The Portland daily press., 1894-07-04
LIFE IN PERSIA.
United States Minister Mcdonald Comes
Home Under an Order from the Shah to
Return With Wife

IN spacious quarters at the Mari
borough Hotel is Alexander Mcdonald d.
United States Minister to Persia, and now
enjoying a Through in this country, If
being away from his post can be called
a furlough, says the New York Herald.
At home in Persia Mr.. Mcdonald lives
IN 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, I'M
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 weight est nature
. My health" said he, obliged me to
come to America, for I cannot believe
In Persian doctors to the extent of con-
sulting them for serious maIadies, and,
besides, well. to be quite truthful,
back to Persia with me- Not in Ara
bian Zig hts fashion. upon an enchanted
steed, but in the. most comfortable of
steamship cabins.
Before | left Teheran, where the Lee
CATION is situated and here my house is,
the prettiest home ever occupied by an
American Minister aboard, in Persia
or any other country, had the honor of
an interview with His Majesty the Shah
of Persia. "You are going to your
own country said His Majesty, and
when you return you will no doubt bring
with you your WIFE,.
Your Majesty, l have no wife,
said I.
All, she is deadl" said he, with the
sad infection peculiar to the sympathetic
Orientals; then you will bring your
family with your
. Your Majesty, said /, all the family
| have has now the honor to be standing
before Your Majesty I have no wife
have never had one. or no children
never having had any,
'1ndeed,' said the Shah, and l could
see him bordering. He is SO much
married himself that such an assertion
seemed more like fairy tale to him
tina n could any domestic statement that
he might make to US. Indeed said he;
then charge you to bring d wife back
here to the Legation. Go to your own
country, and when you return let it be
with smiling face to preside over your
servants and home
"The way of giving leave of absence
to a 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 time
in which TO return. For example, am
allowed two months in which to come
from Persia. This is exeessive But
it allows for the fatigues of the journey
on mo- y fD,
at Constantinople, Paris, London and
other large places. If l get here too
soon | must stay only the two months and
then go back. | cannot use my travell-
ing 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 it easy to get leave
of absence.
Do women in Persia have a 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
of 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's 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
themsvery quick to learn and very bright
and beautiful The houses are pretty,
no prettier than your N export villas, of
course, nor any nandsomer than your
summer cottages, but one lives in them
all the year round, and they seem pecu-
liarly ones own.