted TO eat
at the same table as her husband. and
she is compelled to go through all the
drudgery of the family. while her lord
sits at his ease. Generally speaking.
! the Tartar wives, contrary to the i'm
port of the proverbiai expression, are
far from being Tartars.
They are hospitable to strangers af-
fectionate to their husbands and chill
/ Gren. they dress on their festival days
splend;dly. they 60 10 see their friends
and relations when they choose. and
. have their meetings for social enjoy
ment, tittle-tattle. and scandal. Their
gala costume differs from that of the
, Turkish ladies chiefly in the number
, of their gold and silver ornaments. of
which they make prodigal show
Their earrings are immense. often
| hanging down to the shoulders; their
gold neck-chains and armletS are re-
: markably sumptuous: and in addition
/, to these. they even decorate their nose
with rings They wear trousers of /,
, light yellow or ruby color. red slippers.
; long silk gowns. braided in front with
| silver twist and fastened with silver
q buttons. and cinctures of leather, en-
l broidered with the same material. and
= confined by splendid golden clasp.
, Like the Turkish women. they dye
1 their finger nails red, and they seldom
20 out unveiled. The unmarried fe-
! males are distinguished from the ma.
n irons b. high round cap OF red cloth.
ornamented with Turkish gold and sill
I yer coins and polished shells. Bands
: of coral are wound round the forehead.
2 and the hair. to which great attention
;. is paid, falls behind in long thick
q plaits. tied at the end by silver cords.
The Circassian men are remarkably
: attentive TO the preservation Of the
4 superiority Of their females over the
$ other Caucasian tribes in personal APP.
5 pearance. They Che men 3.ever in.
n termarry with anv tribe but their own.
a They will not allow the race to be
a tainted at its source by any mixture o
q the Calmuck or Turcoman blood. Il
q is a peculiar feature in their manners
:. that married persons seldom see eacf
q other in the course of the day. They
e have feeling that the habit OF con
r. slant intercourse would be effeminate
A and unfavorable to the continuance o
!, that mutual affection which they thinl
: is preserved in stronger odor by sys
: tematic separation during the workin:
n hours of the dag. So much is this tn
!. case, that the woman who does no
q conceal herself from a stranger vii
= instantly hasten to her apartment T.
i hide from her husband, if she happen
II to see him returning home before tn
= usual hour of meeting.
n The Circassian wives are reputed t
10 be generally characterised by the mos
: moral conduct. When an exception
,. occurs the husband often satisfies hi
- honor nv OWING the lady n sound bea.