Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-09-11
Advantages of Unlimited Obedience

Advantages of Unlimited Obedience.
THE following anecdote, taken from the
Historical Memoirs of Segur," gives, as
it appears to us, lively picture of the
spirit which reigned in the Russian Court
under the sway of the celebrated Catha-
| rine H.:
A rich banker, named Saderland, en-
| joyed for long time the favor of the EN-
press, but one day he suddenly saw his
| house surrounded by an armed force, led
! by a commissary Of the police, who de-
manded to speak with him.
MY dear sir" said he to the affrighted
banker, "it grieves me deeply to have re-
| ceived orders from our gracious sover-
| eign to execute towards you a severity be-
| yond anything have ever seen. know
not what extraordinary offense you have
committed to excite such extremity OF
anger in her Majesty as to induce her to
command punishment so horrible and
unprecedented"
II do not understand word of what
you are saying" answered the astonished
! banker. 81 am as much amazed as if you
had fallen from the clouds. What are the
orders that you have rcceived?"
81 have not the courage to tell you.
And yet shall be compelled to execute
them"
Am indeed so unfortunate as to have
lost her Majesty's confidcnce?"
"Ah! if that were all, sir, you would not
see me so disconsolate. You might re-
gain her confidence and even her favor
but"
"But am | then banished from Rus
sia?"
THAT would indeed be sad misior-
tune yet with your riches you could find
| a hospitable reception in any other coun-
try But"
"Oh heavens! is it possible that | am
to be exilcd to Siberian"
Even from there you might, sooner or
| later, be called to Russia"
perhaps, then, you are going to put
mein prison"
81 wish it were so, for then you might
| be liberated"
"Am then condemned to undergo the
| k,.outf ~ .@
e"The knom is dreadful punishment to
be sure, but it is not attoays fatal"
"Then, oh! then, you lead me to death !!
Tell me plainly; this suspense is worse
than death itself"
know, then, that our most gracious
Empress has given absolute orders to take
| of your entire skin"
ITO take off my skin" exclaimed Sa.
derland, seized with horror" to tlay me
| aliyep But regaining his selfcommand,
he added: No, not cannot be; either
| you have lost your senses, Mr.. Commits
sary, or our most benign mistress has lost
hers. Is it possible you made no answer
when you received such cruel order ?"
81 did more than any other would have
dared to do. did not conceal my grief
and surprise. / fingered in the imperial
presence, and had actually begun hum
BILE remonstrance to Her Majesty, when
our gracious sovereign, turning to look on
me, with look and voice of anger, babe
me be gone and perform her will. i still
seem to hear her threatening and appall-
| ing words: Co said Her Majesty, and
never forget that it is your indispensable
| duty To execute without questioning the
commands that think you worthy to re-
ceive from me-
| 1t is impossible to describe the agita-
ton, the anguish, or the despair OF the
poor Saderland. After he had for time
given vent to the violence OF his distress,
the COmmissary told him that he was al
| lowed quarter of an hour to settle his
affairs. In vain the banker prayed for a
longer interval, or at least for an oppor-
tunity to write TO the Empress and i'm.
plore her clemency. At length, although
| trembling for the consequences to his
own life, he consented, and he immedi-
ately after followed the letter himself;
but not having courage to present himself
| in court, he went to seek his friend ana
|
The Count thought that the Commits
sary must have made mistake, and took
him directly to the imperial palace.
There leaving him in an HIGHLANDER,
he obtained admission to the presence OF
the Empress to whom he related the
whole affair.
What was his establishment to over
hear the Empress exclaim: "Just heaven
what atrocity! There can be no doubt
that Neicloff (the Commissary) is mad
Quick! Count, take horse before 1t is too
late, and deliver my poor banker from his
alarm; and assure him of my favor and
good wishes"
The Count fastened to communicate
this order to the Commissary, and was
vet more astonished when returning to
tie presence Of the Empress he heard her
eIclaim, amid bursts Of the loudest laugh.
ter:
Nov I understand the cause Of this
strange and incomprehensible scene. !
have for years had fine dog, which !
valued highly, and I had given him the
name of 6aderland, both for the sake of a
JOKE on my good banker, and also in COM
plment to the English gentleman from
whom obtained the dog. Early this
morning gave orders to Neiclof to take
of his skin entire, in order to have 1t
stuffed, as the poor thing was dead. He
seemed to hesitate whether to obey, and i
was very angry, because thought 1t was
a silly pride on his part. "-Cinctnnats
Gazette.
/ Iuu laInoaf farm In EnUland cnmnria.