Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-11-13
4 CONVICT GUIDE IN sEaYIA.
A RussI ans visit 10 the citadel. and
the incidents which Made ft Mem
Ornble,

a Russi ans visit 10 the citadel. and
the incidents which Made IL Mem-
OrRble.
A correspondent of the London
Telegraph writes: "The oddities
of Belgrade life, normal and abnor-
NAL, Certain features of the Rus
sian occupation taking a conspicu-
GUS place in the latter category, |
would fill q small and singularly
diverting volume ; but there are
serious, even tragical times, during |
which one hesitates, even under
the strongest temptation, to lay |
stress upon, or even call attention
to, the comic aspects of men and |
things Servian. Nevertheless, one
trifing incident Of recent occur
renee strikes me as being so intrin-
sically and harmlessly funny that
| cannot forbear narrating it as
nearly as possible in the words of
the person to whom. it happened
a young Russian of my acqualnt-
ance here. The gentleman, having
demanded and received permission
to inspect the citadel, was con-
Quoted over the works and the
Konak by the commandant, a stout
officer, who, however, when any
friend expresseda desire to ascend to
the top Of the minaret hard by, from
which an extensive view Of the sur
founding country is commanded,
excused himself from accompanying
M. De- to that " bad emineEce," "
but offered him a trusty guide, and
called up strapping young fellow
in Il sort Of fatigue uniform Of
drab-colored canvas, whom he in
structed 10 conduct the Gospodim.
Arrived upon the platform, Mr..
De- first took in the panorama
at his leisure, and then bent his
eyes downward toward the place
fronting the Konak, where he no.
ticed several exceptionally fine men,
clad in a costume exactly similar to
that worn by hiscompanion. "Tell
me-" he exclaimed, turning to the
latter, "who may those men be-
and to what branch Of the service
do they belong?" Look, Gospo-
din" replied mis- guide, " that one
| there is the brother of the Minis.
ter -; he has twenty years; il
I is because he killed his vile. That
f other one, the tall youth with thC
e sweeping mustache, he will not bC
here SO long. He is the son o
i Senator -. He only killed {
t man who offended him." An(
thus he went on with his catalogue
: 1t should be remembered that m,
4 friend, a slight and somewhat deli
! cate young fellow, was entirely alon
with his interlocutor, a sinewy gian
d of truculent aspect, upon a marrow
h ledge of stone sixty or seventy fee
s above the level of the ground. Hi
) feelings may be more readily imag
g ined than described when this gen
!, tleman in drab, who had just re
d vealed himself, by implication, t,
!. be a galeriano, turned to him will
d hideous jocularity, aud, slappinI
S him amicably on the shoulder, oh
Q served in tone of restrained pride
8 such as is assumed by modest merit
e 81 also am a twenty-years' man
a for you see ! too have killed m,
4 wife" Ny friend replied, in a
y steadyta voice as he could com
u mand for the moment, "That j
!, indeed very remarkable and inter
is esting, Perhaps am keeping yol
+ from your regular avocation?
think, perhaps, we had better G
:. down" When they got to the las
VI step of the staircase, the amiabl
misogynist turned short arounO
!. upon NJ. De, and, stretching
e oat his Tred right hand" eiacu
h lated, 81 like tles, Thou art
r good man. Let us cordially aRaqk
1t hands" What was my unfortunat
y friend TO do? Let us mercilull
c drop veil Oyer the inevitable accc
h lad6-the eliminating horror c
ia this tragicomical, eminently SeFyial
3 pnisOda.