Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1839-03-09
THE GRAND DUKE AND THE JEW.
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.

The following singular story, which was
current among the English residents in ST..
Petersburgh, at the coronation of the present
Emperor of,Russia, has been narrated to us
by person newly arrived from that part of
the continent.
In the early part of the year 1926, an Eng
llsh gentleman, from Akmetcht in the Crime
an, having occasion to travel to France on bu-
siness of Importance, directed his course by
way of Warsaw, in Poland About an hour
after his arrival in that city, he quilted the ta-
vern in which he had been taking a refresh
While saunteringin front of one of the public
buildings, he met with an elderly gentleman
of grave aspect and courteous demeanor.
After mutual exchange of civilities, they got
into conversation, during which, with the char
acterlstic frankness of an Englishman, he
told the stranger who he was, where from,
and whittier he was going. The other, in the
most friendly manner invited him to share the
losptalites of his house, till such time as he
found it convenient to resume his journey-ad-
ding, with smile, that it was not improbable
that he might visit the Crimea himself in the
course ofthat year, when, perhaps, he might
require similar return: tho invitation was
accepted, and he was conducted to splendid
mansion, elegant without and commodious
within.
Unbounded liberality on the part ofthe Pole,
produced unbounded confidence on the part, of
the Englishman. The latter had a small box
of jewels Of great value, which he had carried
about his person from the time of his leaving
home-fnding that mode of conveyance both
hnu VII H..
quested his munifcent host to deposit it in
place OF security till he should be ready to go
away. At the expiration of three days, he
prepared for his departure, and in asking for
his box, how was he amazed when the old
gentleman, with countenance exhibiting the
utmost surprise replied, /" What box!' G Why,
the small box of jewels which | gave you to
keep for me-" 'My dear sir, you must surely
be mistaken; never, really, saw, OF heard of
such box" The Englishman was petrfied.
After recovering himself little, he requested
he would call his wife, she having been present
when he received it. She came, and on being
questioned, answered in exact unison with her
husband-expressed the same surprise-and
benevolently endeavored to persuade her dis
tracted guest that it was mere hallucinatoE.
With mingled feelings of horror, astonshment
and despair, ne walked out OF the house and
went to the tavern at which he had put up du-
ring his arrival IN Warsaw. There he rela-
ted his mysterious story, and learned that his
nqpl.ous host was the richest Jew in Poland.
He was advised, without delay, to state the
case to the Grand Duke, who fortunately hap
pened at that time to be in Warsaw.
He accordingly waited upon him, and with
little ceremony was admitted to an audience.
He briefly. laid down his case, and Constan
tine, with q greedy ear devoured up his dis
course" Constantine expressed his astonish-
ment--told him he knew the Jew, having had
extensive money transactions with him--that
he had always been respectable, and Of an un-
d ble'nlshed character. However," he added,