Connecticut western news., 1878-07-18
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 Don't Lose Your POcketbOOk.

A corTospOnQenb or the Shemeld IeLe- gra2oh relates the following story, which he says Illustrates forcibly one phase of life in St. Petersburg: "Ayoung shoe maker from Edinburgh, MT. B. by name, passed a few days here for pleasure. One day he went into the Post office to purchase ar postcard. Having written this card, which was simply to inform his friends of the time at which he expected to reach his home, he left the office, He had scarcely got outside when he found that he had for gotten to take up his pocketbosk, which while writing he had placed on the table in the office. He returned imme- diately, and found the clerk in charge very busy counting the bank notes and 20-mark pieces, which were the chief contents of his pocketbook. |" Excuse me-" said MT. B., in German, "I have forgotten my pocketbook will you be so kind as to give it back to me ?" The Russian official kept the book in his hands, and stared at MT. B---- as if he did not understand him. He who had spoken German quite fnently only a few moments ago, now could only shrug his shoulders, as he put away the for eign money in the recesses of his capa-, cious Russian pocket. MT. B----- then addressed himself to the other clerks, and one of them cried in an imperious voice, "Take off your hat r The Eng l1shman had forgotten that in his hurry. and immediately complied with the rudely expressed dictate. He then asked once more for his pocketbook. |" s..tThe book," was the officials reply, syou cannot have just now; you must, in the first place, give satisfactory proof that you are the owner" .'H ','' ,'-'.. l. ',' p Well" said the young man, "look then in the pocketbook and you will find my passport and other belongings with my signature" which, of course, he was not prepared to write for the benefit of the official. .rs '@ '" '7.'' ..'' -' '',
 "Not now, sir,p was the Russian s answer. "We shall examine your pa
 pers tomorrow you may then come again. = .-as sut -d5t jst2'~ .,,
 " But I want to start tomorrow" re- ! piled MT. B.. i4u34a} 3omp5iet
 z That is no business of ours, ," re- piled the Russian gentleman "' 70 -.2' Very much put about, MT. B.. --.'con con tinued to insist on the, uselessness and inconvenience of putting off till to4 morrow what so easily could have been done at the time, but he could get no other answer from the Russian official than this i.........sn ..5 ,,, .ta~ ,.a u "We don't care," and "We have no time." " ''9"r '...,.t. Finally MT. B----s went to the English Consulate and stated his case. The Con- sul went with him to the Post-oface, but was told that the book with the money had already been sent to the Police Office. Then to the Police Office went the Consul and his compatriot. The book and money had not been heard of 1; no doubt they were still at the Post office. And thus for three days the Con sul and MT. B-~- were kept running from the Police Office to the Post-ofice, and from the Post-ofice to the Police Office without getting any satisfaction. At last, when the British Consul became very serious, the Russian authorities gave back the pocketbook to MT. B., but how? paaY ai ,aaE reuat 'f'
 The Russian official Gospodin Tal- koy, we may call him-kept back .e7 of the money, and this simply because the pocketbook was left for few moments on a table in Government office in Russia. Imagine such thing happen ing in England or in Germany. MT. B. asked for what reason this sum about third part of the contents of the pocketbook- kept back. The Rus sian added insult to injury. (" I do not want your money" he said, t'but I like to make an Englishman give a. donation to the new volunteer Russian fleet; that is where your gold will be, sent" "''
 MT. B. had to pocket the affront, and the Russian pocketed the money. r,