The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-02

morning and raise his eyebrows when one
said it was late and perhaps ones wife
might be sitting up. He would say IRE
ally! !" as though such an idea as ones wife
sitting UP for one was preposterous but
could never concern him.
need not go into the causes which led to
my converting with simpson Oh the subject
OF matrimony. Suffice 10 to say that ! did
not do SO of my own free will. l he'd re-
ceived instructions from my wife to Sound"
Simpson on the matter, with relation to
some ideas" that she had got into Der head
with respect to our second daughter, Jane,
and ITO hear was to obey" as they say at
Bussora.
My dear Simpson" said 1, as we were
cracEfug our walnuts together after a little
dinner under my own roof. II often wonder
why man like you, with a large income
and fine house, as you describe your home
to be at Bussora, has never married. II
must be rather wretched living out there
all alone"
"Well. it would be, no doubt, said Simp-
son in his quiet way. but, Lord bless you
I've been married these twenty yearsl'
You might have knocked me down with
a feather
Married these twenty yearsl You az
found me. Why, how was it you never
spoke about itl"
so, don'E know l thought it wouldn't
interest you. She was Persian, you know.
II she had been European, then | should
have told YOU"
"A Persian wifel Dear me-" said I, show
funny 1t seems!" 1 said "funay, ;" but at the
same time all the suspicious that enter
tanned land now entertain more than ever
respecting travellers and persons who abjure
civilization crowded into my mind. Now
what color, my dear Simpson, il | may put
the question without i'm pertinence are your
chidrenqn
We'll, we've got no children" said Simp-
son in his usual imperturbable tone. "We
never had any,"
don't quite know why, but somehow or
other thought this creditable to Simpson.
1t was very wrong in him to have married
a Persian, perhaps a fire worshiper, or aG
best Mohammedan, but 1t was comfort
60 think that the evil had so to speak,
stopped there. To think of Simpson with a
heap of parti-colOred children, protesting.
perhaps, their mothers outlendlsh faith as
they grew up. would have been painful TO
me in connection with the fact that Simp-
son was at that moment under nv roof,
the same roof with my wife and daughters,
and that | was the church warden OF our
district church. | forsook as once the par
ticular subject of Simpsons wife to discuss
the general subject of polygamy.
The Persians have more wives than one.
have they notN inquired l.
Those who can afford it have" said be;
but this is not so usual as you may imsg-
inc "
81 need not ask how so profigste system
must needs work. said /. 1T is a domestic
failure, of courseP
You need not ask the question, as you
say" replied Simpson, cracking walnut.
But If you do ask, l am bound to say it Is
so far like marriage in this country-it is
sometimes domestic failure and sometimes
not. Perhaps it requires more judgment in
selection; yeu have not only to please your
self, you know, but TO please your other
wives."
Goodness gracious!" said 1, show coolly
you talk about it! l hope 40 European who
happens to be resident in this strange COM
munlty ever gives il to the customs"
some do and some DON'T was the reply
of Simpson. II lived in Persia with one
wife for fifteen years before gave in.
"What You married a second wife,
your first vile being alivem
Just So" was the unatashed rejoinder
Simpson swept the walnut shells into a
corner Of his plate and helped himself to
sherry. 81 have now four wives"
BLESS my soul and body" said l. -Four
wivesP'
YES. The story of my little menage
may seem in your cara rather curious. If it
will not bore you I'll tell you about it,"
had no words to decline the offer even il
l wished it. My breath was fairly taken
away by Simpsons four wives. The trav-
eler who once told me that he liked his food
uncooked human hesh) had given me rather
a turn, but that was Dothiug to this revela-
ton OF my present companion; a man we
had always considered of the highest re-
spectaolllty, and who my wife had thought
would have suited our Jane.
''Well, 1t was at a picnic party on the
plains near Bussora that the thing first
49, 7
present at 1t, and, my European notions
preventing my believing there could be the
least Misunderstanding about it, since was
already married, made myself very agree
able to a certain Persian lady. She was
neither young nor pretty-jus5 like what
my wife herself, indeed, had grown to be
by that time-and l no more thought of
making her my No. 2 than-dear me-of
embracing Mohammedanlsm.
my attentions, however, were miscon-
strued, and her brother, being violent man
in the shah's cavalry, and knowing had a
fairish income, insisted on my becoming his
brother-in-law. / believe Irish marriages
are often brought about in the same way,
80 there was nothing in that; the pecu-
liarity of the case lay In my having wife
already, and one who was very resolute, in
deed, to prevent my having aDother. l
spare you the troubles that ensued. Be-
tween my wife No. on the one hand, and
her sharp tongue, and the officer OF Spahis
on the other, with his sharp sword, / was
placed in a very unpleasant position,
promise you, but in the end | married
KhRleda.
II am sorry to say the two ladies got on
extremely ill together 1t was said by q
great English wit that when ones wife gets
to be 40 one ought to be allowed to change
her for two 20's, like $40 note, and dare
say that would be very nice; but, unhap-
PLY, had now two wives, each 40, if they
were a day, and there was no prospect Of
parting from them in any way.
"Pirouze and Khaleds led me a most un-
happy life. They quarreled from morning
TO night, and so far from being able to play
off one against the other, as | had secretly
hoped, l was treated with great unkindness
by both of them. They were matter Of
very considerable expense, of course, and
very little satisfaction. Ny position, in
fact, became intolerable; and as could
please neither of them l resolved to please
myself by marrying No. 3"
IA 20, l supposed" said l. interested In
spite Of myself in this remarkable nara.
ton.
"Well, yes; that is she would have been a
20 in England, but In Persia young ladies
marry a good deal earlier. She was a
charming creature, and cost me-"
What Did you buy herF cried in as
constituent and horror.
well, no, not exactly; her father, how