THE ARAB'S LAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12070, 13 September 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ARAB'S LAMENT.

HOW WIVES ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD IX ALGERIA. There is at present in Paris au Arab, named Aissa Ben Koulder, who has .undergone many privations and borno great fatigue for the purpose of placing his domestic grievances before President Loubet. The Arab, who is a tall, fine man. about 45 years old, was supposed to be insane, as lie was stopping people on Ire boulevards, iu order to ask them for the address of the President of the Republic. He is not mad, however, and, having been directed to a newspaper office, lie has told his story in a very clear manner to the editor. It is to the effect that last year he bought a. wife for 75fr. from, her father, who is a sheepowner in the province of Algeria. After six months of wedded life Aissa Ben Koulder was bidden, with his wife, to a feast in his father-in-law's tents. He vent to the place of rendezvous, but after the fetes were over he had to leave "Mdme. Aissa Ben Koulder behind. Tier father claimed her, stating that she was too young to have a husband, and that she would have to remain with him for some years longer.

Aissa Ken Koulder had to part with his wife, and resolved to begin legal proceedings against his father-in-law, ho, he states, had already sold the girl once, and who now takes her away for the purpose of raising money out of a third husband. The lawsuit came off in due course of time, bub nothing was clone for the husband, who was deprived of his wife. Aissa Ben .Koulder spent his last sou on his case, and then, finding that lie could obtain, no redress in Algeria, he resolved to start for Paris, there to try to interest the President of the Republic in his grievances.

The Arab paid his passage across to Marseilles, and thence tramped to Paris, which he reached in a bad plight. Aissa will, in ad likelihood, be sent back to his native placo at the public expense, and it is doubtful if be. will be able to get the bcttei of his peculiarly astute father-in-law, who evidently regards his daughter as being a negotiable quantity, like his sheep.