Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Emperor OF Abyssinin
PERSONAL DEsCRPTIoN--HI LIFE AND
HABITS.


PERSONAL DEscRIPTIoN--II LIFE AND
HABITS
The following is a description of Theo.
dore H., taken from book published last
year in France, by gentleman who was for
some time French vice consul at Massowah ::
THE man on whose head now rests the
lot of Abyssiuia, is forty.six years of age
He is of average stature, of an imposing car
! riagc, and of an open and sympathetic ply
! siognomy. His features, less regular than
those of most Abyssinians, are expressive
and chungeable, and have none of that Dor
rowtd dignity which marks certain oriental
! faces with solemn insigniicance. The look
is lively and piercing; the distinct lines of
the profile well express the firm will which
has cnthrallcd the freest and least docile
people Of the East. Rigorous towards 9th
/ CTS in matters of etiquette, the Ncgus has
e,IancipUted himself in matters of costume,
and ai.eCts a negligence Which, however,
| never bccoE.es lad taste. A simple soldier 5
coat, pair ol trousers, and Ii belt from
which hang pistols and al English sword,
and over all chdma, or embroidered tOga-
I this IS his habitual costume. 1t has some.
I ti.ncs happened that Europeans presented 10
/ him haze hesitated among the crowd OF silk
purpOirts (bRGlamis) which surround him,
and committed mistakes which have much
diverted him.
Til, disdain Of all luxury governs all his
acts. The furniture Of his tent is of the
simplest, while his residences at Magdala
and Debra Tabor are cucumbered with silks
and stufls from France aud India. In the
/ field he wears the coarse black infantry
! buckler, 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
/ plcness and force especially of force.
/ Born proud, violent, and inclined to
( pleasure, he commands his passions in this
sense-that they never make him overstep
the limits he has marked out for himself.
He has been unjusty accused of drunken
ness, and on this subject the late French
, Consul has collected some information. He
is very sober, eats little, drinks more, but
never up to any marked over,excitement,
far less to coarse drunkenness more worthy
Of a yolof or Mandingo king than of SOW.
ereigu of Christian Abyssinia. As to wo.
men, they have never had the least infiu-
ence on his public life; always excepting
his first wife, the good and regretted TZoo.
bedje, for whom he had always sort OF
worship. She had been, however, the faith
ful companion of his days OF trial, and
when he lost her seven or eight years ago
he saw III this death u chastisenent which
Heaven inflicted on him for having burned
Il woman alive at Godjam. TZoObedje had
Kept him in the simple life and piOus prac
tices of an Abyssinian Of the old time.
"A marriage of ambition has been tho
indirect cause of the irregularities he has
since made public. To put an end, by
kind Of fusion, to the pretensions OF thc
family of Cubic, he married. about six years
ago, the daughter of the latter, the young
and beautiful Toroneche, who had through
out Abyssinia the reputation of an accom-
plished princess. Witty, accomplished
charming, she had scarcely any defect bu
the obstinate pride which is very general
drawback with Abyssinians of a certain
rank. For two or three years the most per
feet union reigned iu this household
Theodore had for his graceful partner ten
derneSs III which pride had no small part
and when she had given him son he as
sembled all the grandees at a theatrica
Tete and showed them the newborn, saying
Behold him who will reign over YOU l
is doubtful whether the guests took serious
ly an observation against which the eide
sOllo VI TIC -NtBus hdu lHO IISHJ u pIOltSl
."One day, on the occasion of the Easte
.tetes, Toroneche asked her husband for tn
pardon of some Tigrian chiefs, kept in iron
for their attachment to Cubic. This legiti
mate demand excited in the highest degre
: the suspicious of the irritable Negus.-
What do you meanp he asked. DO yo
prefer your father to mei' Perhaps do
answered the naughty princess. She ha
Is scarcely spoken when a violent blow fell o
6 her check. Bell, who wished to interyen,
!. received another. Cubic, who since tn
marriage had been restored to favor, wa
placed in irons, and has not since recovere
= his liberty. Moreover the Negus, to infliC
| deadly blow on his wife, at once took fou
favorites from the lowest ranks. The fir
l, explosion over, he dismissed them all e,
y cept one woman of the Yedjo-Gallas, VIII
!, has none of the physical or moral charms
the itege, but who skilfully retains her Ct
PRECIOUS lover by number of cares and a
= tentions which the proud Toroneche has IL
70 impudence to despise. What shows IL
abasement of the national character is thi
those who surround the Negus have take
his part in the scandal The church alor
:, protests by the voice of some venture,
= priests.
AT Easter, Theodore being obliged
decorum TO communicate, obtains absol