The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-20

ion. Until three years ago he kept half
dozen fun grown lions wandering at
large about his palace grounds, but then
a famine occurred, and he said that he
would not feed lions while men was star
wing. When Menelik's soldiers salute him
they fire a volley of bullets into the air
regardless of the fact that all must fall
and some may kill people. He says it is
well to get used to lead.
Abyssinia is a christian country, and it's
church is an offffshot of the othordox
Greek body. Christianity was introduced
by thes Apostle Philip. Menelik spend
two hours a day in the church of ST
George. and says his prayers with intense
devotion. He exacts absolute punctuality
from all of his subordnates. Whenever
a statesman or a general does not do his
wark properly, Menelik summons him to
the palace and thrashes him thoroughly
with his cane
The Emperor holds court in the open
air every day, at which all his subjects
may ask justice. Serious offences are
punished by cutting off the hands and
feet, which Abyssinians consider more de
sirable than Imprisonment.
It is a serious question whether the
Emperor MeneliK or the Empress Taitou
is the more important person in the ABB
yssinia. The Emperor is intensely devot-
ed to his wife. Beauty is judged accord
ing to weight in Abyssinia, and the EN-
press weighs 375 pounds. Menelik has had
three wives, The first he treated badly,
the second none to well, but the third he
has learned to appreciate the worth of
woman's love.
Like Menelik. who is her cousin, the
Empress is descended in a direct line
from the Biblical Queen of Sheba and
Solomon, the wisest king of the Jews. In
common with all the Princes and Princes
ses Of Abyssinias ancient dynasty,
she was killed by Emperor Theodore in
the early part of the sixties, and took re-
fuge with her parents at the court, Con-
dor where she mad the acquaintance Of
and fell in love with her cousin Prince
Menehk, an ixile like herself.
They were about to be married when
Theodore invited them to his court, assur-
ing them not only Of the security of their
lives and property, but also of his favor
Complying with his invitation, they re-
turned. but with evil results, as far as
thier mutual attachment was concerned,
for they had no sooner presented them
selves before Theodore than he also fell
in love with Taitou and insisted on max
ing her his wife, giving Menelik one OF
his own daughters in marriage.
Empress TaItou, as she now had become
was subjected TO such ill-treatme1t by
her savage husband that his death at
the storming of Magdalea some months
later came to her as a deliverance from
untold misery. and she quickly consolei
herself by comforting hand and heart upon
a genaral by the name OF Ulda Gabriel.
on his way also being killed a year later
she became the wife Of General Ghior-
ghis. commandment chief Of the army o.
the King of Tigre. Dissatisfied with the
union, she soon obtained a divorce from
him, and married the Governor of Egiou,
but had not lived NTH him more than
three months before the Emperor John
caused him to be thrown into prison and
executed Rendered desprate by her mat
rimonial misadventures, she sought ref
uge in the convent Of Debra- Mem and be-
came a nun. Il did not take long, how
ever, to convince her that she was not
made for convent life. and accordingly
she obtained dispensation from her
vows from the Archbishop or Abouuah o.
Ahyssinia- and married a man OF the
name Of zeccaragagiou. whose only merit
seems 70 have been his wealth. and who
il-used her in the most shameful manner.
being ACCUSTOMED 70 fog her most IN
mercifully. Making use Of the old fash
toned plea that she was anxious 70 VISIT
her mother she managed 70 get away
from him and 10 take refuge in
neighboring province. carrying away
with her n considerable portion % his
wealth. After that she became a widow
Of two warriors IN succession
1t was while living with her brother
in the Euphrata Provence an Iss1 that
she was brought for the first ti.ne Ia con-
tact again with with hsr first lover and