The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-11-26

rightly called the Frenchman of the
East.
Persia, has been a Mohammedan
country from the time of it's conquest
by the Arabs in GAL; but some thou
sands of Zoroastrians, the old fire
worshipers, still remain in the land
and have been much prosecuted.
Domestic Life.
In order to understand Persian do
nestle life at the present day, we must
carry ourselves back to the patriarchal
times. The Persian is lord and mas
ter of his house much as was Abra-
ham and Jacob. He has enormous
power over the persons of his wives
children and dependents, all Of whom
he can treat much as he pleases.
When woman is handed over to
her husband with her dowry. he re-
CARDS her far more as chattel than
as a wife. She may never show her
face to any man save her husband and
her near relatives, and owing to the
extreme seclusion in which she lives,
it is most difficult for her to get JUS
tice should she be ill-treated. There
are certain laws for her benefit in
such cases as that of divorce, but these
are only enforced when a man di-
vorces his wife If the case be re-
versed and the woman carries her
slipper to the judge and demands sep
aration from her husband, the latter
is not obliged to refund the dowry that
he received with her.
Brutal husbands who wish to be rid
of their wives and yet retain their
dowry sometimes ill-use them in or
der to force them to sue for divorce
themselves.
If a man is angered with his wife
and says three times, Il divorce you ~
he has legally severed himself from
her, and, should he desire to have
her back again, she will be obliged to
marry and then be divorced by an
other man. The happiness and posi-
ton of a Persian woman usually de-
ponds upon her children. Her great
wish is to present her lord with sons.
The ."strenuous life'' finds no favor
! in Persia the idea of a young Per-
siah being to act as hanger-on at
court, or to be included in the suite
of some governor of a province or
high official, such sinecures being
spoken of as "doing service"
Prayers and Food.
r,ho r,,oIl RI do porsian &c rorcod ho
fore sunrise by the call of the mezzin
summoning all men to prayer. He
throws aside the padded quilts that
form his bed, hastily dons his gar
ments, and exchanges the felt skull
cap in which he sleeps for the black
lamb's-wool hat. His servant then
pours water over his hands, and he
washes his face, arms and feet before
prostrating himself on his prayer car
pet which is turned in the direction
of Mecca.
After his devotions (Which he re-
peats at noon and at sunset are ac-
complished, he partakes again of
much-sweetened tea without milk, and
with it eats a thin cake Of fiabhy bread
and some sweetmeats Then he
smokes kalian, or water-pipe, and
feels fortified for the work Of the day,
whatever it may be.
At noon an ample repast is served
on a leather cloth laid on the ground,
and the standing dish will be pilau,
which consists of a mound Of beauti-
fully cooked rice mixed with chopped
meat and vegetables.
All Persians sit on their heels, and
they eat with their fingers, manipulate
ing the pilau most cleverly with the
right hand, it being a mark of ILL
breeding to use both hands when eat
ing.
The meal is eaten in total silence,
and, when all the greasy right hands
have been washed with rose water, the
party betake themselves to slumber.
Tea fruit and sweetmeats are par
taken of during the visits which Per
slams are so fond of making, and often
the evening meal is not served until
nine o'clock, all going to rest immedi-
ately they have finished eating.
According to the Mohammedan re-
Iigion. Persians are not permitted to
indulge in alcohol and the strict CON
fine themselves to sherbets (fruit
sirups). But the wines of Shiraz,
Hamdan and Isfahan, or arraek, the
spirit made from grape refuse, prove
too strong a temptation to many, and
unfortunately the Persian only drinks
in order that he may become inebri
aied