The Meeker herald., 1897-11-06
the SHAH AND SCOTCH o,aLs
A nisAia.d Fii.s fA.s rook TIE Eye
Of Psrsla's Asaareh.

a aigAla.d Fii.g fAat Took tie Eye
Of Psrsla's As..reh.
when was at the Paris exposi-
tion," said Malcolm Duncan Of Glasgow
to the st. Louis Globe-Democrat man.
the shah of Persia was one of the
honored guests. He was good soul.
Western civilization had made an i'm
preston on him and NO ruler in the
orient had profounder respect for the
wonders that British aud American
genius have accomplished. Western
trade and commerce had no more lib
eraI or Intelligent patron than this
same shah. Persia lost u liberal ruler
when the assassin's bullet laid him low.
But this has nought to do with my
story. One night the shah visited one
Of the French theaters of the lower
grade. When he arrived the house
was full. The Oriental monarch re-
ceived the best the house afforded. but
mat was not even one exclusive box.
Inc shah and his friends we're ushered
into one of the front boxes. In it sat
typical Scotchman, staid and solemn
as MIS- race. In the course Of the even
ing pretty and lithe-limbed danseuse
capered nimbly upon the stage. In
stantly the shah was all attention. He
fastened his eyes upon the gyrating
form, and even forgot his kingly dig
nifty In his admiration for the actress.
Persia's proud ruler sat in front of the
Scot, who was the only occupant Of the
box when his party arrived. When his
enthusiasm carried him OFF his feet the
Scots vision was obscured. Shah or
no shah. the Scot had paid to see the
show, and see the show he proposed to
DO. Laying heavy hand on the
shoulder of the Oriental despot, the
scot said: If you ever come to Scot
land ask for Mackenzie. the laird of
kintoul. He'll show you better things
than Paris ever saw The earnestness
OF the Scot Impressed the shah even
more than his heavy hand. Mackenzie,
the laird Of kintoul, was name that
lodged in his memory the more because
with it was associated the promise of
sights to the Persians yet unknown.
A few months thereafter it befell that
the shah, in the course of his trip
through the British isles, visited Scot
land. The laird of Kintoul's invitation
still rung in his ears. Inquiry revealed
that Mackenzie was the head of nu-
merous and powerful clan and the shah
went out of his course to meet him and
remind him of his promise. The high
land chief is the soul of honor. He felt
complimented by the visit, and in duty
bound to make good his promise. The
fair lasses for all the country round
were assembled in the laird's ancestral
castle. Five hundred young women
tossed their slipper skyward at the first
note OF the Scotch bagpipe. The zoo
plaid-clad forms gyrated through the
movements Of an old-fashioned high
land fling. Those thousand feet that
stole boldly out and then modestly re-
tired beneath the shelter Of scotia's
national colors made a sight which the
harems Of the sultan and the feasts Of
the east could not equal. The Shah
was captivated. He glided into the
midst Of the feminine throng, and q
pretty iassie. who is now married to a
Glasgow shipbuilder, has the honor of
being the only woman with whom Per-
sia's ruler danced during his visit to
Queen Victoria's domains. In my part
of Scotland the shah and his visit to the
laird OF Kintoul is still one OF the sub
1ects of neighborly gossip"