The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-06
AN ENGLISH WOMAN AT CABUL.
Dr. Hamilton's Experiences With the
 Ameer of Afghanistan.

Ameer of Afghanistan.
 The other night I happened to be present at a semi-private address on "Afghanistan, the Ameer and His Court" which was given by Miss Lil- lias Hamilton to an audience of nurses and others skilled in the arts of medi- cine and surgery. Miss Hamilton is the woman doctor who spent some years in Cabul as the guest and medi- cal adviser of the famous despot Ab- durrahman, and her experiences in the metropolis of those wild regions prov ed to be most diverting.
 It was the indifference to human life and suffering, innate in ruler and sub jects alike, which sometimes made Miss Hamilton's stay at the Court rather painful She had some very bad moments indeed, and not seldom ven tured to argue with the terrible Ameer, and even to intervene on behalf of un- fortunate wrongdoers. But he was near ly always ready to argue the point. His humor is of the grim order. On one oc- casion, when in bad temper, and also in great hurry, he ordered an inno- cent man to be hanged With some trepidation this fact was pointed out to him, Innocent" said he, shrugging his royal shoulders, '"well, if he isn't guilty this time, he's done something else at another. Away with himI The beggar in Cabul plies his trade without any interference by the au- thorities One day a patriarchal pro- fessional threw himself in the way of the Ameer on one of his afternoon journeys through his capital, and beg ged. What are your" said the Ameer. "A beggar" replied the supplicant. But how do you get your living?" By aims" What! do you mean to say than you do no worK?" "Never!"
 Then it is time that we were relieved of your presence" And the Ameer nodded to the High Executioner.
 On one occasion a certain man was condemned and was lucky enough to escape from the jailer, who, in much concern for his own head, went out into the byways and seized a poor hus- bandman who was busy in his field. But what have I done?" asked the unfortunate wretch. Fatalist, like all the subjects of the Ameer he still was curious to learn the reason of his seizure. He was approaching the gal lows when luckily he met the Ameers s bearer, or some other high official, and cried out to him, begging him to interfere. After some altercation the prisoner was taken before the Ameer. who at once exclaimed: Why, who is this man? l never saw him before" Then he quickly discovered the plot, released the husbandman, and, turning to Miss Hamilton said: Now, what would you do with this fellow ?"- pointing to the jailer-who, having let the right man escape, did not think it at all improper to catch another in his place to meet the ends of justice. Hang him" answered Miss Hamilton, fOrcibly. So much for the influences of an environment. The Ameer must have been tickled by the situation. At all events he didn't accept the advice The jailer had overheard the sugges- tion, and he and the doctor were never on friendly terms after the occurrence
 Let it be said, in all fairness, that if the despot lets off the guilty or con- demns the innocent, as his whimsical moods seize him, he is man of in- finite hunors. A man was once con- demned to have his ears sliced off (quite as a minor punishment). He had Q powerful friend, however, who was much attached to him. This friend begged the Ameer, in duly submissive tones, to allow him to perform the op- eration, a favor which was granted, However, the amateur begged the Ameer to show him what portion of , each ear he wished to be removed. The
  lightly. Whereupon the ingenious-and | ourageous-person proceeded Gin tremulous tones, one cannot help thinking) to quote a passage in the Koran which said that anything touched by the representative of the Almighty became sacred The despot smiled grimly, and forgave them both. | Miss Hamilton was practising in Cal cutta when the Ameer took it into his head that he would like to see and con- verse with an educated English wo- man. q trust that the publication of | this fact will not cause a rush to | Cabul.) His agent made inquiries, and Miss Hamilton was asked if she cared to make trip to the mountains. She was not very well at the time, but l thinking that the experience might be | interesting, even if 1t were rather haz- ardous, she went. After a weary and arduous journey she arrived in safety, and soon got on terms with this fa- nous Abdurrahman. She was quite able to hold her own with him, even before he was taken i'll, and he soon dubbed her his pattern lady"
 "Ah," said the monarch one day when he was taking her into one of his harems, you treat me like dog,' B or some such expression, by which the Ameer merely meant that his medical attendant was not in the habit of crouching and quailing in his presence. Just follow me, and you will see how