Evening star., 1895-08-22
DOCTOR TO THE AMEER
Miss Hamilton is Young Englishwoman
Favored by the shahzada.
A WLman's Remarkable Experience
In an Eastern Court-She Tells
the Story of Her Career.
From Black and White.

From Black and White.
Il must confess that English misconcep-
ton of the Ameer of Afghanstan annoys
me very much" said Miss Lillias Hanil-
ton. land can only account for the crud-
ity of the popular ideas concerning him by
the garbled descriptions of the man and
his methods in the newspapers. Instead of
being savage, he is an enlightened and
conscientious sovereign; man, he is
most charming and most kind"
Miss Hamilton is the doctor who accom-
panied tn, shahzada to England by the
desire of his father, in the capacity of
consulting physician. We were talking Of
Afghanistan, and something / had said
regarding the ameer had called forth her
instant defense.
ask why the ameer overcame Asiatic scru-
pies and conventions, and engaged you as
his doctor. Miss Hamilton?" I asked.
That is another misconception," she re-
piled, eagerly. MY attendance upon the
ameer arose from the merest accident.
Soon after l was appointed head of the
Dufferin Hospital at Calcutta. l fell i'll with
fever. l was unable to shake it off, and
not wanting to come to EuropeI was think
ing of going up into the hills, when l heard
from Mr.. Martin. the agent to the govern
ment of Afghanistan, that the ameer was
anxious to find an English lady who would
VlSll hdDul. he wrote. Inc gentlemen OF
my court have seen many English gentle
men, but my ladies have seen no English
ladies'? He wanted some one who could
show his wives and daughters the customs
and II terests of Englishwomen. 1 was de-
lighted to accept the post, as Afghanistan
is very healthy; SO, you see, l really went
to kabul as lady specimen and not as a
DOCTOR
Was it long before you became the
ameer's medical advser?'
'Oh, yes, time His hiEhneSS gave
me pretty little house in the middle of a
great garden. about four miles from kabul.
l went to the harem to be looked at fire.
quenty; and then l fell i'll. The ameer
sent one Of his own body physicians to me.
and it was entirely owing to his skill and
constant care that l recovered. There vas
village close to me, and when I was
strong enough l used to prescribe for the
villagers. simply by way of something to
do. My success came to the ameers ears
through the Mir Munshi, the most trusted
and important official of the court. The
ameer was at his summer place. an Ideally
beautiful place, at the time, and was suffer-
ing acutely from gout-and here 1 should
like to say Miss Hamilton addedd with
emphasis. that his malady is purely hered-
itary, and is not, as has been reported, due
to his use of stimulants. He is practically
total abstainer and devout Maham-
medan. When 1 reached him he was in
acute pain, which l was fortunately able to
relieve, and his gratitude and consdera ton
tent was erected for me within call of his
pavilion. furnished with everything that
| one could desire in the way of comfort, ard
he himself sent me food and fruit from his
own table.
But the ameer's gratitude was not salts
fled with compliments. He has adopted me
as his daughter-an action little unders .ood
in England but Of paramount importance
In the east-and has placed house in Ka-
bul for the winter months as we'll as a
country house. at my disposal. He trusts
me completely, 1 think L may venture to
say, and will even allow me to mix medi-
cines in my own room for him-a great
honor, considering the justifiable eastern
fear of poisoning"
And you are going back to kabul?" Il
shall return with the shahzada of whose
health have to send reports to his father
by every mail. 1t Is a real plea to be
| In the service of the ameer, of whom can
| only quote Mr.. Curzon's words: His ser
wants are his slaves, and those who like him
love him.. And, besides, Afghanistan has a
great future, and offers field for unlimited
work"