Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-10-09
AsArxra n TROUBLE.

The following anecdote OF the Cour'
of Russia, In the reign Of the Empress
Catharine, forcibly illustrates the vi.
tai Importance Of understanding or
ders, particularly when given by those
high In authority:
"A rich foreigner, named .Suther
land, naturalized in Russia, was bank.
or to the court, and in high favor
with the Empress. He was reused
one morning by the information that
his house was surrounded with guards
and that Reliew, and Minister of Po'
lice, desired to speak with him. This
person entering without further GER
emony, at once announced his errand
Mr.. Sutherland, said he, i am charg'
ed by my gracious sovereign with the
execution Of o sentence, the severity
of which both astonish and grieve me
and I am ignorant as TO how you
can so far excite the resentment oi
her majesty Il am as much in the
dark as yourself, replied the banker
But what are your orders?' Il have
not courage to tell you, said Rcliew
Have / lost the confidence Of the en-
press?' inquired the banker. If that
were all you would not see me troubl.
ed said Relicw; confidence may re-
turn; position may berestored.' Am
to be sent back to my own country
or, good heavensP cried the banker,
trembling, does the empress think oi
banishing me to Siberiag' 'Alasl you
might some day return, said Reliew
Am / to be knouted?' inquired the
ag;tated banker. This punishment
is fearful, said Reliew, 'bnt it does not
kiu.' rs my life then in peril9' ex-
claimed the banker. But l cannot
believe that; for the empress, usually
so mild, so gentle, spoke TO me so
kindly only two days since--'tis i'm
possiblel For heavens sake, let me
know the worst. Anythingis better
than this suspense We'll then, said
Reliew in o melancholy tone, my
gracious mistress has ordered me TO
haveyou stuffed Stuffed continued
Reliew. Sutherland looked fixedly
at tho minister of police an instant,
aud then exclaimed, Sir, either you
have lost your reason or the empress
is not in her right sensesl Surely
you did not receive such command
without endeavoring at least to point
out its unreasonableness-its barbar-
ity.' 'Alasl my unfortunate friend, /
did that which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, / should not dare at
tempt said Reliew; Il manifested
my grief, my CONSERVATION; | even
hazarded aremonstrancedbut her i'm
perial majesty, in an irritated tone,
babe me leave her presence, and see
her commands obeyed at once, adding
these words, which are still ringing
in my ears, "Go, and forget not that
it is your duty to acquit yourself,
without o murmur, of any commission
with which may deign to trust
you It would be impossible to de-
pict the horror, the despair. Of the un-
happy banker. After waiting till the
first burst of grief was over, Reliew
informed him that he would be allow
ed quarter of an hour to settle his
worldly affairs. Sutherland wept
and prayed, and entreated the minis
ter of police to take petition from
him to the empress. Overcome by
his supplications, the magistrate con-
sented to be his messenger, and took
charge of the missive; but afraid to
return to the palace, he hastily pre-
sented himself at the residence of
Earl Bruce, the English ambassador,
and explained the affair to him. The
ambassador, very naturally, supposed
the minister Of the police had become
insane, but bidding him follow, he
hurried to the palace. introduced
into the imperial presence, he told his
story with as little delay as possible.
'Merciful Heavenl' exclaimed Catha-
rine, on hearing this strange recital,
what a dreadful mistakei Reliew
must have lost his wits. Run quick
ly, my lord, 1 beg, and desiae that
madman to relieve my poor banker
Of his groundless fears, and to set him
at liberty Immediately The Earl
left the room to do as her majesty re-
quested, and on his return found
Catharine laughing immoderately.-
i see now, said she the cause of this
inconceivably absurd blunder. Ihad
for Bome years a little dog, to which /
was much attached. / called him
Sutherland, because that was the
name Of the gentleman who presented
him to me. This dog has just died,
and gave Reliew orders to have
him stuffed; but as he for some time
hesitated, ] became angry, supposing
that, from foolish excess ofpride he
thought this commission against HE
dignity. That, added Catharine, in
conclusion, lis the solution Of this
enigma"