The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-08
A STROKE FOR
CONFIDENCE.

Inc ullAA9lSA. AhS9 diC tiNhNhcAoHs
and oftentimes as ambitious for pow
er as men. Your majesty would dc
well to watch especially your eoncu-
bIne Mena. You are much under her
influence. she will not hesitate to rob
you even OF your scepter If you give
her an opportunity"
''What, Mena? She is devoted 70
me"
do not trust her"
"You are COED adviser on affairs
of state, but you know nothing Of wo-
men, especially this woman. To show
you that she Is true to me will put
her in my place You win see how
readily she will resign it at my re-
quest"
"Your majesty
II have spoken"
The minister knew that to protest
would cost him his head and with.
drew without another word AT the
kings command the beautiful Mena
came, and the shah said 10 her:
you are my favorite of all my wom-
en-, and know how well You love me.
To show my implicit trust in you |
have resolved to resign my seepter to
you. II am not mistaken, you Will
surrender 1t when ! call for It. II l
trust you too well, you may rule so
long as you live"
Mena gave the sovereign a reproach-
ful look. 'ero test me IS to doubt me.
my lord. Nevertheless know that
when your royal word has passed no
one is great enough to gainsay IL"
SO the shah signed an edict resignlng
his power to his concubine, and she
was proclaimed In bis stead. Mena
was the daughter OF one OF the princi.
pal officers of the army. and the day
after she was proclaimed the com
handing general was dismissed and
her father put in his place. The prime
minister would have been spirited
away by Mena's order, but he was no
where to be found The grand cham
berlain Of the palace was sent on for
elgn mission. All the heads Of de-
partments were changed The ex-
shah saw these moves and tremb led.
Instead Of asking for his seepter to be
returned to him he began to make
to save his life by fight
He was too late On the second morn
ing after his abdlcation he was arrest
ed by Mena's order and confined in his
private rooms under guard But this
was not known to his people. who sup
posed their sovereign had gone into
retirement
Meanwhile Mena instituted several
reforms that had been long wanted by
the ex-shah's subjects, and they were
received with great delight. Deputa-
lions began to pour in, congratulating
her on her accession, and within a few
days after assuming the royal author
ity she became the most popular soy
ereign Persia had had for many years.
One day tt came TO her ears that the
prime minister had been discovered IN
the guise Of a private citizen and was
plotting to restore the ex-shah. Mena
sent an order for his arrest.
When she had become 50 enthroned
In the hearts Of her people that no enc
my could dispace her. she ordered that
the shah and the prime minister be
before her At their entrance
she was seated on her throne dressed
IN her richest robes and decked With
the splendid jewels Of the Persian
The shah supposed that he
was being brought 70 her TO have his
head stricken of in her presence. but
be walked erect. never once deiguing /
% look at her. The prime minister, on
the contrary, came In with bowed /
head.
"My lord. said Mena to the ex-shah,
you were pleased to put me to a /
lest. since your minister warned you
against all women, especially me. I
nave administered the affairs OF your
gingdom to my best ability. There
.annot be two sovereigns, so have de-
rived you of the power to resume a /
.rown you have voluntarily relin I
Iuished. have established my royal /
by placing those devoted to
ne fl positions OF trust and by pleas
ne the people. have now sent for
'ou to know il you are satisfied with
ny acts"
"Satishedn exclaimed the shah bit.
erly .'was not so demented as to
esign my crown, trusting to you to
five 1t back to me when called for
tY
"You have not called for it."
The shah looked puzzled. "Not called
or It'll do so now. demand my
.ingdom."
Without word Mena descended
rom the throne and, taking the crown
rom her head, placed it on that of the
hah. Then she sank in reverence at
is feet.
The monarch could not believe his
yes.
'Mena," he stammered, "what does
bis mean? Can it be possible that
fter making yourself absolute mis-.
ress Of my kingdom you have re.
urned It to me? Why have you done
his thingT'
my lord, It would have been no test
or me to assume your crown so long
s you could wrest it from me.
-ished to give you a better proof OF
" love"
The shah bent down, raised her.
Iok her in his arms and led her to the
lrone. where. seating himself, he
laced her beside him.
Reign with me as my wife," he
hid. "With such a wife / can never
e deposed. and With such a womans