The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-07-08
LIFE IN A HAREM.
STORY OF AN ENGLISH SHOP GIRL
WHO MARRIED A PERSIAN.

re was Firs; Cousin of the shah-Took
His wife TO India After They had Spent
Two Happy Years in England Then
Learned She Was wife No. g.
Seven years ago Miss Frances
Blackman was stall girl at the Crys-
tai Palace and sold ivory bric-a-brac
To whomsoever would buy. She was
n rather pretty girl, and at the time
Of the Shahs visit to England capti
waited the fancy of dark skinned no
hleman of the potentate's party.
This man proved to be Abdullah
Hussein Khan, cousin of the Shah,
md a man of great wealth and infiu-
ence In his own country. Stopping one
day at the stalls he was greatly at
tracted by Miss Blackman and bought
some trifles from her. He returned
the next day and bought some more.
When he appeared the third day
Miss Blackman perceived that it was
she, and not her wares, that attracted
the dark skinned stranger, and there
upon the romance began. History is
silent upon the details of the court
ship, but it is known that he gave her
many costly gifts of exquisite East
ern workmanship and eventually pro
posed, was accepted and married her.
The ceremony was celebrated in
Roman Catholic church in the begin
ming of 1890.
Abdullah Hussein Khan was from
the beginning exceedingly fond of his
pretty English bride. He obtained
permission to remain in England when
the Shah went home, and hired
handsome fiat at Hyde Park Mansion,
where he lived in supreme happiness
for nearly two years. He had told
his wife of his rank and his wealth,
but he had not yet mentioned the fact
that he already had three other wives
at home.
But in 1892 there came a command
from the Shah to return home. Alb
dullah had by this time decided to
make England his home. He was a
man of cultivation and had found
European civilization much to his
taste.
But, under penalty of forfeiting his
estates, he was obliged to obey the
Shah's orders, and when he reached
Teheran he had to tell his English |
bride that she was only No. 4. One |
can imagine the scene, the tears, the |
protestationS and all the rest But |
there was nothing for the young wife |
do hut 20, 81.
satisfaction of being the preferred |
wife, the first lady of the harem.
A few months ago Abdullah sudden
" died, much to his wifes grief. His
eldest son, jealous because his father
had settled so much property upon
heebee's little son, seized the house
md sealed the doors. Beebee broke
the seals, and was arrested, and three
attempts were made to poison her,
The last SO nearly successful that an
English doctor barely succeeded in saw
ing her life. Through the interven-
ton of the British Legation she finally
obtained her property and sailed for
London, where she recently arrived
with her boy.
This little boy, Allah Nasrit, or the
Gift of God" has exchanged the bag
~ satin trousers and loose silken coat,
set off with diamond buttons, of his
Swn country for the sailor costume of
fBritish tar. He is handsome clever
boy, and at the age of four already
displays the autocracy enjoyed by his
'sx in Persia,
'1He much needs the discipline of an
English school," says his mother, "for
n Persia his word was law. Being CO.
seir with an only brother, he was lord
4 the village in which we lived, and
very child was his slave When
,rought in to amuse him, if their bows
we're not sufficiently reverential and
:eaduct irreproachable he issued in
'tructions, and the small offenders
we're promptly beaten, for Persian boys
Are taught tyranny from the cradle
New York Herald.