Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-08-25
sovEREIGNs AS LISTERS
Shah Put Dignified Officials on Skates King Who Liked Rough House"

King Who Liked Rough House"
 Although the kaiser has been known to allow an American millionaire to slap him heartily on the shoulder, and another to tell him that he is Ca jolly good fcllow,' without showing a trace of offended dignity, he is said never to permit the least familiarity from even the most exalted of his subjects.
 And yet no monarch better enjoys a joke at the expense of his officials, as was recently proven by a remarkable photograph presented by him to an ad- miral who usually accompanied him on his yachting expeditions. On a recent trip this admiral was not present, and his majesty, in order to show him what he had missed, had wonderful photo graph fake representing a gigantic and fearsome sea serpent gliding through the water within pistol shot of the imperial yacht.
 A more frolicsomc monarch is the Shah of Persia, of whom the following story is told: During his last visit to Paris the Shah, just as he was leaving his hotel, summoned the two police in spectors who always accompany him on their bicycles and begged the loan of their machines, as his court marshal and chief chamberlain were anxious to try them. These diguilied officials had nev- CT been on a bicycle in their lives, and great was their eonsternation when their royal master commanded them to mount the unstable steeds and ride away.
 There was, however, no escape, so summoning up their courage the two dignitarios tucked up their frock coats, got somehow astride of their respective wheels and began to wabble down the Champs Elysees. They had scarcely gone half dozen yards however, before crash! went one machine, and then the other, and the gallant riders were sprawled on the ground, while the Shah laughed so cOnsumedly at the ludicrous spectacle that he was obliged to dry his eyes with his handkerchief. "Au you want is 8 little practice,' he gasped between his paroxysms of laugh ter, as the fallen heroes picked them selves up and began ruefully to brush the dust off their garments.
 On another occasion his majesty put several of his most adipose and grave courtiers on roller skates, and was so convulsed by their antics that he had to command rhem to desist.
 But perhaps no living sovereign rel ishes a joke of this kind more heartily than the irfepressible King of Spain, who is nev''r so happy as when he is shocking his grave and decorous court. iers. Only the other day, it is said, he interrupted ah interview with one of his ministers to show him how eleverly he could turn somersault, an acrobatic feat which Ne also performed for the benefit of QueGu Alexandra a short time ago in one of the corridors of Bucking- ham Palace.
 Francis l practiced some cruel jokes on Jacob Paul von Gundling, an emin- ent scientist, on one occasion dressing up monkey in clothes similar to those worn by the professor and making the latter embrace him in public and ac- knowledge him as his own son, and on Gundling's death the king had his body dressed in a state uniform and buried in wine cask.
 Charles III loved to go abroad in dis guise, assailing his subjects in the coarsest terms. He would enter the shops of vendors of breakable materi- als, and taking up mirror or drinking glass would let it fall to the ground, laughing unrestrainedly at the damage that he had done and at the abuse that was showered on him. And, to give but one more example, Peter the Great loved at Christmas time to take part in the annual sledge procession in which the clergy, gorgeously attired, stopped at certain houses, sang a carol, and re. ceived charitable offerings-London Tit Bits.