| |
| | This is the reason why Rustum Beg, |
| Rajah of Kolazai, |
| Drinketh the “simpkin” 1 and brandy peg, |
| Maketh the money to fly, |
| Vexeth a Government, tender and kind, |
| Also—but this is a detail—blind. |
RUSTUM BEG of Kolazai—slightly backward Native State— | |
| Lusted for a C. S. I. 2—so began to sanitate. | |
| Built a Gaol and Hospital—nearly built a City drain— | |
| Till his faithful subjects all thought their ruler was insane. | |
| |
| Strange departures made he then—yea, Departments stranger still: | 5 |
| Half a dozen Englishmen helped the Rajah with a will, | |
| Talked of noble aims and high, hinted of a future fine | |
| For the State of Kolazai, on a strictly Western line. | |
| |
| Rajah Rustum held his peace; lowered octroi dues a half; | |
| Organised a State Police; purified the Civil Staff; | 10 |
| Settled cess and tax afresh in a very liberal way; | |
| Cut temptations of the flesh—also cut the Bukhshi’s 3 pay; | |
| |
| Roused his Secretariat to a fine Mahratta fury, | |
| By an Order hinting at supervision of dasturi; 4 | |
| Turned the State of Kolazai very nearly upside-down; | 15 |
| When the end of May was nigh waited his achievement’s crown. | |
| |
| Then the Birthday Honours came. Sad to state and sad to see, | |
| Stood against the Rajah’s name nothing more than C. I. E.!… 5 | |
| Things were lively for a week in the State of Kolazai, | |
| Even now the people speak of that time regretfully. | 20 |
| |
| How he disendowed the Gaol—stopped at once the City drain; | |
| Turned to beauty fair and frail—got his senses back again; | |
| Doubled taxes, cesses, all; cleared away each new-built thana; 6 | |
| Turned the two-lakh Hospital into a superb Zenana; | |
| |
| Heaped upon the Bukhshi Sahib wealth and honours manifold; | 25 |
| Clad himself in Eastern garb—squeezed his people as of old. | |
| Happy, happy Kolazai! Never more will Rustum Beg | |
| Play to catch his Viceroy’s eye. He prefers the “simpkin” peg. | |
