Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-07-02
just Back from Persia.

just Back from Persia.
In spacious quarters at the Marlbo-
rough Hotel is Alexander Mcdonald,
c. S. minister to Persia, and now en-
joying furlough in this country, if be-
ing away from his post can be called a
furlough.
At home in Persia Mr.. Mcdonald
lives in a beautiful house surrounded
with trees and furnished with Turkish
rugs, while slaves run to do his bidding,
and not the slightest thing is ever left
for the master to do for himself.
Although only recently in Persia, un-
der this administration Mr.. Mcdonald
has become much in love with the place,
and would not now be in this country
at all but for two reasons, and both OF
the weightiest nature.
"My health, said he, "obliged me to
come to America, for | cannot believe
in Persian doctors to the extent of con-
sulting them for serious maladies, and,
besides, well, to be quite truthful,
want wife, and | am going to carry
one back to Persia with me. Not in
Arabian Nights fashion, upon an ell
chanted steed, but in the most comfort
able Of steamship cabins
''Before l left Teheran, where the le-
CATION is situated and where my house
is. the pretliesC homo ever occupied by
IN American minister abroad, in Per-
sia or any other country, had the
honor of AZ interview with His 2lajesty
the Shah Of Persia.
"You are going 10 your Own country,
said his majesty, and when you return
you will 10 doub. bring with YOU your
wife
Your majesty, have no wife.
An, she is dead : said be with the
sad infection peculiar to the sympa-
thetic Orienla.s then you will bring
volir family with you
= Your majesty, said !, all the fam
ily have has row the honor to be
standing before your majesty. / have
no wife-havo never had one. Nor no
children-never having had any
"s Indeed, said the Shah, and |
could see him pondering. lie is SO
much married himself that such an as
sertion seemed more like & fairy tale to
him than would any domestic state
mont that be might make to us. In
deed, said he then charge you to
bring q wife back here TO the legation.
Go TO your own country and when YOU
return let il be with a smiling face to
preside over oar servants and home
"The way of giving leave Of absence
TO q minister employed to represent his
country abroad is peculiar and pleasant.
He is given so much time to come, so
much time to remain, and so much ;ine
in which to return. For example | am
allowed two months in which to come
from Persia. This is excessive But it
allows for the fatigues OF the journey
and makes it necessary for me TO pause
at Constantiuople, Paris, London and
other large places. If | get here too
soon l must stay only the two months
and then 90 back. cannot use my
travelling time in prolonging my stay
here. So | might as well travel.
"The climate in Persia is not very
agreeable, at least it does not always
agree with an American. 1t makes me
sick hence found ii easy to geta leave
of absence. AS for my other errand it
is still in the clouds in spite of the pretty
Virginia girl-from my own State
whom met on the voyage over, and
the many American beauties of which
New York boasts.
''Do like the life abroad better than
here? On, no! | am too patriotic an
American for that, aud have been in
in every country in the world.
Visits to other countries only
endear my own to me. In some re-
spects the foreign life is more enjoyable
People do not work as hard over there,
and there is less, consequently, to
worry one. Here there is push and
fret, but not so there.
"About the wife I shall take with
me to preside over the legation? Well,
she is so visionary yet cannot tell
about her. l do not think-although
His Majesty the Shah did not agree with
me-that 3 man has right to take a
girl away from her country, when he
is an invalid and an old man at that, or
along in years. My idea is that he
should get hospital nurse instead.
And do you not agree with me?
'tDo women in Persia have pleasant
life? Indeed they do. They have great
gardens to walk in and fountains to sit
beside and get cool. They can drive
over broad acres all their own-if they
belong to the fortunate ones, as nearly
all women there do-and they can stop
and pick fruit and eat without thought
to the future.
"Do women work there? Oh no ex-
cept those born to work. And those
that are not so born would never
think of so exerting themselves.
Woman suffrage bothers them not at
all, and indeed they are not, unless
they are American or European women,
thought capable Of intellectual thought,
although one finds them very quick TO
learn and very bright and beautiful.
"The houses are pretty, no prettier
than your Newport villas, of course,
nor any handsomer than your summer
cottages, but one lives in them all the
year round and they seem peculiarly
ones own.
81 am especially proud of my Lega-
lion home But about the bride GU
must know that America is the hardest
place in the world in which to pick q
wife. There are so many dear charm