Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-02-11
PERsfA's ExILEp RULER.
Mohammed Ali Joins In the Gay Life
of Odessa.

Mohammed Ali Joins In the Gay Life
Of Odessa.
From the ceaseless turmoil Of for
eign affairs many strange and tragic
figures emerge; some withdraw disil-
lusioned, others are thrust forth as
the current Of stream whirls twigs
from Its eddies into some dark and
secluded backwater. OF these none
are more strange than the exiles
whose authority and occupation in
high affairs is suddenly torn from them.
to be replaced by life Of futile ef-
fort, trivial pastime, and empty honors
which often hide sneer, writes stan
correspondent Of the Pittsburg Gazette
Times.
BY some strange metamorphosis Of
character, Mohammed Ali, the ex-shah
Of Persia, Is in Punishment very diff
ferent person from the indolent, sem
suous, and obstinate monarch Of the
days Of power. Coming to Odessa from
the eastern to the western world, he
has found a whole range Of interest
of which he had always been ignorant.
The change has not left him apathetic
or contemptuous. He has welcomed 1t
with enthuiasm. HIS strenuous activ-
tiles and newly cultivated pursuits are
a revelation to his household. He has
entered upon a course Of European in
struction, and is proving himself both
an apt and intelligent student.
His new programme began with WIS.,
its to the chief Industrial establish
ments in the city, and he at once
showed remarkable perception In
grasping the details of the scientific
and other processes explained to him.
Among other things, the mysteries Of
the production of daily newspaper
have been revealed to him, and on one
occasion he even spent three hours in
specting the Central Odessa prison.
In his recreations Mohammed ALI pa
tronizes the theatres, tine cafe-chant-
ants, and the race course. He cruises
in the harbor in steam cutter, and
his latest ambition Is to make bal
loon ascent.
BY no means prepossessing in ap-
pearance, Mohammed Ali Is short,
rather stout, squat in build, short-neck-
ed, bullet-headed, and sallow In COM
plexion. His features are redeemed by
his piercing black eyes. He dresses
simply, in dark, close-fitting tunic and
trousers and the conical black Persian
headdress.
Daily Life.
This energetic exile is an early riser.
Before the weather became severe ne
might be seen regularly taking his cof-
fee on the balcony of his mansion,
which commands a splendid sea view.
A little later he would promenade the
garden with his two young sons, Mo-
hammed Mehdi Miraz and Mohammed
Hassan Mira, aged respectively seven
and five, to whom ne is fondly devoted.
From to II the ex-shah deals with
his correspondence, which is Of no small
volume, and dictates dispatches and
kilograms to q couple Of Persian Sec
retaries. From IL to noon. on alter
nate days. he applies himself with
creditable zeal to the study Of Russian
literature under the tuition Of a local
professor. Between midday and !
o'clock dejeuner Is served. The menu,
both at luncheon and dinner, consists
Of combination of Persian and Euro
pean dishes. On Mohammed Ais ar
rival here local restaurateur was en-
gagged to cater for the royal table and
for the household, but subsequently his
services were dispensed with and re-
placed by those Of special chef sum-
moned from Teheran.
After lunch the ex-shah takes his
constitutional" but never on foot. He
usually drives in q motor car, or q
pair-horsed victoria, and occasionally
he is seen in the saddle. When riding
in motor car or carriage he is some
times accompanied by his official host,
the city prefect, but more frequently
by some member Of his suite, his Rus
sian adjutant, and dragoman. The
latter is more or less indispensable, as
his majesty's drives generally include
a call Of inspection at some place OF
interest or public works. the only,
and scarcely noticeable, bodysuard Is
a police officer, in mufti, who follows
at some little distance in the wake OF
the royal equipage.
Tho Exile's Visitors.
The appearance of the ex-shah In
the streets has become so familiar to
the citizens that he no longer attracts
any public attention. The only sa-
lutes he receives are those from the
police and police inspectors on point
duty. Mohammed ALI is quick and
alert in movement, but Of invariably
serious demeanor; he Is gracious and
amiable to those about him, but is new
er seen to smile. He dimes at 6.30,
with his wife and children,
on which occasions no one else Is pres
ent, but when the dinner Is not fam
lily party his Russian adjutant and
few members of the suite are invited
to the royal table. Modern music by
a small local orchestra frequently forms
part Of the evenings entertainment.
The ex-shah's principal visitors are
Gen. Kaulbars, Gen. Tolmatcheff (the
prefect) the mayor, and a few other
local dignitaries. It Is q rigid rule OF
the royal exile never to discuss his
affairs with his official hosts
or visitors. 1t is exclusively with mis-
own Persian encourage that home mat
ters are debated in the privacy OF his
majesty's cabinet. One not infrequent-
ly hears the question asked whether
Mohammed Ali Shah, domiciled in this
country, may not, in certain eventuaI-
ties prove to be a trump card In Rus
sia's capacious sleeve. Were 1t not
for the existence Of the nslo-Russian
entente there might, indeed, be some
substantial basis for that hypothesis.
The royal exile may possibly entertain
some latent hope of his restoration to