The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-25

}SIMPS0N B0SSURA}

n yAxn PAKx.
NVN&'

who happens TO be resident In this strange
community ever gives in TO the custom
Some do and come don't" was the reply
OF Simpson. Il lived In Persia with one
wife for asteen years before ave IN.
what! You married Q second wife.
your first wife being alive
jus. So" was the unaUasfed rejoln-
der. Simpson swept the walnut shells into
. corner OF his plate and helped himself TO
sherry. II have now four wives"
Bless my soul and body" said l. -Four
wives"
Yes The story Of my little menage
may seem in your ears rather curious IL
Il win no. bore you III tell you about H.
/ had no words TO decline the offer, even
II wished IL Ny breath was fairy taken
away by simpsons four wives. The rrav-
elsr that had Liked his foou uncooked had
given me rather a turn. bat that was moth
ing 10 this revelation OF my present COM
panion. q man We had always considered
OF the nighest respectabii.ty. and who my
wife had even thought would have suited
our Jane.
wei. II was at q picnic party on the
plains near Bussora tina, the thing hrsa
came about. My wife and ! were both
present at il, and my European notions
preventing my believing there could DO
tns least misunderstanding about II, since
/ was already married. ! made myself
very agreeable 10 z certain Persian lazy.
She was neither young nor pretty-Just
like what my wife herself, indeed. had
grown to be by that time-and / no more
thought OF making her my No. than
dear me,-of embracing Mohammedanisn-
My attentions, however, were miseon-
strued. and her brother. being a violent
man ia the shah's cavalry and knowing
had fairish income. insisted upon my be-
coming his broLher-in-iaw. ! believe the
Irish marriages are often brought about
In the same way, SO there WAS nothing in
that: the popularity OF the case lay in my
having a wife already, and one who was
very resoiute indeed to prevent my having
another. l spare you the troubles that
ensued between my No. wife, on the one
hand, and her sharp tongue. and the OH
Ger OF Spahie on the other with his sharp
sword, i promise you; but in the end
married khaleda. l am sorry to say the
two ladies got on extremely III together.
II was said by great English Wit that
when ones wife gets TO be 10 one ought 10
be allowed to change her for two twen-
ties. like i0-pound note, and l dare say
they would be very nice; but, unhapp.iy,
] had now two wives, each 10 ii p ey We're
q day. and there was no prosp> Ia OF get
ting them changed or parting from them
in any way.
"Psrouze and Khaleda led ME a most
Ing TO night. and SO far from being able to
play of one against the other. as / had
secretly hoped. / was treated with great
unkindness by both OF them. They were
q matter of very considerable expense, of
course, and very little satisfaction. My
position, In fact, became intolerabie: and
as / could please neither of them. l re-
solved 10 please myself by marrying No.
g."
"A twenty. / suppose?" said /, inter
ested in spite OF myself IN this remarka-
bic narrative.
We'll. yes-that Is. she would have been
twenty in England. bur IN Persia young
ladies' marry good deal earlier. She was
q charming creature, and cost me-"
What! did you buy herr" cried ], IN as
constituent and horror.
We'll. no. not exactly. Her father. how
ever, insisted upon something handsome.
and there were heavyish fees to be paid to
her mother and sisters and to the gov
ernor of Bussora- The custom of the coun-
try rs curious In that respect. After ones
second wife considerable tax Is levied by
the government upon marrying men.
However. Badoura was worth all the
money; she sang. she played divlnely-
that Is, she would have done so IL she had
not been always crying. Pirouze and
khaleda made her life utterly miserable.
Hitherto they had been at daggers drawn
with one another. but now they united to-
gether 10 prosecute the unhappy Badoura.
Her very life was scarcely safe with them.
Wrctched as my former lot had been, IL
was now become uncomfortable for one can
bear ones own misery better than that OF
those we love-
Here Simpson took out his handkerchief
OF a beautiful Persian pattern, and pressed
It to his eyes. Yes, my dear friend. they
led my Badoura oog's life-did those
two women. l felt myself powerless to
protect her. for / was never physically
strong, and though I did not understand
one-half the epithets they showered upon
her. / could see by the effects they had
upon her that they were most Injurious
what. i have no doubt. would In this coun-
try be considered actionable. For her.
however, there was no remedy, and
think she would have sunk under their
prosecutions had ! not married Zoheide"
NO. AZ cried /, aghast. What on
earth did you do that for?'
II married Zobelde solely and wholly
FOR Badoura's sake. i chose her, not for
her beauty. nor her virtues. nor her ac-
compiishments. but entirely for her thews
and sinews. ] said 10 her; 'Zobeide, you
are strong and powerful young woman !;
IL i make You my wife. viii you protect
my iamb?' and she said. 4 will Ii was
the most satisfactory investment--I mean
the happsest cho.ee-I ever made. Ny
home is now the abode OF peace. In one
wing Of the house abide P.rouze and kha-
ieda. in the other Zobeide and Badoura-
two on the east and two on the west
Each respects the other: for. although
Pirouze and Khaleda are strong females.
and each could wiring the neck OF my dear
Badoura, Hobe.de is stronger than both OF
them put together. and protects her Thus
the opposing elements are, Is il We're neu-
traizsd, the cornha tants respect one an
other. and / arm the head OF a united
house. ! got letters from al of my four
wives this morning. oacu Of them most
Characteristic ard interesting Badosfra
forgot to pay the postage-she has a soul
above peeun!ary details-and her letter
was the dearest OF all"
Don't cry. simpson" sad I. Don't
cry, old fellow. The steamer goes on
, Tuesday. and then you VIII see all your
wives again. They Viii welcome you with
outStFetched arms .Eht oUtstretchei
arms, Ike The octopus"
! confess was affected by my friend :
ertless narration al shat time. though
since l have reflected upOn the matter.
nay moral sense has asserted Itself. and Is
outraged | state the matter as fairly as
J can. / have been TO pscnics rrvzelf az a
married man. and made myself agreeable
10 tae sadies. Wei. IN Persia this might
have cost me- my life or the expense OF A
second establishment. So far. thera il
every excuse for Simpson. Bur, on The
other hand. the astounding fact remains
mat there are four Mrs Simpsons al BUS
sors- Whenever look al hts quiet, bust
ness..Ae face. or hear him taking 10 my
wife and the girls about Persian scenery.
this revelation Of hts strikes me anew
w sh wonder. or course I havs NOT told
them about his domestic relations. Il
would be TOO great "a shock 20 their re-
spect.ye systems; yes the possession of