The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-12-21


at advertising rates. Announcements Of marriages
and Deaths and notices ofa religious character, are
respectfully solicited, and will be inserted gratis
THE COST OF A TRAIN.
,,--.-..- 80; = 3.i.. -.
At the time when the first open court
of law was established in Russia, lady,
dressed with the utmost elegance, was
walking on the Moscow promenade, lean
ing upon her husbands arm, aud letting
the long train of her rich dress sweep the
dust and dirt of the street. :. .s a..
A young officer, coming hastily from a
side street, was so careless as to:catch one
of his spurs in the lady's train, and in an
instant q great piece was torn out OF the
costly but frail material of the dress.
II beg thousand pardons, madam,
said the officer, with polite bow, and
then was about passing on, when he was
detained by the lady's husband.
"You have insulted my wife"
Nothing was farther from my inten-
tons, sir. Your wife's long dress is to
blame for the accident, which sincerely
regret, and / beg you once more to re-
ceiye my apologies for any carelessness
on my part" Thereupon he attempted
to, hasten on. ..........> .'l.
afYou shall not escape so," said the
lady, with her head thrown back in a
spirited way. "To-day is the first time l
have worn this dress, and it costtwo hun
dred rubles, which you must make good"
"My dear madam,yI beg you not to de-
tain me. I am obliged to go on. duty at
once. As to the two hundred rubles-I
really cannot help the length of your
dress, yet I beg your pardon for not hav-
ing been more cautious" ~
".Yousha not stir, sir. That you are
obliged to go on duty is nothing to us.
My wife is right; the dress must be made
good.Y III 8UGY Ct
The officers face grew pale.
"You force mes-to break through the
rules of the service, and ] shall receive
punishment.
"Pay the two hundred rubles and you
aresEee.D, e,s:.st So: -:
The quickly changing color in the
young mans lace showed how .iinwardly
disturbed he: aasi; but stepping close up
to them both he SAID, with apparent self
command: sss.,s s;.ss.ss@:s -
.ssYou viii renounce your claim when /
tell you that am a-a poor man, who
has nothing to live ON but his officers
pay, and the amount of that pay hardly
reaches the sum of two hundred rubles in
.awhole year.s ] can, therefore, make no
amends for the misfortune except by
again begging your pardon"
"Oh anybody could say all that; but
we'll see if it's true; we'll find out if you
have nothing but your pay. I declare
myself not satisfied with your excuses,
and ! demand my money" persisted the
lady, in the hard voice of thoroughly
unfeeling woman.
,5;seT That is true-you are right" the hus-
band added, dutifully supporting her.
aBy good luck we have the open court
now Just in session. Go with us before
tie Judge and he will decide the matter"
All further protestation on the officers
part that he was poor, that he was ex-
pected on duty, did not help matters.
Out of respect for his uniform, and to
avoid an open scene, he had to go with
them to the court room, where the gale
fy was densely packed with crowd of
people. ~
After waiting some time, the lady had
leave to bring her complaint.
"What have you TO answer to this COM
plaint?" said the judge, turning to the
officer, who seemed embarrassed and half
iuSdespair. ~ :; - .
con the whole, very little. AS the
lateness of the hour, compelled me to
hurry, 4 did not notice the lady's train,
which was dragging on the ground. I
cstiyht one of my spurs in it, and had
the misfortune to tear the dress.
Madame would not receive my excuse,
but perhaps she might find herself more
disposed to forgiveness, when again de-
clare, so help me God, that committed
this awkward blunder without any mis-
chievous intention, and earnestly beg
that she will pardon me"
A murmur ran through the gallery,
evidently from the people taking sides
with the defendant, and against long
trains in general, and the lady in partic-
ular.
The Judge called to order, and asked,
explanation :"
NOG at 8Ik SdtlSucu. uVHA1Ao WV
hundred rubles in payment for my torn
DRESS"
: Defendant, will you pay this sum-"
"I would have paid it long before this
had 4 been insa position to- do so. I'm
fortunately I am poor. My! pay as an
officer is all / have to live Oh"
"You hear, complainant, that the de-
fendant is not able to pay the sum you
demand ofhim. Do you still wish the
complaint to stand?"
An unbroken stiffness reigned through
out the hall, and the young officers
breath could be heard coming hard.
"I wish it to stand. The law shall
give me my rights"
There ran through the rows of people
murmur of indignation that sounded
like rushing of water.
"Consider, complainant, the conse-
quence of your demand. The defendant
can be punished only by being deprived
of his personal liberty, and by that you
could obtain no satisfaction, while to the
defendant it might prove the greatest in
Jury in his rank and position. as an officer,
and especially as he is an officer who is
poor blu uePenooi'' opou ui' Fs.'. a.,
you still insist upon your complaint
81 still insist upon it."
The course the affair was taking seemed
to have become painful to the lady's
husband. He spoke with his wife urgent
", but as could be seen by the way she
held up her head and the energy with
which she shook it, quite uselessly. The
Judge was just going on to further con-
slider the case, when loud voice Vas
heard from the audience:
81 will place the two hundred rubles at
the service of the defendant
There followed 8 silence, during which
a'gehtleman forced his way through the
crowd and placed himself by the young
officers side.
"Sir. am the Prince of W, and
/ L.