AN ARAB'S IDEA OF MATRIMONY.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 348, 7 April 1868, Page 3

AN ARAB'S IDEA OF MATRIMONY.

(From the Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia.) Now it was always a common practice among the Arab women, when they called upon my wife, to request her to show her hands ; they would then feel the soft palms and exclaim in astonishment, "Ah ! sho has never ground corn !" that being the duty of a wife, unless she is rich enough to possess slaves. Sheik Achmet j l'jquosted me to give some account of our domestic arrangements in England. I did this as briefly as possible, explaining how ladies received our devoted attentions, extt tiling their beauty and virtue, and, in fact, giving him an idea that England was paradise, and that the ladies wore angels. 1 described the variety of colors, that instead of all being dark, some were exceedingly fair; that others had red hair? that we had many bright black eyes, and some irresistable dark blue ; aud at the close of my description, I believe the sheik and his party fult disposed to emigrate immediately to the chilly shores of Giext Britain. They asked, " How far off is your country?"— " Well," said the sheik, with a sigh, "That must be a very charming country ; how could you possibly come away from all your beautiful wives? True, you have brought one with you ; she is, of course, the youngest and moit lovely, yurhaps tliose you have left at home are the old one 3!" I was obliged to explain that we are contented with one wife, and that even were people disposed to marry two, or more, they would be punished with imprisonment. This announcement was received with a general expression of indignation ; the sheik and his party, who a few minutos ago were disposed to emigrate, and settle upon our shores, would now at the most have ventured upon a return ticket. After some murmurs of disapprobation, there was a decided expression of disbelief in my la^t statement. " Why," said the sheik, "the fact is simply impossible. How can a man be contented with one wife ? It is ridiculous, absurd ! What is he to do when she becomes old ? When she is young, if very lovely, p-rhaps he might be satisfied with her, but even the young must some day grow old, and the beauty must fade. The°man does not fade like the woman ; therefore, aa he remains the sams for many years, but she changes in a few years, Nature has arranged that the man shall have young wives (o replac-j the old ; does not the Prophet allow it ? Had not our fon - fathers many wives '] and shall we have but one ? Lcok at yourself. Your wife is young" (and here the sheik indulge.! in compliments) "but in ten years she will not be the same as now : will you not then let her have a nice house all to herself, when she grows old, while you take a fresh young wife I" I was obliged to explain to the sheik that, first, our ladies nevor looked old ; secondly, they improved with age ; and thirdly, that we were supposed tv love our wives with greater ardour as they advanced in years. This was received with an ominous shake of the head, coupled with the explanation "Mashallali" repeated by the wholu party. This was the moment for a few remarks on polygamy : I continued — "You men are selfish ; you expect from the women what you will not give in return, ' constancy and love ;' if your wife demanded a multiplicity of husbands would it not be impossible to love her 1 How can she love yon if you insist upon other wives?" "Ah!" he replied, "our women are different to yours, they would not love anybody. Look at your wife, she has travelled with you far away from her own country, and her heart is stronger than a man's ; she is afraid of nothing, because you are with her ; but our women prefer to be far away from their husbands and are only happy whenever they have nothing whatever to do. You don't understand our women — they are ignorant creatures, and when their youth is past, are good for nothing but to work. You have explained your customs ; your women are ordered by the men, and you are satisfied with one wife, either young or old ; now I will explain our customs. I have four wives : as one has become old I have replaced her with a young one ; here they are." (He now marked four strokes upon the sand with his stick.) " This one carries water ; that grinds the corn ; this makes the bread ; the last does not do much, as she is the youngest and my favorite ; and .if they neglect their work, they get a tasfe of this !" (shaking a long and tolerably thick stick.) "Now, that's the difference between our establishments ; yours is well adapted for your country, and ours is the best plan for our own."