The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-10-23
THE SURGEON AND THE MO-
GUL'S DAUGHTER.

Shah Jehan, grandson of the mighty
Akbar, had been for four nd-twenty
years on the throne of the great Mogul.
He was the most magnificent and luxur-
ious of all the Moguls. Before the ra-
diant and amazing splendors OF his
court all the pomp and glory of the
greatest monarchs of the west paled into
insignifcance. He had been known to
spend million and a half sterling upon
a birthday festival. His royal progresses
| through his dominions surpassed in
grandeur and sumptuous display all that
even the oriental Imagination had con-
ceived. Travellers told with awe of the
acres of land covered with carpets of
silk and gold of the stately pavilions
glittering with diamonds and pearls; of
| the gorgeous tents of crimson velvet
embroidered with gold, supported by
massive poles forty feet high, land stretch
ing over long miles of level country; of
| the seven resplendent thrones studded
with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls;
of the world Peacock throne,
Shah Jehan's own fanciful invention, so
called from peacock with its tail spread.
the natural colors faithfully represented
in sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and
pearls, which formed the chief ornament
and design of Il mass of diamonds and
other precious stones valued at six mil
lions and half sterling.
They told, too, of the elephants that
looked like shining mountains of jewelry
elephants trained to kneel before the
throne and do reverence to the Great
Mogul with their trunks-whose keeping
cost five hundred rupees apiece per
month; of the magnificent horses on
whose brides and saddles the gems stood
| thick as dewdrops on lawn at sunrise;
| and of thousand other lustrous and
dazzling marvels, the mere mention OF
| which made men stand agape with won-
der and astonishment. Not Solomon in
allhis glory could compare in lavish
splendour with Shah Jehan the Great
Mogul.
And now, after nearly ten years of in
cessant war, there was peace in the Mo-
gul empire, and the emperor had come
to enjoy his well earned repose, and
revel in the luxury which he loved at his
capital Delhi-that Delhi which he had
| restored to more than its ancient glory,
whose marble halls and spacious courts
and golden domes and stately mosques
he could proudly boast were unequaled
anywhere for grace and beauty and sub
Unity. For Shah Jehan had n passion
for noble and beautiful buildings-the
mausoleum which he erected to his wife
at Agra, known as the Tai Mahal, stand
ing to this day as one of the noblest
monuments in the world.
But passionately as Shah Jehan loved
luxury and magniicence, gorgeous pag-
eants, and splendid buildings, there was
something he loved more passionateiy
still, and that was his eldest daughter.
In all his vast empire there was no love-
lier, more charming, or more accomplish
ed lady than the Padshah Begun. Shah
Jehan idolized this favorite child. She
was his constant companion. She en-
joyed his confidence to an extent which
men very rarely allow to women in the
east. Her lively conversation, her skill
in the use of musical instruments, her
gift of melodious song, could always
charm him into amiability. She was the
| light of his life, the only being that, since
the death of his queen, he really loved.
| His SONS he distrusted and suspect
ed, and not without reason, for filial
affection was a virtue which had always
been conspicuous by its absence among
the sons of the Moguls, and he WAS him.
| self destined to die a prisoner in the
hands of his own son Aurungzebe. who
deposed him. 1t was on his daughter,
therefore, that he lavished all the ten
derness that was in his heart. The Pad
shah Begun was now in her twenty
second year, and in the full flower of her
beauty and womanhood. Who could
have dreamed that SO fair lily could be
blighted in single nighta
1t was an evening IN July; Shah Jehan
lay DOING under the gentle tanning OF
the pukah, when he was reused by
piercing shrek. followed in quick sue
cession by series of shrieks, each more
heartrending and blood curding than
the last. He rmsed himself to listen.
1t was apparently from the women's
apartments that these appalling cries
| proceeded. Whilst he listened the
shrieks grew fainter and fainter, and
were succeeded by wailing sound, as Of
many voices meaning. Suddenly the
curtains were pushed aside, and a ser.
want, pale, trembling. and breathless,
entered and prostrated himself before
the emperor. He was impatiently asked
what his tidings were. Groaning and
beating his breast with his hands, he
stammered out his news-news that
\
made Shah Jehan leap to his feet-while
his swarthy cheek grew livid with pa.lor
and he stood rooted to the ground with
horror and amazement. For the news
was that the Padshah Begun had been
burned to death 1t was but for q mo-
ment that Shah Jehan stood there pet
rified and horror stricken. In another
instant he had darted off in the direction
of the princess's apartments to learn fer
himself whether the dreadful tidings
were true or not. He was like q maniac
as he burst into the chamber where his
daughter lay upon couch, surrounded
by her women wailing and wringing their
hands. Already two Of the court physi-
Al u