Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-09-06
FOREIGN NOTES
AND COMMENT


ner IN which the most religious of Eu-
ropean monarchs give their sanction
SO to speak, to the haIem system
Thus Queen Victoria is most particular
that due consideration and regard
should he accorded by the members OF
her government and of her court to the
seraglio arrangements of the petty rul-
ers and dcgnitaries of her Indian en-
pire and of the Indian members of her
household. While she would frown on
any attempt on the part of her officials
or courtiers belonging to the white
race If they were to indulge in a plu-
rality of wives and in an establishment
OF odaEsques, she appears to consider
= perfectly legitimate in the case OF
her more dusky lieges
1t should thoroughly be understood
that it is a question of hue and COM
plexion, rather than of creed, that de-
termines her attitude toward poIyg-
amy, for when the ether day one of the
principal English born officials of the
colony OF Ceylon became a convert to
the faith of Mohamet, and proceeded to
add to the number of his wives, she
insisted upon his immediate dismissal
from the service of the crown without
any claim ito the pension to which he
was really entitled by his twenty years
of duty in a tropical climate.
1t IS the same thing with the EN-
press of Germany and with the car.
When Augusta Victoria, who is the
most religious and Puritan minded of
women, stayed at Constantinople. she
thought it quite natural to pay visits
to the various wives Of the sultan, and
to attend entertainments given in her
honor in his seragfio, while within the
last few weeks the car has presented
to the emir, Or ruler of Bokhara, a
state railroad train, consisting of four
cars furnished In luxurious style. Two
OF these cars are arranged by orders of
his majesty for the accommodation of
the emiT's harem, with windows close
~ barred and curtained The gauge of
the Russian Enc east of the Caucasus
Is narrower than that in use on the
railroads in the European portion Of
the empire. The czar has caused the
train to ibe so constructed that it can
only be used on the narrow gauge, with
the object presumably Of preventing
the emir from making use of the gift
20 pay tnopportuQe visits to St. Pet
ersburg.
With the deuth of the old MARQUIS
of Casteia at Paris there vanishes the
last of those French mobiles who served
as pages of honor to the kings of
France and who received their educa-
ton as such. The marquis, like his
fellow pages. was brought up at the
expense of King Louis XVIII. the lads
having u special riding school assign
ed 20 them at the palace of Versailles.
where they were likewise taught to
fence. Their uniform was of royal
blue, with gold buttons. and among
their duties was to attend the sever |
eign whenever he went out driving. as |
we'll as at all state functions.
1t was no joke, however, being a |
page to Louis XVIII. who was so enor-
mouSly fat that it was absolutely i'm |
possible for him to walk. The Vorac- |
Ity of his appetite, however, and his |
gluttony rendered it indispensable tina.
he should take exercise for the purpose
Of aiding his digestion. With this OBJ
ject in view a carriage was especially |
constructed for him which was only |
hung in front, but which had no
springs or straps behind, SO that che
olting, especially over the cobble-
stones with which Paris and Versailles
were paved in those days, was some
hing terrific. While this jolting was
very beneficial to the monarch's
health, it was a source of serrible dis
1omfort to those of the pages of honor,
whose duty it was to stand behind the
'oyal carriage or on the doorstep a.
either side.
Pages of honor, I need scarcely add,
IRE in no sense of the word menials
They are a regular institution, and
| very picturesque feature at the Vari-
JUS royal and imperial courts of Eu-
nd az inv -ioll11 Loo de- Ia
Iirth. In England their salary amounts
o about $500 a year, and on state
occasions they wear gorgeous uni
orms of blue and silver, which are
doubtless familiar to those of readers
# these letters who have had oppor-
unity of attending either drawing
ooms or state balls at Buckingham
'alace. The duties OF the boys are
cry light, as they have nothing to do
Tut to take part in a certain number of
tate functions, the queen dispensing
With their attendance save on grand
ccasions.
AT the courts of Berlin %and of VII
ma they are chosen from among the
est looking of .he corps of cadets. all
f them of noble birth. At st. Peters
urg they are selected from the so
allied College OF Pages. The latter is
n institution maintained entirely at
he expense of the car, where the
Ons OF government officials and court
ignftaries are educated A lad can
My get admission thereto on the per-
onal nomination. Of the car, and all
ne pupils Of the institution are titula~
ages Of honor until the moment that
hey graduate from the school into tt
rmy.
Emperor William is just at the pres
Mt somewhat embarrassed by the pres
nee in Berlin Of an elderly female OF
ne Mohammedan persuasion who has
nnounced her determination of re-
raining a fixture in the PrIlssian cap
al urtil she has had an opportunity
casting herself at his feet She is
Suit do .l,-r ~ Lot