UNHAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10582, 11 October 1910, Page 1

UNHAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH.

' The unliappiest ill an on earth js Ab-dul-'H'amid, the deposed Sultan .ot Turr -key'-' A' remarkable account of Ins miserable existence it the Villi < Abla tiin;' which has been received. from an 'authentic source at. Salonika isj-pub-iiishfed. 1 ; . '- I'.' The former despot pf-- Turjtey is ':shiveririg''with--'fear ;foi v - , his' life. ;''He ;i?. lii lioui 1\ diead of assassination by his enemies. SmCe he-was sent -into ; exilfe, ! rly' ; eighteen;- months ago, he has. never shown himself at any of tlio •windows of . the villa.„ He dare not> for "he is convinced that lie would, be ;sh6t'by-,oh&' h.is fpes if he.w'ere seen. r'Neither advice nor entieaties, nor even - stringent .medical orders will. 111■d'llcei'lnin tn 'leave the house and take [exercise' in-tlie'garden. 1 .. .. ;. ; '-s-Not "only -does-lie- remain stubboi niy iiiidporsy 4 But-nothing - will-; make lmn •leave the -first; floor of the vilja., He ■tears to trust; himself .'.to the', ground 'floor lest bombs should be concealed -in 'the- cellars" beneath: ,He:W dl iiot ,go up to the: second- 1 floor,, for lie "thinlcs the y ilia might be 'Set on fire and' he : would' perish "before--he could -.escape. • A victim to 'lnsomina; -lie never undresses, but. his .thin, bow ed -figure.-is seen wandering .dilruig the. night .from room to' room .until -finally 'Abdul Hamid talis exhausted ancf-'slumbeis -fitfully oil . a roucli 1 ' He ' wotks as a carpenter the day, ' and -recently ■ he'finished'-.riiaking a large Vardrohc. ' ' ' '' Strangely enough, his one desire is to find' a 1 purchaser for it. ' Iff js li'ot that ■ lie - 'needs the -too'iley j ... but,- he longs, to convince 1 himself that the yvork' of his 'hands ife of m'onetarj value ' '' . He 1 begs "his- yvardets. for.'.leive -t)o..send'the wardrobe- afray from tlte'Villh to 'be sold, but 'lnfe request is refused, invariably. The Ttirkifeh' Government -fears tliat within fhfe yy obdyvoi k there may be [cbncealea 'some-lindesirable - comnrainca'ti'on* .to 'Jiis' friendis." 1 - 1 ' - 1 ■; '-■'l 1 ' 'Abdnl Samil 'knbws nothjng of the outsideSvorid. Neither he nor tile two wives' and' 'tilie serVa'iits yybo followed hftn inttf'captivity are -allowed 'to read "any newspafier. - ' " 5 1 '', ' On'c^ f, hife desire to learn : yyaiVlrapp&iTn'g; led- him ■to iitteinpt- to Bribe his to yvhbm he offered;'.£loo for the- latest >He "clamors' Wdetaili of the'revVilution winch 'ended his* reign he sits'for'hour after Tiour deep'm clioly medlGatfon. - • r - , j i ; "Recently, tiliiSn the officers oij. dutj congratulated 'hifn bn his .bii thdaiy, Afi" • : au'l Hamrd £ wept"and said, 6nce. Ii great-'Siiltan; only when' ! -you 'c6ngiamiiatc mo in mv humilration - 1 *.' ' Abdul; Hainid is intensely lonely. A!)dnl Rachim/.tlie'only son yvlio followed him into- -captivity,-v has -.deserted him, deel arm g .that vhis- ..father, was so. petu.]ant and nervous "that.-no one conl-i endui e liffe iii "Jiis'vicinity Burhann cd Din, his' faVorite SoW/ 't-o whoni he desired to leave Ins crown, has repudiated his father"; - him of -flaying the death of Ins mother because Abdul refused-to .summon a coinpetent medical man to attend, hei in nor illness.- •■" C' v ■■ - ' - 1 -