The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-18

called upon 10 READ. IL deals IN the wonder
full. The simplest incidents are seized upon
and worked mp into long narrative, with the
richest embellishments and most unnatural
surroundings. The whole work is such as
any man with general knowledge of Russia,
and powerful imagination, could easily pro-
duce. There is no internal evidence in the
book that Mr.. Brown is any more familiar with
the dominions of the Car, than careful peru
sal of Murray would convey to any reader.
The most ordinary events are worked up in a
startling style, and the author frequently pre-
tends to describe scenes which he evidently
never saw. Thus, the following description of
an imperial bear-hunt is given in true melo-
dramatic style:-
THE EMPERoR's BEAR-HUNT.
1.-THE present Emperor, Alexander, III, is
more distinguished for his liberal Views re-
specting the rights of his subjects than for his
military proclivities. In private life he is much
beloved, and is said to be a man of very genial
social qualities. His predominating passion
heen told thai he ,s esnecoI al raa & ars nave
With all your experience OF this manly pastime
in America, doubt II you can form any con-
ception Of the bear-hunts in which the Autocrat
of all the Russias has distinguished himself.
Anybody with nerve enough can kill grizzly,
bears of any kind in the genuine autocratic
style. By an Imperial ukase It has been ordered
that when any of the peasants or serfs discover
q bear within twenty versts of the Moscow and
St.Petersburg Railway, they must make known
the fact to the proprietor OF the estate whose
duty it is TO communicate official Information
of the discovery to the corresponding Secretary
OF the Gar With pecoming humility the Sc
ter, who directs him to advise the distant party
that his Majesty is much pleased, and will
avail himself of his earliest leisure to proceed
to the scene of action. In the meantime the
entire available force of the estate is set to work
dred men, armed with cudgels, tin pans, old
kettles, drums, etc., are stationed in q circle
around him. Dogs are also employed upon
this important service. The advance trains,
under the direction of the master hunter, haV-
nd snd stoLes 01 VINES
tions being transmitted to headquarters from
time to time II is at length privately an
nounced that his Imperial Majesty has con-
descended to honor the place with his presence,
and, should the saints not prove averse, will be
there with his royal party at the hour and on
the day specified In the imperial despatch. The
grand convoy is then put upon the track; des-
patches are transmitted to all the stations;
officers. soldiers, and guards are required to be
in attendance to do honor to their sovereign
master-priVately, of course, as this is simply
an unofficial affair which nobody is supposed
to know anything about. The Emperor, hRv-
ing selected his chosen few-that is to say, half
a-doZen princes, a dozen dukes, q score or two
of counts and barons-au fine fellows and
genuine bloods-proceeds unostentatiously to
the depot in his hunting-carriage "a simple lit
tie affair, manufactured at a cost of only forty
thousand rubles or SOL where he Is astonished
n
gayly interspersed with soldiers, ali acciden-
tally gathered there to see him off. Now hats
are removed, bows are made, suppressed MUIR
murs of delight run through the crowd; the
| locomotive whiZzes and fixes with impatience;
bells are rung, arms are grounded the princes,
laugh and joke just like common people: bells
| ring again and whistles blow; signal is made,
and the Autocrat Of all the Russias is off on his
"In an hour, or two or three hours, as the
| case may be, the royal hunters arrive at the
destined station. SlOulO
| be pressing, 1t is not improbable the Emperor,
availing himself Of the conveniences provided
present of railway carriage he travels, has in
the meantime tin despatched feet OF vessels Sc to
| sacks to Warsaw, closed upon terms for loan
| of fifty millions, bantshed various objection
able parties to the deserts of Siberia, and par
taken Of game or two of whist with his
"But now the important affair of the day is at
hand-the bear-the terrible black bear, which
but which everybody knows by Instinct is
| going to be killed by the Emperor, because of
| his Majestys superior skill and courage on try-
ing occasions OF this sort. What a blessing il is
| TO possess such steadiness OF nerve! 1 would
not not hesitate one moment to attack the most
much confidence In my ability to kill it. But
the carriages are waiting; the horses are
| the royal party are mounting on horseback or
in their carriages, as best may suit their taste,
and the signal is given! A salute is fired by the
| Guard, huzzas ring through the air, and the
Car OF all the RusslaS is fairly off on his hunt.
| trees ny Dy; desert patches OF ground Whirl
| spirited steeds and their spirited masters and
| in an hour or so the grand scene of action is
| reached Here couriers stand ready to conduct
| the imperial hunters into the very jaws of
| death. The noble proprietor himself, bare.
| headed, greets the royal pageant; the serfs bow
down in Oriental fashion; the dashing young
| Gear touches his hunting-cap in military style,
! and waves his hand CALAMITY to the ladies of
| the household, who are peeping at him from
| their carriages In the distance. Once more the
| bugle is sounded, and away they dash-knig b ts
mobiles, and all-the handsome and gallant Gar
leading the way by several lengths. Soon the
| cry is heard-"Halt! the bear the bearl Halt!'
| Shut your eyes, reader, for you never can stand
such sight as that-a full grown black bear,
near two hundred yards off, in the middle of an
open space, surrounded by five hundred men
hidden behind trees and driving him back from
| every point where he attempts to escape. You
don't see the men, but you hear them shouting
and banging upon their pots, pans and kettles
Now just open one eye, and see the Emperor
dismount from his famous charger, and deliver
the rein to a dozen domestics, deliberately cock
his rifle, and fearlessly get behind the nearest
tree within the range of the bear. BY this time
| you perceive that Bruin is dancing pas selL on
noises around him. Shut your eyes again, for
the Emperor is taking his royal aim, and will
presently crack away with his royal rifle. Hist
triggers are clicking around you in every drec-
tion, but you needn't be the least afraid. for,
although the bear is covered by reserve of
forty rifles, not one OF the hunters has nerve
personally desirous of visiting the silver mines
of Siberia. Crack thug The smoke clears
away. BY Jove his sImperial Majesty has done
II cleverly; hit the brute plumb on the oS 6ontis
or through the heart, it makes no difference
| which. Down drops Bruin, kicking and tearing
up the earth at a dreadful rate; cheers rend the
Welkin; pots, pans, and kettles are banged.
High above all rises the stern voice OF the
Autocrat, calling for another rifle, which is
| qutres that he should at once put an end TO the
poor animals sutferings, and he does it with his
WNow tine hear having kiclyad his 1ost an In