Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-25

trOWSerS nan way up W hls hhOoo' wv"
hands playing with coppers and ten,pen,,
ny nails in his pocket. He introduced
himself by saying, Give just came out
here to trade, with few Yankee notions,
and T want to get sight of the Emperor,
"Why do you wish to SEQ him ? "
GIVE brought him q present all the
way from Aineriky, / respect him con
siderable, and 7 want to get at him, to
give it to him with my own hands.
Mr.. Dallas smiled as he answered:
cit is such common thing, my lad,
to make crowned heads a present, ex-
pecting something handsome in return,
that Tin afraid the Emperor will consider
this only q Yankee trick. What have you
brought ?"
can acorn"
can acorn What under the sun in
duced you to bring the Emperor Of Rus
STA an acorn ?"
"Why, just before 7 sailed, mother and
I went on to Washington to see about a
pension and when we was there, we
thought we'd just step over to Mount
Vernon. I picked up this acorn there,
and thought to myself I'd bring it to
the Emperor. Thinks, says |, he must
have heard a considerable deal about our
General Washington, and expect he
must admire our institutions. SO now
you see I've brought it and want to get
at him
"My lad, it's not an easy matter for q
stranger to approach an Emperor, and L
am afraid he will take no notice of your
present You had better keep it.
81 tell you [ want to have talk with
him. [ expect can tell him a thing or
two about Ameriky. guess he'd like
mighty well to hear about our railroads,
and our free schools, and what big swell
our steamers cut and when he hears
how we'll our people are getting on, may
be it will put him up to doing something
The long and short ont is, shan't be
easy till / get talk with the Emperor ;
and I should like to see his wife and chill
dren Iwant to see how such folks bring
up family"
dwell, sir, since you are so determined
upon it, / will do what / can for you but
YOU must expect to be disappointed
Though it will be rather an unusual pro
ceeding, would advise you to call on the
Vice Chancellor and state your wishes
he may possibly assist YOU"
"Well, that's all | want Of you. ]
will call again, and let you know how
get on"
In two or three days he again appear
ed. and said, "Well, I've seen the En-
peror, and had talk with him. He's
real gentleman, I can tell You. When
give him the acorn, he said he should
set great store by it that there was ne
character in ancient or modern history h'
admired as much as he did our Washing
ton. He said he'd plant it in his palace
garden with his own hand and he dl'
do it, for see him with my own eyes
Z He wanted to ask me 50 much about on
Q schools and railroads, and one thing o
I another, that he invited me to com
/ again and see his daughters ; for he salC
t his wife could speak better English thai
: he could SO l went again yesterday
e and she's fine, knowing woman, tel
you and her daughters are nice gals.
y "What did the Empress say to you !?
"Oh, she asked might Of questions
!, Don't YOU think, sha thought we had II
q servants in Ameriky told her poo
u folks did their own work, but rich folk
6 had plenty of servants. "
u "But then you don't call EN- servants,
: said she, "you call 'em help.
- 81 guess ma'am you've been readin
= Mrs. Trollope," says l, owe had thG
y ere book aboard our ship"
n The Emperor clapped his hands an
laughed as if he'd kill himself. Your
d right" said he, "you're right we sen
e for an English copy, and she's been read
s ing it this very morning J"
o "Then told him all knew about OF
g country, and he was nightly pleased
@ He wanted to know how long | expecte
e to stay in these parts. l told him L
g sold all the notions / brought with M
@ and I guessed | should go back in til
IS same ship. l bid EN- GO e. a
}. round, and went about my sines
e Amt I had glorious time? expee
q YOU didn't calculate to see me run such
e rig ?" v.
v s'No. indeed, [ did not my lad. lC
e may well consider yourselflucky for it
a very uncommon thing for crowne
e heads to treat stranger with so muc
|. distinction.
$ A few days after, he called again, an
Q said (:
Q "I,euess I shall stay spell longer;
# am treated so well. 'Tother day gran
if officer came to my room, and told me IL
, Emperor bad sent him to show me all ii
70 curiosities and dressed myself, and /
IS took me with him in mighty fine Ca
riage, with four horses ; and l have bee
10 to the theatre and museum and e
n pect have seen about all there is to
!. seen in st. Petersburg What do yc
J. think of that, Mr.. Dallas :?
lie It seemed SO incredible that poor, III
calmly Yankee lad should be thus loade
y with attentions, that the ambassadc
s. scarcely knew what to think or say.
e. In short time lis strange visitor II
re appeared. "Well," said he, 81 made Il
Il nv mind to go home, so | went to than
|" the Emperor, and bid him goodbye.
Of thought 1 couldn't do no less, he'd bee
n so civil. Says he, Is there anythlr
else YOU d like to see before you go bat
to America p | told him I should lii
e. e. to get peep at Moscow, for Ia heal
II considerable about there setting fire
III the Kremlin, and I'd read deal abo'
d. General Bonaparte; but it would cost
IN sight o. money to go there, and wantt
q, to carry my earnings to my mother.
"a | bid him goodbye, and come oft, No
TO what do you guess he did, next morning
1e [ VOW, he sent the same man, in regime
~ tails, to carry me to Moscow in one of h
ne own carriages, and bring me bach aga
y when I've seen all wart to see Al
lie we're going to-morowmorning, Mr. Da
rs las. What do you think now ?" ,,
ne And sure enough, the next evening Il
IT, VonLoo how roSSel the Ambassador