The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29

r. Sturrock. He is young man and has
considerable ability. He lives in an iron
bungalow surrounded by a beautiful rosa
garden, within almost a stones throw of
the royal council house. We met him
there and then went on together to the
kings house. He tells me that his high
ness is bright boy and that he is rapid
ly learning to read, write and cipher. He
is being taught the history of Uganda,
and something about Uganda laws. He
is studying geography and the native
preachers are teaching him the Bible and
the foundation principles OF the Christian
religion.
In the Kings Bungalow.
After passing the royal council house
and the matched huts of the kings re-
tainers we came to the kings bungalow,
The band playing a welcome as We went
in. The kings favorite drummer stood
at one side and pounded On great barrel
like drum which reached to his waist. He
used only his hands and made a great
din, which was added to by that of a
score of other musicians, VINO kept time
with him on their various instruments.
The tutor told US that his majesty
would receive US on The porch, and that
We should afterward go into the house
proper There was a chair on the porch,
in front of which was leopards slSin.
While we waited the servants brought
other chairs for ourselves, and placed
them well away from this skin. They told
us that the king would sit in the center,
but that the leopard skin was royalty
footstool, and that no Uganda subject nor
any one else than the kabaka could step
on it.
Enter the King.
AS we waited the tutor went out and
a moment later came in with his little
royal highness beside him. He brought
him up to US, and as each of us was pre-
sented the king offered his hand in a
timid way, motioning us at the same time
70 our chairs. He then gave directions
that his favorite musician should come
out and play for us. This man is ia
nous blind negro who formed a part OF
the court band during the times of Mu-
tesa and Mwanza. He was gray-haired
and old, and was bare almost to the
waist He sat down cross-legged on the
ground outside the leopard skin and
played beautifully upon native guitar.
During interval in the audience l asked
the kings tutor how the man became
blind. He replied that it was owing to
a caprice of King Mwanza. One day that
king thought he played badly, and as a
punishment he thereupon ordered that his
eyes be put out This was Immediately
done.
But to return to the king During the
playing he sat in chair by my side, and
as the music went on l had a good chance
to study him. He is a slender, deicately
formed boy of 10 or u years of age. He
looks like a mulatto, but his features are
almost Caucasian. His skin is light
brown, his forehead high and his lips are
thin His head was covered with hign
red fez cap, much like those used by the
soldiers Of Egypt His body was clad in
long white gown, which was fastened
tightly at the neck and fell to his feet.
Over this he had on gray sack coat and
vest, across the breast of which was a
heavy gold chain
A Message To All American Boys.
The little king has an intelligent look
hut he is very modest and rather diffident
He speaks broken English and he talked
q little with me in reply to my questions
At the close of our audience he brought
, out his visitors book and asked me to
write my name in it. / did 50 and at tn
same time handed his highness a sheet OF
paper and asked him If he would not send
by me, line in his language tolthe boys
Of the United States. | told himl that We
had no kings in our country, and l knew
they would be interested in learning about
him, and especially so If he would send
them q word of greeting.
This seemed to tickle the king.\ He
laughed and said he would gladly POM
ply with my request. He then and There
sat down and wrote out this message Of
which give a fac smile. It reads,
'iNoanyuse nyo okulamusa abalei,zi