Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1883 — Paternal Government. [ARTICLE]

Paternal Government.

When the Shah of Persia begins to suspect that one of his nobles is growing too rich, he contrives to “clip his wings.” Either he sends him every day, for a couple of weeks or months, some delicacy from his own table, for which said noble has to pay each time the sum of 1,000 pieces of gold; or he delegates to him the duty of entertaining a foreign embassy, or some diplomatic" body. Again, he either plays every week half-a-dozen games of chess with him at 1,000 sequins a game, or he arranges bets up to 12,000 sequins, and, of course, the happy mortal on whom the Shah chooses to confer this honor must not have the audacity to win for fear of losing his head. But if the Shah desires to ruin his man at one fell stroke, he invites himself as a guest to his house. This mark of distinction is so expensive that the wealthiest subject is thereby plunged into the deepest poverty.— DerWa/nderer.