New-York tribune., 1901-10-13
.AMEER AND MAN..
ABDU RRAHMAN KHAN, A MODERN DES-
POT OrT OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

and. surprising II may seem, died natural
death. More surprising still, in that country.
where succession TO the native throne is worse
than a lottery. his favorte seems to have
succeeded him. The Ameer's life has been a
succession of ups and downs from the time he
was put in prison by his father because he was
accused of drinking wine and smoking India
hemp. He fought his way to half dozen
thrones. or governorships, and lost them or had
them lost for him. He counted his battles by
the score and he fought in every with his
soldiers until it was time to run away or to seize
the fruits of victory. Then he was for Abdur
and else. He knew little of security |
until he came under the sheltering wing of the |
British, and soldly fixed in the Afghan
throne which his drunken father had lost years |
before
such a life of change and excitement could |
hardly fail to be filled with interesting advent |
ures and Incidents and many good stories OF
him have been brought back from the East. |
Tho most prolific source, however, is the Ameer's
autobiography. lately published in London, hav-
ing been translated from the original by Sultan |
Mahomet Khan. Secretary of State of Afghanis- |
tan. With Oriental quaintness the old Ameer
wrote down the details of his life as well as his |
complete hopes and fears for himself and his
country.
lie began chapter on A Few Details Of My |
Daily Life" by saying that his life from child
hood had been a contrast to the habits of living
indulsed in by nearly all other Asatic monarchs
and chiefs Work. he said was his watchword
and the harder he worked the more anxious he
was To continue working.
Il have no fixed time for sleeping OF any
definite time for taking my meals" he contin-
ucd. Sometimes my meals are kept at the
dinner table in front of me for many hours
while |. being absorbed in my thoughts. forget
al about them SO deeply do my thoughts take
possession Of me when l planning various
improvements and considering state affairs that
l do not see any of the people who are IN my
presence. Many nights l begin reading and
writing answers to letters and do not raise my
head until see that the night is passed ana the
morning has come.
l do not require any private room bed
r"om neither any room FOR secrecy or for grand |
receptions. There plenty of such rooms in
my palaces, but have time to spare even to
move from one room to another. OF course. l .
love to so to my harem and spend an evening .
with my family and they are equally delighted |
when l pay these visits but my time is So fun /
That there is none to spare except occasionally |
when make it,"
The Autobiography gives detailed list Of the |
manifold duties which the Ameer performed
daily including the work of buying and max
ing all sorts Of war materials and things for the
-
law Of The land and introducing reforms house
hold affairs of my own family as we'll as Of all /
the foreign princes and chiefs who are under !
H. protection"
In keeping with his strenuous life the A,u.ar |
always prided himself on being ready to go To /
war at any moment. Ready as a soldier to !
hafch to battle is the way he put it, The |
pockets OF my coats and trousers are alvavs
hlied with loaded revovers and one or two
!oaNes of bread. for days food 0his broad
Is changed every day. Several guns and swords !
are always lying by the side of NV he'd and
'dddIed horses are always kept ready in front
on my Office. l think it necessary in such
Warlike country that the sovereign. and es
pccially sovereign who is a soldier himself |
should always be as prepared for emergencies as
"a soldier on the field of battle"
The Amecr was a lover of the beautiful i'm
nature, as well as that which was artistic ac
cordlng to his own story. He saws: "Au INV
residential palaces built on sites that com
mana beautiful view, and in a bright breezy
place Ihey are surrounded by gardens and
MOWERS, and they are built in such style that |
Il Is possible in the same building to hav. warm
sooins FOR winter use and open verandas with !
large windows, for the summer The rooms are |
80 arranged that the spring blossoms NAV be
watched as they break from the trees and tho
gorgeous yellow hues Of autumn and the dazzling |
1alls OF the winter snow, and the moonlight |
e. ed Inv all he