Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-04
PRINCE BOLTIKOFF,


!. perhaps, than Fort Needham on the
South Coast, But it is at all times sc
strictly garrisoned that the integrit,
of the Empire might depend upon it,
tenure. / was once its garrison-I
Randall de Loutherberg Carruthers
Lieutenant of her Majestie's Roya
Regiment of Fencibles--th is to say
l with handful of soldiers, held il
against all corners My men were
better off than was, for they took il
in turn to mount guard upon the hon
eycombed ordinance and the tumbled
down gates of the fortress. They
had employment, | had none. !
bathed, breaktasted, and walked upon
the shore to eat, drink, sleep, and
smoke, made up the sum total of my
diversions. But that | was gifted
with powers of progression, | might
have been an oyster.
| One day, as usual, | strolled upon
the beach. The season was spring
time, the sky bright the sea like a
mirror Nothing ever broke the still
ness that reigned around Fort Need
ham, it lay off the highroad, no one
came near it; even the fishing boats
avoided the bay, because of the shoal
water. With my glass | swept the
horizon, now and again examined the
sea gulls or far eff sail.
What is that black thing bobbing
up and down in the water? A hen
coop or a whale or a new rock shot
up suddenly from beneath the waves
No, it is a boat of some sort very
low in the water, not unlike raft,
and there is figure on it, man pad
ding. He is making for the shore !;
slowly and surely he approaches.
Closer and closer. His face is plainly
visible inow, and his breast through
his open shirt. He handles his little
oars with skill and vigor-nearer and
near he comes. At length CRATE,
squeeze, thud, his raft has run aground
and he jumps onto the single.
The strangers first act was to throw
himself upon his knees and exclaim
fervently in French, "Thank God !!
Safe at last =
Then he rose and came to greet me
with the bow of finished courtier.
He was in rags, he wore only dilapi-
dated shirt of coarse calico, and pair
of tattered trousers reaching just be.
yond his knees, made apparently from
an old gray blanket; yet, in spite Of
all, he seemed gentleman. His man
ner was perfect, the English in which
he addressed me, though tinged with
a foreign accent, was pnre, and in in
donation decidedly well-bred.
"This is sorry plight in which l
find mpself, Monsieur. | am a waif
cast up by the sea: have been ship
wrecked. | never dreamt | should
reach the land alive"
"Shipwrecked?" asked. "When?
Where ? How ?"
yesterday | was on board my own
yacht, the Feodorowna-I am Prince
Boltikoff you know my rame per-
haps p he said, seeing that / bowed
at this introduction of himself. mo, l
am a Russian. | was ell route for
Cowes. Last night the yacht lay be-
Gained off the needles, was in my
berth-half reading, half doing, when
crack !-something crashed into the
side OF the yacht jumped from the
bed and rushed, as | was, on deck.
Il was collision Death stared us
one and all in the face. | snatched
up the first garments | could find
you see them,' he pointed, smiling, to
his rags-"and jumped overheard. |
am a good swimmer. At dawn | was
still ahoat. Then | got together a
few floating spars from the wreck,
made that little raft-good friend, it
has done its duty"-and as he spoke,
he pushed it back into the tide
"Adieu; go mon ami 60"
"May | ask, continued the stranger
as soon as the raft had drlfted away,
"may | ask where | am? Would you
have the extreme complaisance to d.
rect me to the nearest town 2"
"This is Fort Needham," said |.
"Yarchester is the nearest place
some dozen miles distant"
$50 far am hardly in walking
trim, fear, but | must make shift to
push on"
"Impossible. l cannot permit it.
lou need rest, food My quarters
are close at hand. | am the COM
mandant of the Fort"
"You are then an English officer !
| might have guessed it. You are all
generous as You are brave. was
with Menschikoff at Sebastopol, and |
learnt to respect you then"
"If You are yourself a soldier,
Prince, il is the more incumbent upon
me to be your host"
With this led the way into the
fort. The admission of such later
demalion rather surprised the deco
rous sentry, but my servant who was
called to assist at the Princes toilet,
soon spread the real story through.
out the barracks.
\ bath, my razor, and complete
rigout of my clothes, made wonder
full change in tue Princes appear
ance He was evidently person of
the highest distinction-not exactly
handsome, his smooth shayen face
was too sallow, and his cheek bones
too high, but he had good features,
and dark, penetrating eyes. He made
the mistake also of wearing his hair
too short; it was clipped so short
that his head looked like a round
shot.
your clothes fit me to a marvel,
mon cher NJ Carruthers. 1t would
not be indlscrete to ask your tailor
name He is an artistic"
/ was battered and replied readily :
"Mr. Schneider will be glad TO get
an order from you, Prince"
"He shall have it. His cut is SUI
; perb."
Then we sat down to lunch. The
Prince, although aristocratic to his
/ finger tips, had the most plebian APP
petite within a few moments he had