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Show HIS 300 ANXIOUS WIVES. Should the Ameer of Afghanistan Die The Would All Be Shot. There is a certain village in the Mid-lauds Mid-lauds where the illness of the ameer of Afghanistan has been followed with painful anxiety. The reason is to be found in the following curious, but, I believe, perfectly authentic story: Some years ago an enterprising young tailor left the village in question and went abroad to seek his fortune. He eventually eventu-ally found his way to Kabul. Here great luck awaited him. He obtained the patronage pat-ronage of royalty and became the poole of Afghanistan. He had left a sweetheart sweet-heart behind in England, and, as soou as he found himself cn the road to fortune for-tune he sent for the damsel to join him. She came, but here fortune deserted the tailor. His intended bride in her turn obtained the patronage of royalty, with the result that she eventually became one of the 300 wives of Abdurraham. This, however, is only the first act of the tragedy. It is undertsood that, by the laws of .Afghanistan, when the ameer dies, the whole of his 300 wives must be shot The laws of the Afghans are as immutable as thoseotheir ancient neighbors, the Medes and Persians, and the whole of the little Midland village where the ameer's English wife was born and where her parents are still living liv-ing has been during the past week or two in a high state of excitement over the possible fate of the young lady. Fortunately For-tunately the ameer seems better now, and it is to hoped, if only for the sake of his wives, whatever their nationality, nationali-ty, that the improvement may continue. In the meantime cannot diplomacy do anything for the young woman? At h:3 time of life, and with a gouty habit to boot, I should have thought Abdurrah might have been induced to get along with 299 of them. If, however, he must have a round number in the family circle, cir-cle, perhaps an exchange might be negotiated. ne-gotiated. London Truth. |