King John and Gordon Pasha.

Te Aroha News, Volume 1, Issue 45, 12 April 1884, Page 5

King John and Gordon Pasha.

When Gordon Pasha was lately taken prisoner by the Abyssinians he completely checkmated King John. The King received his prisoner sitting on his throne, or whatever piece of furniture did duty for that exalted seat, a chair being placed for the prisoner considerably lower than the seat on which the King sat. The first thing the Pasha did was to seize the chair, place it alongside that of his sable Majesty, and sit down on it ; the next to inform him that he met him as an equal and would treat him as such. This somewhat disconcerted his sable Majesty, but on recovering himself he said, "Do you know, Gordon Pasha, that I could kill you on the spot if I liked ? " "I am perfectly well aware of it, your Majesty," •aid the Pasha. "Doit at once if it is your royal pleasure. lam ready." This disconcerted the King still more, and he exclaimed, "What! ready to be killed?" "Certainly," replied the Pasha; "I am always ready to die, and so far from fearing your putting me to death, you would confer a favour on me by so doing, for you would be doing for me that whion I am precluded by my religious scruples from doing myself —you would relieveme from all the troubles and misfortunes which the future may have in store for me." This completely staggered King John, who gasped out in despair, " Then my power has no terrors for you ? " 11 None whatever," was the Pasha's laconic reply. His Majesty, it is needless to add, instantly collapsed.—" The Story of Chinese Gordon," by A. E. Wake.

Words are the vehioles of thought, but much utterance without fitting idea is like a noisy train which has no paasengera,