The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-06

every attention and give every Sac5i,,,.
MI. DeaIe SAID that he was anxious 10
import INTO America some Of the Persian
sheep. This led 20 conyersatlon ,,nar
wool. In which the shah exhihifed an
expert knowledge OF the subiec, re
suggested other valuable collections that
might be made. especially OF tho fIora
and finally said: But IL you desire some
OF our insects. Mr.. Beale. take all vo,,
want; we have enough and to SPAR.
This caused quite laugh. in which the
shah Joined heartily.
During all this conversation I was
simply an onlooker. The shah had not
even noticed me, but | kept nv owes
riveted on him. I saw that he was the
personification OF majesty, and that when
In his prime he must have been a won
derful specimen Of manhood and that
the stories OF his powers OF phvsscaI
endurance were we'll founded. He bore
MS slxty-four years remarkably well.
but seemed 10 suffer with nervousness
His eyes are not good. and he wore
large steel-rimmed goggles, which he con-
tnually put on and took or while he
talked. His dress was. although be did
not wear his state apparel. magnificent.
was made Of silk Of the pattern known
as Hassan GhOoly Khan. TIE color
and pattern bears striking resemblance
TO the Indian shawls which Queen Vic
wishes TO honor. His trousers of blue
cloth, were tucked into high riding
boots Of patent leather on his lamb
skin feZ was the celebrated aigrette OF
diamonds. Further, he wore diamond
watch chain, and the buttons Of his
coat were diamonds. While there can be
no doubt Of the intrinsic value of these
jewels, they did not impress one TO the
extent they would If the cutting were
better The fiat cutting customary I'm
India and Persia seems 10 deaden the
stone and make II less lustrous. The
shah is a very busy man and works
81 l.
frmans himself, and his letters and
papers are fine specimens of literary
production as well as OF pcnmanshp.
His journal Of his travels in Europe.
which has been partly translated into
German by Or. +. Rcsen, Of the German
legation in Persia, shows that he IS
keen observer and a versatile critic. He
keeps we'll posted on all the happenings
In the outer world, ana copious trans
latiOns Of items from the Russian. Eng
lish and French journals are regularly
prepared for him. The position Of Amer
lean minister TO Persia is pleasant one
for the reason that our government takes
only an Obseryant interest in Asiatic
politics | think | noticed that the shah
felt that he was talking to a friend when
speaking with the United States minis
ter. and most certainly has he the right
so to think in view Of the charitable
scholastic and hospital work Of the hun
dreds OF American missionaries scattered
throughout his country. The audience
was about "a terminate, and / 10 receive
the impression that was not 10 be in
II at ALL when with a sudden turn Of
the head, the shah looked at me and
said: che chees os?" (who is this p
The matter was explained. and / was in
troduced. His only answer was "Krehli
koob" very good.
At different times at a later period,
while IN charge Of the legation during
the absence of the minister. ! had au-
diences with the shah which were most
nj NJ 4 hf.Ia .F.f-
demic I'm 1892 he sent for me and warmly
praised the American missionaries for
their hospital work in that crisis and
asked me 10 thank them in his name.
Next TO the Shah. the an-powerful man
in Persi IS the Amin-es Sultan. the grand
vizier. The Shah has a regular cabinet
Of ministers, but they appear TO be more
ornamental than otherwise. The grand
vzer controls the revenue, and every
thing else besides His will is law. lie
Is a young man, considerably under forty
OF pre-eminent executive ability, and
would be a prominent man in any cOun-
try He sprang from the people, and IS
self-made man. Naturally under such
a state Of affairs as a one-man power.
many fragrant abuses occur. but the Per-
sian is fatalist, and besides. every
Persian knows that there Is a possibility
Of his rising 10 rank and power. no mat
ter how humble his origin. II Is greatly
a matter OF chance. The people believe
firmly in astrology, and the lucky star.
The Shah has mascot in the per-
son OF the Assis-e-Sultan. the little boy
who accompanies him everywhere. and
whose presence was the cause Of much
comment on the occasion Of the Shahs
visit TO Europe The Assis-e-Sultan Is
now about seventeen years old. He IS
the son OF one of the Shah's servants,
suit Of an accident, pure and simple.
When this boy was quite child, ne was
playing in the courtyard OF one or the
palaces, and for some cause or other
TfF nFna 10 ha
busy writing. disturbed by the shrieks or
the child. ordered an attendant TO go out
and stop the noise. The attendant com
piled with the royal will. In a few MIN
utes, however. the noise commenced again,
and louder than at first. The Snah was III
rious. and jumped up from the divan on
which he had been sitting and hurried 10
the window. Almost the same second
that the Shah left the divan the heavy
frescoed ceiling fell down, carrying with
1t = large crystal chandelier. The spot
where his majesty had been quietly sit-
ting a moment before was covered with
a ton of debris. Had he remained there
he would have been killed. When the
horoscope of the child was cast, the as
trologers cleverly found that II CONCEDED
exactly with that Of the Sfah. From
that time forth the boy became the Snah
cor Mt companion, has been loaded with
presents and titles, and made the COM
mander Of the Ten Thousand Mobiles.
In fact, so high a position dld the
Shah wish To give him that he ordered
that he should take precedence over
the diplomatic corps This was OBJECTED
10. He does however. rank above All
Persian ministers Of state, excepting the
Grand viZier and is not averse 10 using
his position and power 10 punish his
enemies. He has made II very uncOm-
Portable for some, and others, at his IN
stance. have been placed beyond their
earthly troubles.
The boy came very near being the cause
Of the death of his imperial beneiactor
one day, while playing In the Snah
reviewers VIII do sometimes, 1t went
off. The ball passed through the skirts |
OF. the Shahs garment He was so in !
censed that he told the executioner 10 |
kill the traitor. The first idea was that |
the boy had been made the tool OF plot |
to murder the king. The eXecuuoner was |
q wary fellow. and hid the boy away Tor /
a few days. intending 10 await develop |
ments. Investigation proved that the Oc- /
currence was an accident. and great was /
the ioy of the Shah when ne heard that /
his favorite was alive, and the execution |
er was rewarded for his tact and far
sigh tedness.
The Shah has all the nomadic instincts |
of the Kadjar tribe and during the pleas |
ant months of the year lives in tents. |
HIS love Of travel has caused him to |
iisit Europe several times, and these /
Journeys have been fruitful OF good re-
suits for his country. one OF these was
he establishment or q postal service,
which. although very defective when COM
pared TO others. is at least so good that
ENGLISH insurance companies viii insure
money and valuables forwarded by IL
against all loss including robbery. When
the Snah returned from hirope' ne ex-
pressed himself as much pleased with
the equestrian statues Of rulers and gen
erals which he had seen In the several
cities Acting upon this hint, Persian