The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-09
MARRIAGE IN PERSIA.
A Peculiar Institution Described by
Ex.Minister Benjamin.


feat and Pardon of Fathimeh Khanum
-Edisode of Life in Persia.
would you like to become my hus-
band's fourth wifet"
The lady who made this somewhat
startling remark was Leila Kahnumhe
hrst wife and chief lady of the anteI DOM
nj the Mustof ul-Mamolek, Prime Min
lister of Persia and also, by inheritance,
The wealthest noble in the kingdom.
The French lady to whom il was ad.
dressed had been left by the death of
her husband entirely destitute, with two
children, struggling to exc out scanty
livelihood by teaching French to Persian
ladies of rank at Teheran Madame
Blanc, as we may call her, looked up to
her aristocratic pupil, and replied:
What do you mean, Kahnum? That
should actually become his Excellency's
vifes But how can that be, for | am a
Christian, and he has not yet even asked
me!n
Yes, ma anne, | really mean what |
said. feel very kindly towards you.
ot NV 8
u"se thought Oh various ways 10 felleVe
'oai uis'ie' anu Aiiah nas now poih'eo
out how l Can do it. BY our law, you
Nno" ui"A MAY hase Aouf WIVES No"'
my lord has only three wives; there is q
vacant position you see. in the anderooe,
nv" 'hinh ea'i ~ arrapse Hi"b'ers
tna' ~ may De ouereo' TO you. know
E... L ty.. /. Il
te VIII lihe you. ne Is klHa heaIleu'
iou VIM nave i regular "lio"Hhee' aHo
'osr niiutei' ~ DE caFeo loF Ike MS
OWN. "hhb more 90 you want? II you
say yes VIII 90 my nest 10 TURNER Your
cause, ana as he IS exceedingly fond OF
me, praise oo /" Allah, Know that he
wall aeceue TO my Wlshee."
IL oid hes take o. < Ter Msaa e BisEc
10 oecidA II rue a'L Tmatl"e 10 be sure,
fhe "onia nave 10 turn M''saulman and
peeohie PERSIAN SUBJECT. But are not
Woilsh III ''il Hias constantly fenounc-
M thtlfseiitzsts 4li1 aha aaJurlng their
Greco Ior a HUSBAND, title and crown?
Diu ho' q, cer'flh great h1hg OF her own
country say, rue crown is worth
mass. ana should she hesitate about
such TITLES when she could exchange
STARVATION icr ifllaeLce and raak? Not
sne! ana thus, when the great Mustof-
ui-Mamolek invited the French lady to-
snare fractional part OF his bed and
poa'a ana an undivided fourth OF his
aHecIiohs, she pade long farewell TO
cnufch ana country, ana under the name
Oh rathlmeh repaired 10 the anderson
OF the fers'an nohleman. Her little son
anu oaughter accompanied ner, ana the
former was without loss of time trans
formed into a little Mnssulman.
IN clmate SO balmy rs that OF Per
STA 1ne priue iouho IL agreeable rather
6nan otnerWlse TO exchange the elaborate
upholstery OF European woman's dress
tor tne Jeweled anklets ard bracelets and
the iorg plaited bralds or hair festoonipg
tne shoulders winch form the major por-
zion OF the indoor costume of the fair
DANES OF Persia. 1t was not unpleasant
TO REGIME on soft dlvans in this airy Co.'S
tune, by The side OF musical fountains,
win troop of obsequIous servants to
run at the clap OF Der hands, and enjoy
tne consciousness OF being one of the
nrst iaoles In the land.
out gradually the awakening came.
Inc lady Fathlmeh realized that the
liberty she had once enjoyed was gone
"ssooiale wives ola nos
.' "n'' oney nau never known. But
""' 4'i'o oonef"ise. AS tne
80 - auon an august parsonage she was
-0ei eve" serictef restraint than the
10 ''n "oi,ieh u 'he nl"ole ana lower
.nousH' VI course' closely
/" '''a III .ne Streets 1ney can, at
''0' ~ "neie '"ey pieas'' shop IN the
e''t az eef'Rlh houfs TO
- puo1io oa'"' WHICH III ehaS country
'"rene % "on'"hS ciuo OF
'Ae'e p'eaau1cs were ior-
" We YES % 'he Mustoh.
"e'D ~, o''i eAoepV III close
"''e'iueu oy numerous eunuchs
80 "No eo''o neither ENJOY che
i. ~ ~, 'i'>@ =. sAoppihh " Cos
t"'i'0 ""."' II IS true