The Shasta courier., 1872-06-08

lug oy tue OzaI, 10 molSfen his c0mInlS
sion," proved too strong for hin and h.
partook so freely as to become completely
screwed" While be was sleeping off his
debuuch, Peter stole softly into the room
and carried off his sward. Balakireff.
missing it on awaking, and frightened out
ct his wits at the probable consequences,
could devise no better remedy than to
replace the weapon with his own probes
sional sword of lath, the hilt and trappings
Of which we're exactly similar to those OF
the guardsnen. thus equipped, he ap
peared on parade the next moi ming, con6d
ent in the assurance Of remaining undetec
ted, if not forced to draw his weapon
But Rster, who had doubtless foreseeu this
contingency, Instantly began storming at
one of the men for bis uutidy appearance,
and at length faced round upon Balukireff
with the stern order, Captain Balakiretf
draw your sword and cut that sloven
DOWN.
The poor jester, thus brought fairly to
bay, laid his hand on his hilt as if to obey,
but at the same time exclaimed fervently,
"Merciiul Heaven let my sword be turn.
ed into wood p
And drawing the weapon, be exhibited
10 every deed harmless lath Even the
presence Of the emperor was powerless to
check the roar Of laughter which followed i;
and Balakireff Was allowed to escape.
The jester ingenuity occasionally se.v-
ed bin, in extricatng others from trouble
as well as himself A cousin of his having
fallen under the dispIeasure of the Gar,
was about to be executed and Balakireff
presented himself at cO1rt to petition for
reprieve. Peter, seeing him enter, and at
on:e divining his errand, shouted to him,
, ,,"lt's no use your coming here; swear
that will not grant what you are going
to ask J"
Quick as thought, Baakireff dropped
on his knees, and exclaimed, '.Peter AL
exelevitch, beseech you to put that scamp
Ut a cousin OF mine to death p Peter, thus
caught in his own trap, had no chance but
to laugh, and send pardon to the offender.
During one of the Cars Livonan
campi igus, a thick log greatly obstructed
the movements of the army. At length
pale watery gleam began to show itself
through the mist, and two Of the Russian
officers fell to disputing whether this were
the sun or not. Baakireff, happening to
pass by at that moment, they appealed to
him to decide.
"ls that yopder light the sun, brother ?"
GLOW should l know?" answered the
jester 1--we never been here before"
At the end of the same campaign, sew
erai of their officers were relating their
exploits, when Balakireff stepped among
them. i've go, story to tell, too," cried
he boastfully; "a better one than any of
yours"
Let us hear it then," answered the
off GERS and Balakireff began.
81 never liked this way of fighting, all
In crowd together, which they have
nowadays; it seems to me more manly for
each to stand by himself; aud therefore l
always went out alone. Now, it chanced
that one day, while reconuoitering close to
the enemys oufposts, suddenly espied
Swedish soldier lying on the ground Just
in front OF me. There was not moment
to lose; he might start up and give the
alarm. | drew my sword, rushed upon
him, and at one blow cut off his right
foot"
"You tool," cried one of the listeners,
''you should rather have cut off his head"
$50 would" answered Balakiref, with
grin, "but somebody else had done that
already"
At times Balakilef pushed his wager
les too tar, and gave serious offence to his
formidable patron. On one of these oc-
casious the enraged emperor summarily
banished him from the court bid
ding him "never appear on Russian soil
again." The jester disappeared according
ly; but week had hardly elapsed when
Peter, standing at his window, espied his
disgraced favorite coolly driving cart past
the very gates of the palace ForeseeiDg
some new jest, he fastened down, and ask
ed with pretended roughncss, "How dare
you d,sobey me, when forbade you to
show yourself Oh Russian ground ?"
81 haven't disobeyed you," answered
Balakirei coo!ly; I'm not on Russian
around now"
"Not on Russian ground ?"
"No; this cart load OF earth that l am
sitting on is Swedish soil. l dug it up in
Finland the other day"
Peter, who had doubtless begun already
to regret the loss of the jester, laughed ut
the evasion, and restored him to his favor
Some Russian writers embellished this
story Ga German version of which figures
in the adventures of Tyll Eulenspeigel)
with the addition that Peter, on hearing
the excuse, answered, "If Finland be
Swedish soil now, 1t shall BIZ Russian
before long"-a threat which be was not
slow to fulfill
The stories told of Marshal Suvorof are
of a different order, and display, better
than whole pages Of description, the
wonderful way in which be coDtrived to
adapt himself to the rude spirits with
whom be had to deal, without losing one
jot Of his authority. What Napoleon was
to the French army, Suvorof was to that
Of Russia; now jesting with soldier, and
now rebuking general; one day sharing
a ration Of black bread beside<a bireaac
FIRE, and the next speaking as the equsi to
princes and potentstes. In faot, the TWO
great sponsors OF Russian wit form most
| picturesque contract. Be4skireff has very