The mountain Democrat., 1863-12-05
once, on COlOma street
sOPIIIE'S RIBBON.

SOPHIE'S RIBBON
"You know him? Be careful, mon
cher. for my sake If not for your own, how
YOU acknowledge such dangerous &C
ouaintance as that in Neyskoi, in broad
day."
And felt my young Russian compan'
ion vince and start as we walked, arm'in-
arm from the Noble Club, Of which like
the other attaches Of our embassy. | vas
of course free. The person whose salute
| had lust acknowledged was till in sight
"A tall. wcll-drcssed man Of about thirty,
with a pale, keen face, brilliant dark eyes,
and a long moustache.
"know him? To be sure do,' was
nv reply. ain the name Of all that's
mysterious, Galitzin, what can be the
harm of knowing the Cheva'icr-l think
that is on his carl--y,s, the Chevalicr
Ghska, nephew, or cousin. or something,
to the old Prince l.eczinzsa, at who's
palace have seen you d'zen times,
Ealtzing as only the Guard can waltz "
But the young barren. who was Scucr'
ally gay enough, would not con,ent to
make a lest Of this occuil nee, bat NUT
tered something about my "EnEi,h i'm
pudence." and soon after left me. Ii was
not easy to guess the cause of the young
Churchman's evident nervousness, or 10
comprehend what particular peri! there
could be in knowing the Chcva'icr, re
spectng whom | now began t. feel >"lnr
natural curiosity. OF his antcccdchts !
knew very little, but that little was in his
favor. He had been much abroad, was re.
puted to be clever and well read, and the
few words which we had exchanged at any
time had given me the impression that lac
was agreeable. Yet Ga.ltzin, who had
been very kind and familiar with me ever
since nv arrival at the legation, seemed to
shrink from even mentioning the stigma
that attached to the Chevalier
1t was from the chancellor at our c'D-
bassy, a quiet, good humored Old man,
with taste for gossip, and memory for
St. Petersburg small talk dating from the
peace of 10, that heard the truth.
"GIiska, Gliska" sTtS~;!,c old Scotch
man, taking pinch Of snuff to refresh his
recollection; "ycS. to be sure. the young
man DcmetriuS GIiska, i some relation
TO the Old Princess Lc,ziuzha. and was III
the imperial service. Your ircud's right.
You had best fight shy VI him, Mr. Ac'
ton"
"But why? Does he cheat at cards /:
Or has he a turn for what tue doctors can
homicidal monomania =
Nothing Of the sort, Answered the
chancellor "he's Just suspect, and
that's the whole oft; hes one ot tie
black sheep If the political flock, that all
the rest, and chiefly such gay young Dirk
les as your friend GaiitZin, are icarlu TO
rub shoulders with. TO be sure he's a
Pole. and can't be blamed for what he
does in behalf Of h, down trp1drn c"un-
try; but, man, = >airly irowncd upon
by the powers that he.
On further pressing, Mr.. Camphc'l IN
formed me that the Chevalicr, wh" had
once held commission in ttc army, lad
been arrested on suspicion Of a share III
some conspiracy. He was found not
guilty; but, being nnah'r To clear himself
wholly in the eyes ot G"ve'nmc"t, tad
been compelled to serve a> private tor
three wears in the Caucasus; had quilted
Russia at the end OF this t,rm; ami after
a long exile, had lately been permitted to
return, at the intrrcesSion OF his powerful
relatives. He was Still under considerable
suspicion, and it WaS more thaH runored
that his presence in the capital was due TO
his desire to render aid in some widely
spread plot for the enfranchisement OF
Poland and its imperfectly Ru>sianlzed de-
tendencies.
"If they catch him tripping, woe be to
the lad" said old Campbell, oracularly ;
shell be lucky if he gets off with Eastern
Siberia and ermine trapping for the rest
of his days; more likely the mines or the
knout, if the Cars ministers happen to be
specially ill-humored, or specially fright
ened, when the bubble bursts"
The old chancellor had seen so many
AbortiVe plots, painfully planned, warily
kept, collapse in the miserable ruin of the
plotters, that he had got to regard the
Russian Government as conspiracy proof
This was peculiarly true as regarded th'
Polish aristocracy, many Of whose chic
families were understood to reside at st
Petersburg rather as hostages than az
courtiers, though never venturing to ab
sent themselves from the imperial pres
ence-chamber on ceremonious occasions
Among these were the Leczinzkas; the olC
prince and princess; their grandson, hei
to the extensive estates in Lithunia anC
the Government Of Warsaw; and thei
granddaughter, Sophie Leczinzka. Th'
Prince himself was gentle, genial OLE
- fHan, with with taste for nutnismsties.- d.
not believe that his patriotism ever wen
beyond mild sentiment in favor of fire.
and prosperous Poland. The Princess
who had been famous beauty in her day
was kind and hospitable, but not by an,
means capable of dabbling in political in
trigues; while the grandson was as yet s.
young, and so heedfully kept under tn
eye Of q tutor recommended by the Cza
himself that he could scarcely have i'm
blbed any Revolutionary" ideas. Still