Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1899-01-25
HuMoR AND KINDNESS
fhe Shah of Persia Unwilling to Face
Our singing Wit.

fhe Shah Of Persia Unwilling to Face
Oar stinginx Wit.
The people of America pride them
selves on being able to see the humor-
Gus side of life, and smile little super
ciliously at those more sober people
who take themselves and their circum-
stances TOO seriously; but like every
other good thing lively sense of hui
NOR may be abused, and when 1t leads
a nation TO make Its guests wish them
selves anywhere else rather than in
America, 1t has certainly gone step
too far.
1t Is said Of the late Shah Of Persia
that In his desire to know more of the
world he would have come to America,
but he feared that the Americans
would make fun of him. Possibly his
staying away showed that he had al
ready gained little knowledge of the
people of whom he wished to know
more, for just the fate he dreaded be-
fell the first and last envoy from Persia
to Washington-His Excellency Hassan
Ghouly Khan.
This representative of less civilized
land did not find his sojourn In Ameri-
ca altogether to his liking. The Amerl-
cans were amused at him, and they let
him see 1t. In appearance he closely
resembled mulatto, and his attire was
not Of modest style. His ears were
decorated with large earrings, and his
jewelry was of the loudest character.
His ways, too, were queer, and the
newspapers found him good subject
for humorous remarks. They made fun
Of his name and of his oddities, and al
though he could speak but imperfect
English he knew that he was being
made the butt Of jokes.
At last things came to a climax. At
the house of a distinguished resident
he was refused admittance by a colored
servant, who took him for Virginia
negro. and this slight coming after
many other things that had tried his
temper, proved too much for his equa-
nlmity. In a rage he proceeded to the
State Department, to lay his grievance
before Secretary Blaine
During my stay In your country I
have been annoyed, and treated in
way that a representative of Persia
should not be-" he said, land the news
papers cartoon me, make verses about
my name, and hold me up to general
ridicule."
But you should not mind that" said
Mr.. Blaine. ''Our President has to put
up with cartoons, and the ridicule Of
the comic papers,"
Yes" replied the minister, ''your
President has to stand 1t, but I don't,
and shall return to my government"
To some souls such humor assumes
another aspect. Ernest Renan, in writ
ing Of his sister Henrietta, tells story
Of her that shows her to have been sin
gularly wanting in that kind Of humor
which could In any way hurt the feel
ings Of Its subject. He says:
II remember that as we were going
in boats to fete In Lower Brittany our
boat was preceded by another in which
were some poor ladies'. who, wishing to
deck themselves for the occasion, had
hit on rather unfortunate and tasteless
arrangements, which excited the mirth
Of the people who were with US. The
poor ladies perceived this, and ] saw
my sister burst into tears. 1t seemed
to her barbarous to make fun of good
people who were trying to forget their
misfortunes In an hours gaiety. In her
eyes abused persons were to be pitied,
and she stood up for them against those
who ridiculed them"