About the Boy Who Accompanies the Shali. (Communicated by the Rev.1 H. R. Haweis, M.A.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 398, 31 August 1889, Page 3

About the Boy Who Accompanies the Shali. (Communicated by the Rev. 1 H. R. Haweis, M.A.)

The Shah, as has been of late frequently I remarked, is everywhere accompanied by a boy of about ten. The child is not striking in appearance" — he appears ' to be somewhat delicate — certainly far from robust. His costume.s are magnificent ; he beara already the highest rank that his sovereign can confer upon him — he is introduced at every Court, and the Shah is even desirous that European orders and decorations should be bestowed upon him, What does it all mean ? The wildest fables have been circulated. It has been said that he is the favourite son ot the Sh.ah himself. That is not the case ; he is no, relation whatever to -the Shah. It is Rumoured that the astrologers of Persia have, decreed that so long as this child is abdut the Shah's person no harm can befall -hjts. Imperial Highness — another fable. 1 ' The astrologers are out of 'it this time. • ~ ' ' This is the true stpry, and our rasters may rely on it that we* give the truth, the whole truth/ and nofchj.ng.but the truth, on the highest authority. About thirty years ago' one of the Shah's highest functionaries sent him a female slave highly recommended as a person 6'f" trust to bo employed about tho haremr* She was one of many there in a subordinate capacity with other servitors — she was certainly " r 'not there for her' good looks, -,hor was 4h& in ',any , way connected with the ' Shah save as a reliable and superior domestic- servant. She is now nearly blind, , but ..she.. \s J; still highly respected,and" valued jbv 1 his Imperial Highness. She rose by no intrigues, but by simple straightforward fidelity to duty, and a certain native integrity and tact,', 6o a position of high trust .in "ijhe.Shah's household — she at last became a sort of overseer of unquestioned supremacy ; she had charge of the Shah's, keys, his jewels, even his letters, and she never- abused her trust. Some time ago her brother came to Teheran, and was introduced to the Shah, who took a great fancy to him also, and promoted him to a distinguished office. He found in him thesame rarequaiities which he had noticed in his sister — both were modest, simple, incorruptible, capable, but unambitious. This Mbhamet AH, such was his name, married, and his little son called Malejek, or ' the beloved little Mohamet AH,' came on the stage, and in •■turn won^the- Shah's extraordinary favours .Fronv the moment of his birth his royal master conceived for him a- strong and inexplicable attachment. The Shah has always been a fond father, and loves his children dearly ; but by the side of little Malejek they all seemed to count for nothing. He has watched over this infant from its cradle, and his more than paternal affection seems to grow with the years. He treats the child with as .much reverence as tenderness, and his Ministers, 'who have scrutinised this phenomenal attachment most closely, declare that he lavishes upon him the ideal of a father's love, The good people who are the child's relations — his maternal aunt, the quondam attendant in the harem," his father, her brother, and his mother, a very honiely and unobtrusive person — give the court no trouble and the Ministers ho anxiety. Their heads are not turned, and 'they naver presume on their influence or use the child for selfish or ambitious r purposes. The Shah, who naturally feels jbhato the boy himself is in danger of being spoiled, is anxious to get him a - good "European' governess ; and as he has 'many advisers and the position may be one ,of delicacy and even some political impflrfrince, the Germans naturally recommend a .German Eraulein — the Russians think tba* a Sclav lady of some kind should" beselecped — the French'are tor a gouvernanle, and; the English naturallypropose a Girton girl ! ' The little fellow will be dragged up somehow, no doubt, and we are right glad that his Imperial Majesty is bent upon training and educating soundly one upon whom he, has lavished an almost dangerously prodigal favour. We trust that this strange but true narrativo of simple facts will set- at rest the silly speculations now in vogue concerning k the Shah and the boy.'