HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN PERSIA.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1480, 7 November 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

HUSBANDS AND WIVES IN PERSIA.

A visitor to Bagdad thus describes one feature of the inner life of the Persians : Among the more wealthy the husband sleeps on a raised bedstead, made of light wicker work, called a "doeshick." It has a." mattress and cushions of silk or cotton, and covered by a thick quilt, but is without curtains or mosquito net. The night air is always dry and towards morning there usually springs up a cool breeze that dies away soon after sunrise. The wife occupies a similar bed, but always on the ground—that is, without a bedstead and at a respectful distance

from her husband. The children are scattered about on mattresses, and the slaves or servants sleep on mats, but all within sight of each other. In a few houses there are low parapets dividing off the sleeping apartments, but these are rare and probably occupied by Europeans. In retiring the natives do not divest themselves of their clothing worn dur ing the day, except to lay aside the outer robes. After rising the husband performs his devotions and then seats himself on his carpet, where his wife serves him with a chibouk and coffee with her own hands, retiring at a respectful distance to wait for the cup, and sometimes with hands crossed, and even kissing his hand on receiv ing the cup from it — a mark of respect very common in the East. While the husband is lounging on the carpet or cushions enjoying his morning pipe the women of the family generally pray, going through the same forms and prostrations as the men, but the children under twelve years of age never join in their devotions.