Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1867-10-24
4 SKETCH OF THE ABYSSINIAN
MONARCH.

The following is 4 description of Theo
dorc II :, taken from a book published
last year in France by gentleman for
some time French Vice Consul to MasSo-
wah
The man on whose head now rests thc
lot Of Abvssinia is forty-six years of age.
lie is of average statute, of an imposing
carriage. apd of an open and sympathetic
phyeogn@my His features, less regular
than those OF most Abyssinians, are cx-
pressiye and changcable, and have none
Of that borrowed dignity which marks
certain Oriental faces with solemn inslg-
nilicance The look is lively and pierre
ing; the distinct lines Of the profile will
express the firm Will which has enthralled
the frecst and least docile people of the
East Rigorous towardy others III mat
ters of etiquette the Negus has emancipa-
ted himself in matters ofcostume and affects
anegligcncc which however never becomes
had taste. \ simple soldier coat, par
of trousers and a belt from which hang
pistols and an English sword, and over all
a chamd, or embroidered toga-thls is his
habitual costume. 1t has sometimes hap
pened that Europeans presented to hlm
have hesitated among the crowd OF silk
pourpoints (balahamis) which surround
him, and committed mistakes which have
much diverted him. This dtsdaln of all
luxury governs all his acts. The furnl-
ture of his tent is of the simplest, while
his residences at Magdala and Dcbra Ia
Dor are incumbered with silks and stutfs
from France and India. In the field he
wears the coarse black infantry buclller,
while by his side trots the page charged
with his state shield covered with blue
velvet scattered with imperial lilies
That which at first is the most striking IN
Theodore is happy combination of sup
plcncss and force-especially of force
Born proud, violent, and inclined to pleas
ure, he commands his passions IN this sense
that they never make him overstep the Inn
It's he has marked out for himself He has
bcen unjustly accused Of drunkenness, and
on this subject the late French Consul
has collected some information. Tie Is
very sober, eats little, drinks more, but
never up to any marked oyer-cxctcmcnt,
f.r less to coarse drunkenness. more wcr-
thy of a yolot or Mandingo King than of
a sovereign of Christian AbySsinia. As
10 Women, they have never bad
the least influence on his public life, al
ways excepting his first wife, the good
and regretted Tzoobcdjc, for whom he
had Away, a sort Of worship. She had
been, however. the faithful companion of
his days of trial, and when he lost her
seven or eight years ago, he saw in this
death chastisement which Heaven in
fieted on him for having burnt a woman
alive at Godiam Tsoobedje had kept
him in the simple life and pious practices
Of an Abyssinian of the old time, and
when she died he lived eighteen months
in the strictcst confluence. A marriage
of ambition has been the indirect causc of
the Irregularities he has Stree made pub
lie. To put an end, BY kind of fusion
to the pretensions of the family of Cubic.
he married about six years ago. the
daughter of the latter, the young and
beautiful T0roncchc. who had throughout
.tbvs7inis tho reputation Of an accomplish
Cd Princess Witty, accomplished, CHARM
ing, she pad scarcely any defect but the
aas,iuate pril,=which is a Very general
drawback WIKI AhvsSiuianS Il = certain
rank. Eor two or three years the most
perfect uaion reiEnti in tais houSaholIs
Theodore had tor his graceful partner
tc.tIornass in which pride had no small
par. and when she had given him I soa
he assembled III tie grandecs at ! theat-
rical ttfe and showed them the newborn.
saving, "Bchold him who will r2;sa over
Won. It is doubtful whether tie guests
took seriously an observation against winch
the elder sons Of the Ncgus had the right
Il protest Onc day. on the occasion of
the Faster toter. ite-hc foron,cl5e asacI
her husband ier ,ile pardon at s%no II,
GRAN chiefs, -cp; ii mons for their at