Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-22

tukc OhkNtI2lkA lnt Cltthtl iflUS
iof England and America: and society
all over the world simplify this high.
sounding title and know him as just
plain "Rau5i.'
Wall street may count up its mil.
lions In stocks. bonds and yellow
gold: the famous horseshoe at the
opera may flash with It's fortunes in
jewels; great palaces may rear their
Ilofty roofs above the splcndors OF
the millionaire's daily existencc-all
these may stand for wealth In clvilz-
led America, but there are spots IN
darkest India where the whole lot
would be labeled small change"
Slowed away IN dark chambers.
beneath palaces reared by heathern
hands, and hcaped In secret recesses
guarded by fierce dusky watchers who
never sleep. are treasures such as are
seen only in dreams or described on
pages of the Arabian Nights
Great fiery rubies, flashing dlas
monds. tu:quoises the sizc of wal.
nuts, enormous pearls. rare examples
OF the jewc ler's and eoldsmith's ART,
trinkcts on which lifetime wac
jspcnt--al these lie there hidden.
from the eyes OF the wealthhungry
And 1t is upon one of these treas
IRE heaps that RAMA" has got good
firm grip. and. having Leen trained In
The art of spending money in the ciyi.
lied east. he has quickly become
ICeneralisslmo OF the army of prodi.
gals.
Eastern potentates are famous fol
their lavish expenditures, but Ran.
lis" case is another illustration oil
how western methods may be applied
to oriental resources with the most
effective results.
The story of "Ranji'' OF how he
came out OF the dark east to England.
adopted western customs. went tc
college and set the sporting world
afire with his performances on the
cricket field; how he reigned as g
tors who had helped him to the frs,
steps In his career as spendthrift. but
before he had the treasure pile be-
hind him; how he battled for throne
and finally became an Indian poten
tate-all this reads like weird 70
nance. But It Is one of the instances
of the truth outdoing fiction, ana to
day "Ranii's" exploits are the talk oil
all Europe.
Born IN Sarodar, Jatliawai ives.
tern India ,thrty,flve years ago
"Ranji' was the second son OF Jiwai
Sinhji. n Ragput Hindu. His uncle
Sio Vibhaji Ranmalji, then ruled M
Jam OF Nawanagar. one of the man,
pretty states In tho empire owe
which Great Britain extends control
but which virtually rule themselves
"RanJi was not in direct success
sion for any place of power. and /
aid not matter much what became OF
him, so he was shipped off TO Eng
land and told TO get European ctlu
cation. Ho had studied at home un
der English masters. and being nat.
n;ally apt he had little difficulty in
entering Cambridge University.
Early in his career he showed n
iondness for cricket. and before long
the university was agog with stories
OF his cleverness as Latsnian. He
developed remarkable faculty TO-
this end of the game. and in 1896
ne was the undlsputcd champion OF
all England
A Crack Crcketer.
His cricketing naturally threw
"Ranji' into the British social world.
and he was made lion AT once. He
had good allowance from home. but
with his oriental way of doing things
on Il lavish scale the funds from
father melted like a bit OF butte on
the Sahara Being real prince he
had no difficulty in finding credit. but
this was exhausted at last and "Ran-
ji' found himself hard up
Finally he had to turn his attention
10 lodging bill collectors who. called
between pay days" and It Is related
that more than one cricket game ID
which he played was held up pending
his settlement with some nsistent
creditor.
''Ranji" came to America to play
cricket. and he was warmly welcom.
cd by the sporting and the society
worlds. He was once more proclaim.
ed champion batsman OF England
ana he kept up his record until he
went back to India s
Meanwhile many things had hap
pcncd at home, "Rapji" uncle, the
Jam, made up his mind one day to
adopt the crlclcter and disinherlt an
illcgitimate son by Mohammedaf,.
kumar Jarwant Sinhji He named
'Ranii'' as his hoir, and not long az.
ter in 1898, he died.
inc disinhcritcd son seized the
throne despite "Ranji's" protests. and
lie kept 1t until 1906, when he died
suddenly. 81
Then "namil' CAME forward as a
claimant once more. and this time he
was opposed by Kumar Shri. I.aKiIil-
bar. grandson Of "Ranji's'. unclc and
patron, But having some friends III
Enslapd, where the strings are pull
cd "ltanji' raised such an uproas
at both ends of the empire that the
people of Nawanagar were glad "a
welcome him as their new Jam. II Isl
presumed that he suggested the beney
ill tn EnnlGuri ne hnrInnr 49, =