The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-01-05
THE YANKEE BOY AND THE RUS
SIAN EMPEROR.

Mrs. Lydia Maria Child in one
Of her admirable letters from New
York, dated Oct. 7th, 1S41, relates
the following interesting story OF
a Yankee boy. It will be Of in
terest to all American boys, par
ticularly at this time, when the
Emperors son is visiting America
"At the navy yard, Brooklyn, ]
saw the ship of war Independence,
on which came out Mr.. Dallas and
his family, when he went as am
bassador to Russia. On their ar
rival at Cronstadt, they observed a
barge containing nineteen of the
Emperor's state officers pat of
from steamboat near by and row
towards them. They came on
board, leaving behind them the
hargemen, and a tall, fine looking
man at the helm. While the Of
flcers were in the cabin partaking
Of refreshments and exchanging
courtesies, the helmsman leaped
ON board, and made himself "hail
fellow, well met" with the sailors,
accepting cuds of tobacco, land
asking various questions. When
the officers returned on deck, and
he had resumed his place, one of
the sailors said to his comrade,
with q knowing look, 4 tell you
what Tom, that ere chaps more
than we take him for. He's q
land lubber, I can tell you. Old
Neptune never had the dipping of
him. .-...
An officer of the Independence
overheard their remarks, and whis-
pered to Commodore Nicholson
that he shrewdly suspected the
tall, plainly dressed helmsman,
was the Emperor Nicholas in dis
guise; for he was said to be fend
OF playing such pranks. A royal
salute, forty-two guns was i'm
mediately ordered. The helmsman
was observed to count the guns;
and after twenty-ons common
salute) had been fired he took Of
his cap and bowed. The Russian
steamer ran up the imperial flag;
all the forts and every ship in the
harbor, commenced q tremendous
cannonadinss rendering the air as
when from 'crag to crag leaps the
live thunder 4;
In courteous acknowledgment os
his discovered disguise, the officerf
of the Independence were invited
to make the palace their home
during their stay at St. Peters
burgh, and the Emperor's carriages,
horses and aids were at his service /;
8 compliment never paid to a YES
sci Of any nation.
Yet was similar honor conferred
on an uncouth country boy from
New England The following is
the substance of the story, as told
by Mr.. Dallas, at public dinner
given him in Philadelphia, on his
return from Russia, in 1888.
One day q lad, apparently shout
nineteen, presented himself before
our Ambassador at st. Peters
burg. He was pure specimen OF
the genus Yankee; with sleeves
too short for his bony arms, trow-
sers half way up to his knees, and
hands playing with eoppers and
ten penny nails in his pocket. he
introduced himself by saying,
ave just came out here to trade,
| with q few Yankee notions, AID ]
want to get a sight Of the Em'
tperor."
"Why do you wish to see hiIn2''
1--WE brought him 3 present al
the way from Ameriky. I respee.
him considerable and I want to gel
at him, to give it to him with my
own hand" Mr.. Dallas smiled, 81
he answered, at is such a com,
mon thing, my lad, to make crown
ed heads a present, excepting
something handsome in return
that I'm afraid the Emperor vii
consider this only Yankee trick
What have you brought?'
Gan Acornp'
"An acorn! Wheta under ths
sun induced you to bring the En-
lperor of Russia an acornf'
Why, just before I sailed
mother and I went on to Wash
ington to see about . pension
and when We was there, we though
we'd just step over to Mount Ver
non. / picked up this acorn there
and l thought to myself I'd brint
| it to the Emperor. Thinks, say
j, he must have heard q consider
able deal about our General Wash
ington, and / expect he mast nd
mire ouT institutions. So nov
you see I've brought it, and / wan
TO get ut him."
my lad, it's not an easy matte
fora stranger to approach an EN-
peror, and ] am afraid he viii tax
no notice OF your present. Yol
had better ke0p itr'