The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-12-30
s.yift Justice in Russia.


ou.lv received. He stayed mt Warsaw
, for (. week, and his host showed him
evcYy thing worth seeing in the town.
Indeed the visitor was quite ovorwhelm-
ed by the unusual amount of Kindness,
rarely shown to any but friends of long
standing. At length the pleasant visit
drew to close, and after breakfast the
guest expressed his wish to see some
parts OF the town OF which he had
heard
But" said he. Il have with me n
small box of great value that ! do not
like to risk in such places; if it were my
own | should not be 50 particular; but
it was intrusted to me by friend who
requested me to deliver il to person
in another town 1t contains diamonds
and other valuablcs. Wonld you do
me the great favor of taking charge of
it for the day.
The host, With his usual urbanity,
agreed to this proposal, and the merch
ant departed with a light heart on his
tour of inspection.
Next morning after breakfast. he cor
daily thanked his kind entertainers for
their jealous hospitality, and added
would now resume his charge of the
box. which had never before quilted
his person since he had received it from
its owner. The host and hostess stared
at him in well-acted amazcment.
"What box" asked the host Il re-
member no box do you, my dear? ="
turning to his wife.
No, she aaid, 81 have 40 recollec-
ton OF any box whatever
What was it like asked the host.
Perhaps yon left it in your own room. y
But the merchant perssting that il
was with the host himself it had been
left on returning to his hostess and fry
ing to make her rccollect the circum-
stance, both. after appealing to each
other several times. and fortifying each
other in their denial, became cold and
distant, and began limiting that some
thing must have happened to the mer-
chant to induce him to persist III so
strange a dclusion. As the host touched
his forehead with a significant glance,
the poor man remembered that he was
iii strange city, and the ground seemed
slipping from under his feet =; danger to
himself doomed in the distance, and he
fastened from the house in alarm.
Straight to the police he went and
stated his case. The official listened
imperturbably to the whole story, and
then asked
"You gave mp this valuable box to an
acquaintance of weeks standing, with
out any witness or any written acknowl-
edgment?"
He had been so very kind, and Il
man in his position
" Bah-you a man of business But
have You no proof that the box belongs
to yOu?"
None whatever. except the key. 1t
is locked and | have the key-here it
is" and he produced a small key from
an inner pocket.
The official remained in thought for
some time, and then said
well" will do the only thing |
can for You. The Archduke Constan-
tine. the Governor of Poland, is a stern,
harsh man, but he is known for his Wig
orous Justice. and. if he believes your
story. he will do his best for you. |
will take you to him at once
No time was lost. and the merchant
soon found himself in the archduEes
presence. and was desired to relate his
story When it was concluded, the
archduke, after moments reflection,
rang a bell An official entered.
Send for NJ" naming a treach
erous host.
1t was quickly done, and the archdukc,
without question or preamble. said to
the guilty man
sit down at the writing-tabc. and
,,,,,+, nc I cba11 Iin!,tn ~ va, -
The man took seat, and took up a
pen the archdukc began debating
My dear wife All is found ont -
No: | won't write that" said the
man, springing from his seat
Then You are guilty" was the
prompt answer.
Puzzled and foiled. he resumed his
seat and wrote as he was desired.
Ny dear wife: All is found ont.
Send the box by the bearer
Then he signed it with his own name.
by the archduke's order, and mcsscn-
ger Wa, dispatched with it. The mes
scngor found the lady at her toilet !:
when she read the missive she turned
ashy pale. trembling violently. Then.
leaning forward. she drew the box from
the recess in her table. and hand
ed it to the bearer, who, swiftly return
ing. placed it in the hands of the arch
duke. He Immediately handed it to the
merchant desiring him to unlock it !;
and that being done, he asked whether
the diamonds were all there Yes. the
box had not been opened they were
exactly as the merchant had left them.
Again the archduke rang the bell. and