Sharp County record., 1890-08-28
THE AMAZON QUEEN.
A Courageous African Princess Who Lead
Her Own Cavalry.

lhcIt 10 soAetuihg peculiarly appTO-
pirate in the fact that the leading gen.
eral and vassal sovereign of the Emperor
OF Abyssinia, who claims to be able to
1nttyaco his descent in an uHbroSen line to
cole Biblical Queen of Sheba, should be a
90 Ioman. The lady is Queen Jostero Mas
.. ,ero, and she commands the magnificent
oGalla cavalry division of Menelek's
army. a member of the warlike Gala
nation, she first became connected with
the Abyssnian empire in a rather pecu-
liar manner in 1857. 1t was just about
that time that Prince Area Selassie, the
only son and heir apparent of the late
Negus Johannes, was sojourning with
his tutor and mentor, General, or "Ras, "
Michael, in the town of Sulul, on the
Galla-Abyssinan border, whore he hap
pened to contract an intimacy with the
only son of the Gala queen.
On one memorable day, when fair
was being held in the town, the two
young princes amused themselves by
performing divers fcats of equestrian.
ism, among others that known as tent
pegging, in which the rider transfxes
with his lance a tent peg stuck in the
ground while dashing past at full gal
lop. The young son of the Gala Queen
greatly excelled in this particular form
OF sport, and left Prince Area Selassie
far behind. The latter, goaded to fury
by the jeers which his frequent failures
to touch the peg excited among the on
lockers in the market-place, at length
ended by drawing his revolver and fir
ing point-blank at the Queens son, who
only escaped with his life and sustained
several serious wounds.
On becoming aware of the treatment
to which her boy had been subjected,
the Gala Queen became greatly en-
ragged, and vowed vengeance. She imme-
diately caused the tam-tam to be sound
ed, and having summoned body OF
5000 cavalry to arms placed herself at
their head, and three days later inhict-
ed such lesson on the arrogant Prince
Area as he was not likely to forget.
Three hundred of his followers and ad-
herents were massacred in cold blood by
her mounted warriors, and the young
imperial prince was subjected to most
ignominious treatment before being al
lowed by the Queen to take his depart
ure from the district.
Curiously enough, his father, the
frantic Negus Joan, instead of taking
steps to punish the good lady for her
conduct toward the imperial lad, deter
mined to win her over to his side. He
was shrewd enough to realize that such
a dashing cavalry General would
be ,ra6re preferable as friend than
as J foe, He, therefore, lost no
9 in contracting an offensive and
nsiyo alliance with her, almost
overwhelmed her with honors, pres
ents and dignities, and finally intrusted
her with the command Of his magnifi-
cent cavalry, which is recruited mainly
from the members of the Gala tribe,
which is renowned throughout the
world for Its superb equestrianism and
for its perfect physique. 1t was at tho
head of the imperial cavalry that she
took part in tho 1883 campaign against
the Italians and it is she who was held
responsible for the terrible massacre OF
the Arab and Mussolman inhabitants OF
the district of Ailct, who were rightly
or wrongly suspected of entertaining
sympathies for the Italians
Emperor John was subsequently
spearcd to death by the Soudaneso dor
wishes in the battle of Metemmeh, his
only son having come to an umtimely
end somo six months previously by
means of poison, which is believed to
have been administered by one of tho
principal officers Of the army, possibly
by the Gala Queen herself. She has,
therefore, given her allegiance to tho
new Emperor of Negus, Menelck, and
constituted not only ono OF the most
picturesque but also the most important
feature OF the army with which the
Ethiopian monarch marched toward
Adowah. Although no longer young
her appearance is asserted to have ro-
teined certain number OF charms,
among which may be included q most
commanding and impressive carriage
and presence, Her apparel is magnih-
cent, according to the Abysslnion mo-
tions, and her wrists, ankles, throat and
hair are doclSed with gold nmulets and
towels. She is always splendidly mount
ed ON horse, which she rides seated
astride, man-GOshion, and which she man
ages with marvellous skill-N. y. Tribune
Franks of Chinese students.
Chinese students cpn be and often NJ
as rude In their prNnks ~ European or
American ones. This was shown at a
recent examination at llongchow when
the young mon were so boisterous,
climbing on tho examiners table and
lighting tooth and nail for each others
essays, that the high provincial author
itios ordered the examiner TO stop tho
proceedings and close the hall On an
other occasion the students crowded
around q district magistrate who was
taking down their names rs they on
tered tho provincial capital for oXomi'
nation. Those who had got behind him
linked his official robes and singod his
poacoclts feather Tho hion was just
turning around TO shout at thom, whom
his form was pulled from undor him and