The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-06-15
Speaks and Sings and Is Al
together a Delightful
Young Person. :.
TWENTY, YET SHE AIMS
TO BE A PIONEER
Plans to Remain Here Four
Years and Then
Return.
hrab. a Persian newspaper corre-

sohrab. a Persian newspaper corrs-
spondent.
He was more afraid than T." cried
Ghodsea Kharnoum, with another bit Of
laughter.
1T is true" said Mira Ahmed
Sohrab. who was present at the inter-
view. He said it solemnly, and then
laughed. Yes, l was embarrassed.
had not seen Persian woman for so
long
Ghodsea Kharnoum will study for four
years before she returns to Persia to
teach She will not put on the veil
again. The law requiring the women
to wear wells is both religious and
, civil. But she says she will not. She
has made up her mind to It, ana Il
is easy to see that there's an end
| of it.
sne told what the veil means. She
regards it as a sort OF uniform Of
slavery or, perhaps, only intellectual
servitude. Mahomet, she explained, had
aid upon men the command that they
show reverence unto women. A ven
ence that enveloped them. But she
declared that the priests had made
superstition that IL was the token that
the Prophet meant women to be kept
apart from men; that they must not be
educated: that they must remain iSnor-
ant and oppressed. But now, especially
''since the constitution"-it was made
about four years ago-women were
learning. The men had already learned.
Men were putting away polygamy, for
example, simply because they had
learned better. 1t was mot only new
woman in Persia, but new thought in
Persian and a new Persian.
Women Not
Much On Leaving.
She told why no other women left
Persia Husbands don't leave Persia,
she said with a laugh. They are salts
fed. When the young men go away
they don't often send for their sisters.
One cannot go except with d husband
or sister. Besides, the women know
no other language: they could not
travel alone even If they left Persia
She mentioned casually that there were
not many hundred Persian men, even,
in America-nor many thousands else
where than in Persia. They stay at
home-it is a very lovely country, she
said.
But she will learn, oh, ever so many
things, and 60 home and teach all Per-
sians-not to leave home, but to be
wiser and better, to progress with
other peoples. She spoke OF the King
lovingly. He is beautiful and WISE"
she declared, with grave enthusiasm
He studies so hard-and he Is so beau
tiful.'
And her brother, too, studies hard.
and is superintendent Of a school at
nineteen years old. Her brother had
written to her to come home and fetch
him to America. Her brother wrote,
too, that her mother was so patient to
make content her friend VINO wanted
her home again" Her sister studies at
the missionary school. Maybe she will
come here, too" she exclaimed hope
fully.
Ghodsea Kharnoum sang; that is one
har 1izh Z
like her beauty-dainty and graceful
and strong. She sang with The unaf-
fected charm that made her remarkable
PERSONALITY so gracious.
Of Course She
Had to Be Coaxed
She had to be coaxed just little be-
cause she was hoarse. She did not leave
her chair, but of a sudden her long
lashes shut in her eyes, and she began.
1t was a weird sort of a chant. that
seemed to have in it the song Of the
bul-bul, and purple twilight, and the
odOr of almond trees, and the gentle fall
of rose leaves by the rivers brim. When
she had done, and had opened her eyes
and was asked, she said her song per-
haps did have those things in tit was
a prayer, yes. of the evening, of the
early night.
And one or two other things. she wore
a blue skirt. and a white shirt waist,
ladies'; and she does not think Omar
Khayvam was a very great poet, but
that Hafiz and subsequently, Hafiz-
were. And though she never saw men
before. she isn't any, more afraid OF
them than she is of the women who
have been so good to her in their
strange clothes.
She finds the strange clothes quite
comfortable and becoming. But she will
wear her Persian costume at the con-
ference Will she be AFRAID to speak to
all those people? Well, she is not afraid
of anything, she says. and she loves 20
talk. Only her English-"Ah, you do
think it will be all right. You make me
hanpv to say so. 1 shall not be afraid