Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-12-03
Il Testing MarshaI

ter than whole pages Of description
the wonderful way in which he con
trived to adapt himself to the rude
spirits with whom he had to deal,
without losing one ioi Of his author
ity.
What Napoleon WIS to The French,
Suvorot' was to the Russian army
now testing with soldier, now re-
buking a general; one day sharing a
ration of black bread beside Il blvouac
fire, and the next speaking as an
equal to princes and potentates. In
fact, the Two great sponsors of Rus
sian wit form a most picturesque
contrast. Balkairefi was very nuch
the character of a spaniel in hons
cage-adniring even while mocking
his formidable patron, behaving to-
ward him with half waggish, half
atfectionate familiarity, perpe;ually
forgiven. Suvoroff comes before us
an nncroWned king, one whose au-
thoriiy needed no outward symbol;
an autocrat OF natures making, full
OF rough, hearty familiarity that was
in 10 danger Of breeding contempt,
and surrounded by men who enjoyed
the 6onhomDie while they dreaded
the displeasule of the little, pug
nosed, grimmy man, who was, IL their
eyes, the incarnation of earthly pow
er and grandeur.
/ 1t must be owned, however, hat in
his own = culiau vein ot pleasantly
the Marshal more than once met with
his match. One Of his fayorte Jokes
WAS to confuse man by asking him
Unexpectedly:
"How many stars are there in the
sky"
On one occasion he PM Ibis ones
ten to one Of bis senilirs on a bitter
january night, snch as Russia ..aD
produce. Ihe solAier, not whit dis
turbeh, answered coOily:
"WMt a little and lllteN you, and
he deliberately bcgau to count, "One
two, three, etc.
In this way he went graNely on TO
I 100, at which point uorott,, who WAS
already half frozen, thought 1t nigh
time to drlve off., not, however, With
out inquilHay the name OF The ready
reckoner.
The next day tie latter touud iiiu'-
self pronoted, aud the story {N iich
SuvoroH toll with great glce o his
staff speeail, made its way tArough-
ont the army.
} On another occasion one Of his
} generals Oi divisions sent hln ser
gean, viii dispatches, al he same
time recommending ihe bearer 10
Snyoroil's notice. Yhe Marshal, AS
usual, proceeded TO test him 10y a
series OF whimsical questions; but
the catechumen was equal to the oc.
4 caSlon.
"Now far is ii to the mom:" asked
Suyor0f'.
"Iwo Of your ENce'Iency's forced
marches,' a swered the sergeant.
"Supposing YOU were biockaded
and had no provisions lett, how would
you supply yourseif:'
.'Fron the eueiuy-"
"How many fish are there in the
sea-"
"As many as lave not been canght."
And so the examination went on
III SuvoroH. hndmg his pew ac-
qnai tanee armed al all points, Ai
J length asked him, as a hnal poser:
"What is the difference between
your colonel and myseli:"
the difference is this replied the
soldier. coolly, "my colonel eannot
make Il captain, bat your EXcellency
( has only to say the word.
Suvorofi. struck by bis shrewdnesS
kept his eyes upon the man, and iii
no long time after actually gave him
the specified promotion.
The anecdotes Of the graf Mar
shal's e,ceutrIcities, his habit OF WALL
dering about the camps in disguise,
his whim Of giving the signal OF as
sauIt by growing like Il cock, his say
age disregard OF personal co,nt"rt
and ueatuess are beyond calculation;
but perhaps the most characteristic
OF them all was his appearance, in
/ l799, ut the Austrian court, ihen one
J of the most brilliant in Europe
: On being shown 10 Il room pre-
pared for him-a splendid apa tment
flled With costly mirrors and rch
fnmitnre-this modern DiogeneS said
simply: X
"Ium out the rubbish and shake
me down son.e straw"
An AuStriau grandec who came to
visit him was startled AT these pre-
paralions, and still more SO at lhe
first sight Of the Marshal'S bag
gage" which consisted OF TWO co roe
shirts and tauered cloak tied up in
/ II bundle.
''is that enough Tor wtu'er?" asked
I the asto.slted visitor.
"'"he. winters the father OF Us Rts-
sians," answered SnvoroH, with a
grin; '.beSiles, you aon't feel The ecll
when yon're riding NJ tnll galop."
"Bnt when ,n're tired OF riding
what DO yon do?'
"W ak"
"But when YOU are tired OF walk
ing?"
( "Run."
"Aud do you never sleep, then:"
asked the petIlded queStioncr.
"Sometimes, when | have nothing
better to do.' replied Suvorotf, care
lesslv; sand when | want to have a
very luxurious nap take off one of
my spurs"
The thunderstruck Austrian bowed
and retired, doubtless considerably
enlightened in his ideas Of 4 Russian
general.
a Married Weman's Tho ghts.