The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-04


thing that the compairers have to say);
alma bashi Ga person who gives notice TO
those who attend the COURT. Mir akhor
tthe master OF the horse).
I'm additions TO these people. the following
always near tho Rlrbar room to be
ready when required, though not IN per-
scnal attendance: Professional chess play
ers and backgammon players, few per-
sonal companions, a reader of books TO me
at night, st0ry-teller.
NO REAL SLAVES.
Slavery, says the Amer does not exist
in his country. That is. real slavery His
slaves are slaves in name only. They are
dressed" he says like princes in velvets
and most valuable uniforms; they have
magnificent horses to ride; they have serv-
ants and personal attendants. pocket money
in addition 10 the dress. food, horses.
houses and servants from government, and
when they grow up. owing to their having
been trained by me they are appointed 10
the highest posts in the kingdom. For in
stance, Faramurz Khan, Chitrah slave is
my most trusted cOmmander-in-chief at
Herat. Nazir Mahorned Safar Khan, an
other Chitrali slave, is the most trusted Of
fetal OF my court; he keeps my seal in his
hands to put TO any document, and 10 my
food and diet-in short, he has the full con-
fldence of my life as well as of my king
dom in mis- hands. Parwanah Khan, the
late deputy commander-in-chief, and Jan
Mahomed Khan, the late lord OF the
treasury two CT the highest officials in the
kingdom, in their lifetime were both or
them my slaves.
The Ameer is at once aesthetic and hos
pitable, tolerant ruler in matters of re-
ligion, a lover of nature and of literature
as the following extracts from MS aut0Diog-
raphy will SHOW:
''In my sitting rooms and bedrooms, as
well as i'm those of my wives, sons and
daughters, all sorts of beautiful flowers
plants. pictures and pianos and other must
cal instruments are placed, together with
choice pieces of china and other orna-
ments, Persian and Herat carpets, night
ingales and other singing birds. Beautiful
and valuable furniture and everything that
/ can think of to add to the pleasure of
those who associate with me are to be
found in my palaces. IL any foreigners
or Europeans are present at the time for
meals they are welcomed at our table and
dine with us as our guests, If they are Mus
Inns; but if not they dine in another room
or at a separate table. l have frequently
heard Europeans say to me that they en-
JOY food cooked in the native method bet
ter than the European dishes. cannot
see what Is in their heart, but / am very
pleased if they really mean it, and do not
say ii merely out of compliment to me,
their host; but as / generally see that they
eat far more of our Afghan cookery than
of the European dishes / think it is clear
that they speak the truth, because no man
would eat very much of anything that he
diSllked, just TO pay compliment
HIS LIBERALITY.
I'm my country the people who be-
levers in other religions are tolerated and
treated without prejudice-more even than
the people of my own religion; they are ap-
pointed to the highest posts under the gov
eminent. which is quite opposed to the law
that people who do not belong to the Es-
tablshed Church of England are deprived
OF the right to hold certain offices. For in
stances, L am Sunni Muslin, yet some of
the highest offices are filled by Eindus and
Shias.
"AIl my residential palaces are built on
sites that command beautiful view. and in
a bright, breezy place. They are surrounded
by gardens and flowers, and they are built
In such a style that IT is possible in the
same building to have warm rooms for win
ter use and open verandas with large win
dows for the summer. The rooms are SO
arranged that the spring blossoms may be
watched as they break from the trees, and
the gorgeous yellow hues of the autumn
and the dazzling falls of the winter snow
and the moonlight nights are enjoyed by all
the inmates of my palaces VINO take the
trouble to sit at these windows. As rule
i spend my summer. spring and autumn
outside the town. living for weeks in tents
pitched in these positions where all the
beautiful blossoms can be seen, glowing
sunsets, and the yellow autumn tints
have always loved beautiful scenery, flow
tTS, green STdSS, music. pictures, ana every
kind of natural beauties.
II do not go to sleep directly. 1 lie down
in bed. but the person who is specially ap-
pointed as my reader sits down beside my
bed and reads to me from some book. as,
for instance. histories of different countries
and peoples; books on geography, biog-
raphies of great kings and reformers, and
political works. j listen to this reading I'M
til L go TO sleep, when story teller takes
his place, repeating his narratives until
awake in the morning. This is very sootll-
ing, as the constant murmur of the story
tellers voice lulls my tired nerves and
brain
81 myself have written several books
which have been printed at the Kabul
Press. There are certain advantages in the
custom of reading books aloud TO me-viz
that in my lifetime thousands of books
have been read to me, and this means that
L have had daily lesson in progress and
learning. One also remembers better what
is told in the form of n story when read
aloud. The stories are mostly full of exag-
geration and superstitions. yet even I'm these
L learn much of the old habits of thought
and ideas of ancient peoples and j think of
the progress that the world has made since
those old times"