Telegram-herald., 1890-05-20
THE KING Or THYDAH
by~ bose S~1ss fh~sr<sa e~S
81 AzsAa~fsy ~ rl-s R0yai
CEss< ~Aa.s F-.aily Co-Sss<1-- -
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EAe1.a1-As ~ aks@@9~N
The King q VnyesAs slFes - 90
tsc1s u spee1zl oazre - etz1Se = - -
snf0roeac veEsEa tlou - Ia s<~'P-
f2Eorise ones lived Ia Ehe P44--N -
kI1ls the Othsrs sers seoo1-i--'- 3 q AZ
sdgoknlng 5sLldlngS NJ Den "sFe en-
Y10Yec u the roysl hoaseoosa- ~'ll me
klnz ~ served solely - Ia, "iFe0-
When visi5oEs oars - see she hing 20
reostFeo then alone. taking GOO 0-f7
tat LIS glves Ssre ooE oi sls - " -
indeed held q sacrllege ~ - ---~~ -
look zt any Il these royA4 so u.s.
When repairs which coglt not - a'ao
by them. were ne.eaed In the palace
they migrated from tie aifecteo portioa,
All Ebe Piuu bers and glaciers ootllAS
II lad - keep OF shouting oat Ilo
whole tine they were Al SOrAi IA case
any " The wives, not soq uAlnSe0 VIII
tie fact u = sfr presence, sLou-1 nap.
pen ~ pass that way. When The hlhg
wives sex OuL ~ work IA she plantations,
Whleh they did every morning IN
batches OF three % tour hundred at
time, they used - cry stand clear as
they vent. ana any men who were
in thefr path prostr2ted themselves, and
did not dare ~ raise their eyes I'll they
had passed. On aooOVut Of the awe IN
which his wives were held the hing
found tLom very useful and speedy
executive - carr, out his commands
II any person WAS lound guilty OF
crime tho King sent a detachment Of his
wives round - the man house In order
- strip II OF is goods and pull IL down
This WIS usually very soon edfected, for
on the approach Of the Kings wives the
man was unable 20 remain and defend
his property. ono instance, however, Is
related by Bosnian. in which native
Uas clever and bold enough - thwart
this pOwerful authority Hearing that
he had been accused before the King,
and that a company Of the Kings wives
had been sent u wreck his house, he
collected eli the gunpowder he pos
sessed, and, placing Il in a heap Just be-
meath his doorway, be awaited the ar
rival OF his spoilers. fire-brand in hand.
When they approached and cried IN tho
usual formula, Make way for the
Kings wives, he replied that he would
not stir from the spot ON which he
stood, and II they attempted 70 cross his
threshold be would blow himself and
all OF them up together. This threat
brought the good womon 70 a halt, and
after consultation among themselves
they determined to return TO the King
s.-F l. .F 81. -,
they had met. But their in
tended victim was too quick for
them. Slipping round another way,
he reached the King first, and
cleared himself Of the accusation so
satisfactorily that the order against him
was countermanded. This attempt,
Bosnian remarks, was very bold one.
requiring great nerve TO carry it through
success sfully, considering that if il had
failed a painful death would have been
the punishment The Kings supply OF
wives was kept up to the full number by
three of his chief captains, who had
very little else to do than select and
procure for him the most beautiful vir-
gins A fresh wife, after presentation.
lived with the King three OF four days,
after which she was relegated to the
quarters occupied by the other wives.
and became, practically, q nun for the
rest of her life, with the uneviahle priv
ilege Of working like a slave on the
Kings estate. Under these circum-
stances it is not matter Of surprise
that the honor of a royal alliance was
little coveted among maidens, some of
whom had even been known 10 prefer a
speedy death to the distinction. Bosnian
mentions the story Of young girl who,
having been selected for this purpose
BY the captains, ran away, and. on being
closely pursued. in her despair jumped
down a well and was killed. Il leave her
case" remarks the sage historian, Ito 30
determined by the ladies" When each
man vas so we'll provided in respect o.
children should be proportionately y
numerous. Bosnian has heard, in several
cases, incredible numbers ascribed 70
one man; but, doubling the truth Of the
statements, ho one day took aside a
chief. on whose word be could rely, and
asked him TO toll him oandidly bow
many children be himself possessed.
This was evidently a tender point wi u
the chief, for he seemed pained, and at
length with q sigh, apparently of re-
gTot, he said; Il must confess that I
have only seventy children now living.
but | have had as many moro who are
dead" hundred and forty was evident
" a small number In his estimation,
and quito unworthy of a captain Of ms
rank, most of his compeers possessing
81 leas. two hundred Indeed. be as
sured BOSNIAN that there was ono man
who. with his sons and grandsons alone,
rose up and defeated powerful eDeDy
who was coming against the King. ibis
family numbered three thousand men.
asor7on and children