The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12
THE SHAH AT HOME.
His Poet Laureate Punished for Not
Liking the Royal Verse.

LlkfnE the hoyaI verse.
Persian Correspondence of London Chron-
icle.
Formerly all positions of authority were
openly sold at price. Muzafir-ed-Din has
put an end to all such practices. He is
extremely kindhearted. Once he had TO
sign the death warrant of gang OF hill
robbers. He inquired into their case and
learned that they had been leading hard
life. and. turning TO them, he said: Poor
fellows, l suppose you robbed because you
wanted something to eat, and he ordered
their release The present Shah's father
was very severe. Once his buffoons antics
were too much for him. and he ordered
his instant execution. In his agony the
poor fellow remembered the words of
Persian poet, Fear kings, women and
poets" But in his case it was not too
late He was saved by the intercession Of
the Sadr-Azam (grand visier). thus learn
Ing by bitter experience not to jest with
kings
TIE fate of his court poet laureate was
also not 10 be envied. On one occasion
the Shah read to him one of his own
poems; and asked Tor his opinion Even
the candid poet. II must say that IL is any
thing but poetry" The Shah. feeling in
suited. cried out to those who waited on
him, Take this ass TO the stable" After
little while, becoming calmer. he tried
the poet once more, this time with fresh
set OF verses. When he had finished read
are you going?" asked the Shah. ITO the
stable. your Majesty" was the reply of
the poet This time the Shah enjoyed the
joke, and the poet was forgiven.
Muzafir-ed-Dfn Is also open handed Once
when he was walking in the public gar
dens at Contrexevile a little child gave
him a flower the Shah took ii, and gave
him magnificent diamond in return. He
once paid an English dentist sI,OOO for re-
moving an aching tooth. He has granted
considerable sums for charitable purposes
10 his Mahometan and Christian subjects
without difference of religion. He has a
considerably smaller harem than his pre-
~ fhl af,Gv 81 II.
harem being sixty-five. The late Shah had
Ito wives No girl with pretty face was
safe from the late Shah. Persian women
IN presence or the Shah have TO unVeil
their faces. though yelled to all other men
The Shah's great-grandfather had LOCO
wives, 130 sons, 10 daughters; and at the
time OF his death had 5000 descendants
IL is pleasant surprise for his MaJesty's
Christian subjects TO find that they enjoy
his favor. At the time of the Armenian
fnassacres In Turkey he said TO an English
man. why Is the Sultan killing thou
sands OF his most able subjects? What a
short-sighted fool he Isl Doesn't he see
that he Is cutting his own throat?r
His visit To Europe is not merely for
pleasure. but for the purpose of intro
ducing European civilization into Persia.
The religious authorities and fanatic Mus
sulmans are always opposed to the Shah's
visits TO Europe, for by their law the Shah
Is not supposed TO go TO a foreign country
except for the purpose of conquest The
whole world belongs 10 the Shah, and he
has right To subdue it.
European ways and usageS are some
times incomprehensible to an Eastern
monarch. The following extract from
Nasr-ed-Dn's travels will illustrate the
ease: at an exhibition in London, y
wrote the late Shah. 1.-THE picture of a
donkey was shown, and / asked the price
of IL. The director of the exhibition, fat,
white-bearded man, who gave information
about the prices. told me il was e1Oo
remarked: The value of live donkey is
E5. How is IL. then. that this which is
but a picture OF an ass, is TO be paid so
dearly foTg The director said: Because
IT. Is not source OF expense. as IL eats
neither straw nor barley | replied: True
IL is not a source of outlay, but neither
will IL carry load or give one a ride .
He finished with the words. I'VE laughed
heartily.
Mrzafir-ed-D Din is forty-five years old.
and is rather fine looking, with strongly
marked features and a big moustache
but his bent figure is a contrast to his
straight-backed father. This Is chiefly
ferfng from an incurable malady He is a
great shot. on one occasion a copper coin
was thrown into the air, and he shot a
hole through its center. The Shah has
evinced great interest In all kinds OF in
genious mechanical contrvances His
other hobbies are photography, telegraph
cycling and riding in swift automobile.
He Is interested In the sciences and arts
He takes great interest In European poli-
ties. and every morning English, French
and Russian newspapers are read 10 him
by his secretaries The Persian and French
papers he reads himself. but all others are
translated. Perhaps his weak points are
the strength OF his prejudices and HIS
obstfnacy. When halfway to Vienna he
declared he would take rest before re-
Stunning his Journey. Ii was no use telling
him the Emperor was waiting for HIM at