New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-10
JENKINS IND THE SHAH.

JENKINS IND THE SHAH.
Our old friend has come to the fore again.
The spectacle of dukes and duchesses and
royal highnesses and baronets, and blue-blOoded
personages generally, making themselves ridi-
culous in the presence Of the Shah Of Persia,
was altogether too much for him. He has
emerged from his retirement to take part IN
the festivities, and has succeeded, as usual, IN
making himself great deal more absurd than
anybody else. 81 had obtained certain de-
"gree of mountaineering with His Majesty"
says Jenkins. and made bold to take adyant-
cage of itr-of course he did-"by paying
chin VISIT during his residence at Buck
ingham Palace. Jenkins rightly observes
that English palaces are not as a rule
quite so accessible as bar rooms ) but
you can't keep him out of any place when ne
has once made up his mind to go in. and in
one way and neutrality-suspicious. through the
back yard, possibly by the area windOw-he
managed to get admission. He found the
Shah after some little trouble, and tackled
him promptly. "At first" says the veracious
chronicler, "he spoke hesitatingy, and his
remarks, which were of dlsjointed nature,
Seemed to give him pain to utter" The
fact is the Shah had never seen an Inter
viewer before, gentry of that class not being
common in the royal palaces of Persia, and
he was doubtless wondering whether the rigid
formalities of English etiquette went so far
as to forbid the instant decaptation of tor
mentor of this sort, right where he squatted
on the parlor carpet.
If the utterance was painful, however, it
was undoubtedly full of meaning. His Majesty
confined himself at first to two observations
"Oh,n and "No.r After that-but We must
give the language Of Jenkins himself" ten
minutes passed during which the only sign
"Of life he gave was the occasional Whit
" of smoke he allowed to steal quietly out of
" the corner of his mouth. Then he started
cup as if inspired by some strong resolution,
"and staring me full in the face, he said
eyes it must bet must bep l was struck
dumb, and fearing that if 1 spoke l might
disturb the train of his ideas, and so lose
revelation of matters of l knew not what
importance, 1 sat in silence with my ears
"extended to the uttermost.r All, jenkins,
what a spectacle that must have been!
The extended ears stood out as straight az
jackass-rabbit's for some time. The Shah
resumed his pipe, but the whiffs were now
"squirted out as from a syringe" AT last his
Majesty became calm enough TO speak, and
this is what he said There are fools here
Gas in Persia!n Even Jenkins, we should
think, might have been struck by this oppOr-
tune observation but apparently he was not;
his ears Topped gently upon his cOmplacent
cheeks; he would not go. "This visit is
serious thing added the suffering monarch;
but Jenkins sat still. "From sigh he ut
tered,r continues the narrator Il gathered
that he was unhappy" and still those erect
ears stared him in the face. How long the
interview might have lasted, if the two dis
tinguished persons had been let alone, we
dare not guess. 81 felt crowd of questions
rising within me, but at the moment l was
"abOut to interrogate him, one of his officers
of the household camep -. This closing
part of the narrative is little obscure. We
only comprehend that his Majesty "scOwled
"myountarily and seemed inclined to order
some persons head to be taken OFF," and
that the audience "came to a sudden termina-
ton" Let us draw the vail.
| Such is the story Of Jenkins of New York,
and this audience with the Shah of Persia.
Or shall we be uncharitable enough TO say
that such is the story of purely imaginary
Jenkins, which the enterprising prOpretOrs of
a morning newspaper have caused to be man
ufactured for the occasion by one of their
city reportersi We do MT know which would
BIO the greater discredit,-to own such Jel-
kins or to make believe own him,-to be guilty
of such astounding vulgarity and folly, or to
pretend to have been guilty Of it.