The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-12-29

bOSSIuS. OCoLA .youA WIN WAoLAA oAO
hour Great as was my affection for
poor Sonderland, his beauty was his
greatest charm. There are others as
faithful and as affectionate, and I shall
now always have him to look at (; he is
certainly splendid creature. Go and
make all speed possible Have the words
sThe Favorite of the Empress, in letters
of gold on black pedestal three feet in
height"
"There, my poor Sonderland, you
see," said the Chief of Police, sit is not
who have gone mad"
"Then it is the Empress, said Sender
land. Unhappy sovereign, she has lost
her mind"
CAN the worse for u.s." sighed the
wretched Russian.
"As soon as I felt sure of her real
| meaning, I fell on my knees and begged
her not to intrust the terrible news to
| me to reconsider her intention. I hardly
knew what I said. For answer she
pointed to the door,
"H Sonderland is not taken to the
| taxidermist within an hour, you shall be
knouted and sent to Siberia, she said.
wretch that am, am here with the
news"
"Let me see the Empress let me
know what I have done. Let me write.
Take a note to her from me"
"I dare not" said the Chief of Police.
"I have wife and seven children. You
are dear, but they are dearer to me-"
| Sonderland began to hope that the
Empress only wished to play practical
joke upon them, and pitying his friend
| g., -, o,,l h. h.
after few moments more, arose and
offered to go with him at once. Wrap
| ping themselves in their furs, both men
jumped into the sleigh at the door.
Meanwhile he had written letter to
the Empress, and calling servant, dis
patched it by him. AS yet no one
guessed at the reason of this visit from
the Chief of Police, and the servant had
no fears concerning the safety of his er-
rand.
Meanwhile the two getlemen pro-
ceeded together to the house of the tax
hopeful-for an Englishman could not
believe that such command could be
given in earnest-the Russian half mad
with horror. In fact, in delivering the
command of the Empress he lost COM
| Iuduu Ol LIS NOlC6 duu ld1uI6u AWAY.
The taxidermist himself grew pale.
"This is my sentence of death, as
well as yours" he said to Sonderland,
"for I do not know how to stuff man,
and 1 know what Expresses are
think it can be done"
"I am sure it is only a Jest of ouI
sovereign's," said Sonderland.
| Tho R11csiopc cbnoLr fhai1 hooda R111
at this instant loud tramping was
heard, and armed men entered, seized
upon the Chief of Police, Sonderland anc
the taxidermist, forced them into q
sleigh and drove madly away to the Roy
al Palace.
Sonderland still kept his courage. A
man knows well enough when woman
really likes him, but the Russians knew
that if the Empress had lost her senses
her maddest mandate must be obeyed
Perhaps they would now be all stuffed
Led into the royal presence, they
found Catherine furiously pacing the
floor.
Wretched madman," she shrieked
to the poor Chief of Police, "what have
you been about?"
; The poor fellow fell upon his knees.
"My Empress" he cried, "endeavor
ing to obey you, though it broke m.
) heart
, "And you, beastp she cried to th'
taxidermist.
, The taxidermist also prostrated him
/ self with his teeth chattering in his
head.
} "My Empress" said Sonderland, of
fering her tie paper she had written
"here is your royal mandate. Their,
were some difficulties (purely profes
: sional) in the way of stutfing me
, Otherwise should have been alread,
{ int an attitude of supplication on blacl
, marble pedestal, make no doubt"
4 "Great Heaven !" cried Catherine
' "My friend-my most faithful and mos
I earnest friend-how dared you believ
3 me capable of such thing? And you
idiots, get up" And she spurned tn
crouching men with her royal foot 81
/ was my dog, my favorite spaniel-whor
: I had named after this dear Sonderlan
y because he was SO handsome-that
3 ordered you to stuff He died last night
The whole palace knew that. Goo
> heavens !"
: The absurdity of the mistake force
itself upon the royal mind at this instant
Catherine, in the midst of her rage, be
4 gan to laugh, and ended by CROWN
q good-natured.
: "Amusing idiots" she said, ego, an
0 always obey me as well as you hav
done to-day. I see, at least, that 20
: meant we'll"
And thereupon the Chief of Police an
g the taxidermist crept away, thankful fo
= their lives, to convey the dead dog to il
destination. And Sonderland went
lunch with the Empress, who leant upo
his shoulder as they walked togethe
g through the Palace.