The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-09-20
Nicely Caught.

THE following singular story, which
Il was current among the English resi-
dents in st. Petersburg, 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 English gentleman from Akmetch in
the Crimea, having occasion to travel
to France on business of importance, di-
rected his course by way of Warsaw, in
Poland. About an hour after his arrival
in that city, he quilted the tavern in
which he had been taking refreshment,
to take walk through the Streets
While sauntering in front of one of the
public buildings, he met an elderly gen.
tleman of grave aspect and courteous
demeanor. After mutual change of civil
tiles, they got into conversation, during
which, with the characteristic frankness
of an Englishman, he told the stranger
who he was, where from, and whittier he
was going. The other, in the most friend
ly manner, invited him to share the hos
pitalities of his house till such time as
he thought convenient to resume his
journey-adding with smile, that it was
not improbable he might visit the Cri-
mea himself in the course of year, when
perhaps, he might require similar re-
turn; the invitation was accepted, and he
was conducted to splendid mansion, ele-
CANT without and commodious within.
Unbounded liberality on the part of
the Pole, produced unbounded confidence
on the part of the Englishman. The
latter had small box of jewels of great
value, which he had carried about his
person from the time of his leaving home.
Feeling that mode of conveyance both
hazardous and inconvenient in large
town, he requested his munifcent host to
deposit it in place of security till he
should be ready to 60 away. At the ex-
piration of three days he prepared for
his departure, and in asking for his box,
how he was amazed, when the old gentle
man, with a countenance exhibiting the
utmost surprise, replied:
"What box ?"
Why, the small box of jewels which
I gave you to keep for me-"
MY dear sir, you must surely be mis-
taken; l never really saw nor heard of
such box"
The Englishman was petrifed. After
recovering himself little, he requested
he should .call his wife, she having been
present when he received it, She came,
and on being questioned, answered in ex-
act unison with her husband-she ex-
pressed the same surprise-and benevo-
lently endeavored to persuade her dis
tracted guest that it was mere halluci-
nation. With mingled feelings of hor-
ror, astonishment, and despair, he walk
ed out of the house and went to the tav-
ern at which he had put up on his arri-
val in Warsaw. There he related his
mysterious history, and learned that his
iniquitous host was the richest Jew in
Poland. He was advised without delay,
to state the case to the grand Duke, who
fortunately happened to be at that time
in Warsaw.
He accordingly waited upon him, and
with little ceremony was admitted to an
audience. He briefly laid down his case,
and Constantine "with greedy ear de-
voured up his discourse" Constantine
expressed his stonishment-told him he
knew the Jew, having had extensive mon
ey transactions with him-that he had
always been respectable and of an un-
blemished character. However," he
added, | will use every legitimate means
to unveil the mystery" So saying, he