hristian
sickroom and the crowded noisy apartment, poisoned with tobacco smoke,
where lies the poor Persian woman in the dirty garments of every-day
wear, covered by bedding in worse condition.

Mentally, the Persian women are as bright as those of any race. The same
physician says, "The Persian woman is often neither a doll nor a drudge.
I have known some who were recipients of apparently true love, respect,
and solicitude on the part of their husbands, as their sisters in
Christian lands; some who were very entertaining in conversation, even
in their husbands' presence; some who were their husbands' trusted
counsellors; some who were noted for learning; some who were
successfully managing large estates; some who have stood by me in my
professional work, in emergencies demanding great strength of character
and freedom from race and sectarian prejudice."

But these are the exceptions; scarcely one in a thousand has any
education, even in its most restricted sense of being able to read and
write her own language intelligently. It is marvellous to see how all
the advantages are lavished on the boy, who will have Arabic, Persian,
and French tutors, while his sister is taught nothing. In consequence,
the ignorance and stupidity of woman have become proverbial. It is a
common saying, "Her hair is long, but her wit is short."

In a Persian newspaper, there lately appeared some articles in which,
after apologizing for mentioning the subject of women, the writer spoke
strongly of their present illiterate state. He taxed the mothers with
the great mortality among children, and made the amazing statement, that
in Australia every woman who loses a child is punished by law with the
loss of a finger! He did not venture to prescribe this drastic remedy
for Persia, but says the husbands and fathers who allow their women to
remain in ignorance should be held up to public scorn and contempt, and
that nothing but education and religion will make a change.

Wonderful to relate, this article elicited the following reply from a
lady, which we print as it was written:

LETTER FROM A MOSLEM WOMAN

_To the honored and exalted editor of the "Guide":_--

"I myself have no education, but my two children, a boy and a
girl, have a little. Every day they use your paper for their
reading lesson, and I listen with the greatest attention.
Truly, as far as a patriot's duty goes, you are discharging it.
Your paper is h