Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-24
LIFE IN A PERSIAN HAREM.
REVELATIONS OF THE WIDOW OF 4,
NOBLEMAN.
She Was Once an English ShOpgirl,
but Married the Cousin of the
Shah of Persia-She Tells
of Her Career.

From the Boston Herald.
Here is an Arabian Nights tale. 1t is
not one of the famous thousand and one
told by the first lady Of the narem, the
beautiful Scheherezade, to begile her
royal spouse from his announced inten-
ton OF chopping her head from ner love
" shoulders. but Is quite new, quite mod
ern and altogether fascinating. Like
SChehereZade'S, il is told by "A nrst lady
of the harem and it ais with her liIe
in Persia 1t is romance that InIXcs up
pTOsy England and the sensuOus East in
the most delightful fashion, Tor the hero
Inc of IL was London ShOpgirl before
she became one of the four wives. and
later one of the loIr widows. OF a Per-
Seven years ago Miss Frances Elack-
man was a stall girl at the Crystal Pal
soeyer soc; nv would buys. She Was a rather
pretty girl. and 1T the time ~ the shah's
visit to England Cdptivlted The fancy of
a dark-skinned hoblemIn in the potentate :
party.
This man proved to be Abdullah Hus-
sein Khan, a cousin of the shah. and a
man OF great wealth and influence in his
own country. Stopping one day at the
stalls, he was greatly attracted by Miss
Blackman, and bought some trtfies from
her. He returned the next day. and bought
some more.
When he appeared the third day, Miss
Backman perceived that it was she. and
not her wares. that attracted the dark-
skinned stranger. and thereupon the It.
NANCE began. History Is silent upon ;he
that he gave her many costly gifts Of
exquisite Eastern workmanship. and event.
ually proposed, was accepted and married
her. The ceremony was celebrated in a
Roman Catholic church in the beginning of
1880.
AbdulIah Hussein Khan was from the be-
ginning exceedingly fond of his pretty En-
glish bride. He obtained permission TO re-
main in England when the shah went home,
and hired handsome 5Tr nat "a. at Hyde Ii Park
ness 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 al
ready had three other wives at home.
But in 1892 there came command from
the shah to return home. Abdullah 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.
tates he was obliged to obey the shah's
orders and when he reached Teheran he
had to tell his English bride that she was
tears. the protestations and all the rest.
But there was nothing for the young wife
to do but submit. and she had the satisfac-
tion of being the preferred wife, the first
When it was known to the English at
Teheran that one of their countrywomen
was in the harem there was considerable
excitement, and many English ladies visit
ed her. She became at once popular in
court circles, and the shah gave her the
name of Beebee khanung, signifying the
lady of ladies'" But favor and popularity
cost her trials and dangers, as will be
seen.
died much to his wife's grief. His eldest
son. jealous because his father had settled
so much property upon Beebee's little son,
seized the house and sealed the doors. Bee
bee broke the seals. and was arrested, and
three attempts were made TO poison her,
the last so nearly successful that an En-
glish doctor barely succeeded in saving her
life. Through the Intervention of the Brit
ish legation she finally obtained her prop
erty and sailed for London, where she has
just arrived with her boy.
This little boy, Allah Nasrit, or the Gift
of God" has exchanged the baggy satin
trousers and loose silken coat, set OF with
diamond buttons, of his own country. Tor
the sailor costume of British tar. He is
a handsome. clever boy, and at the age Of
already displays the autocracy enjoyed
by his sex I'm Persia.
He much needs the discipline of an
English school," says his mother, "fOr in
Persia his word is law. Being co-heir with
an only brother. he was lord of the vii
lage in which we lived. and every village
child was his slave. When brought In TO
amuse him. IL their bows were not sulli-
ciently revereutial and conduct irreDroach-
able. he issued instructions. and the small
offenders were promptly beaten, for Per-
sian boys are taught tyranny from the
when bored, band, with the inevitable
dancing monkey. was brought in for his
sole deleCtatiOn. lie has been only two
weeks in London. and It Is impossible yet
to make him understand that the piano-Or-
gan and street musicians are not under
his absolute authority. lie perpetually or
ders them, in native Persian, to remain
playing so long as he is pleased to be
pleased. and exhibits the utmost disgust
when they move on regardless OF his ioidly
commands.
English, for in Persia he was taught TO
class Europeans with monkeys, and he has
no hesitation i'm addressing them as such
IL they offend his prejudices. Fortunately
his language is so pretty that the CpprO-
brious title frequently passes for term
of endearmeHt."
Nasrit is a devout Mussulman. and was
intensely hOrrihed to find the familiar
terms on which dogs, so abhorred by Mo |
hammedanS, are admitted to English |
households. The friendly nose Of dog |
thrust into his hand was the signal for a
fCcd of tears and vehement insistence on |
i triple scrubbing of the member so de
filed. The love Of animals inherent in boy |
nature has changed the spirit OF Nasrit's |
preiudices. and he new sCamperS pTettIy /
about lawn with a sympathetic English l
bulldog as friend and cOnfidante
At dinner he looks askance at half /
glass of water, insisting, Persian fashion, |
that 1t shall be filled TO the brim as oc-
touched by other lips After drinking 1
claTet he washes out his mouth three /
times. this precautiOn alone enabling de-
vout Mussulman to partake OF alcohol. Sit
tins, crosslegged at the table cOntentedly i
eating his outlets, his bright eyes wander
ing necessarily round the room, notinS /
and between times he asked eter-
nal questions as to the habits OF the Eng /
lish monkeys''-his fellow guests.
SO that Allah Nasrit Khan Is most 1
Interesting little person to invite to dinner.
After the period OF widOwhood pre-
scrited by the Mussulman faith. conven-
iently limited 10 four months and ten days,
had expired several Persian noblemen |
made the "Beebee' offers of marriage. for |
ii is now regarded somewhat as mark
OF fashion 10 marry an English wife.
But nv experiences of a Persian har-
EN- were so unhappy as to remove every
wish to prolong them" she says Every |
body is astOnished that my child and I |
left Persia alive, for it is a country Of |