Neighbors
hastened to congratulate the happy father, but days might elapse
before the neighborhood knew of the birth of a daughter. It was
deemed highly improper to inquire after the health of a wife, and
the nearest approach to it was to ask after the welfare of the house
or household. Formerly, a man never called his wife by name, but in
speaking of her would say, "the mother of so and so," giving the
name of her child; or, "the daughter of so and so," giving the name
of her father; or, simply "that woman" did this or that. Nor did the
wife presume to call her husband's name, or to address him in the
presence of his parents, who, it will be borne in mind, lived in the
same apartment. They were married very young, often at the age of
fourteen, and without any consultation of their own preference,
either as to time or person.
There was hardly a man among the Nestorians who did not beat his
wife. The women expected to be beaten, and took it as a matter of
course. As the wife lived with the husband's father, it was not
uncommon for him to beat both son and daughter-in-law. When the men
wished to talk together of any thing important, they usually sent
the women out of doors or to the stable, as unable to understand, or
unfit to be trusted.
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