Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-30
THE DEAD CAR.
oome fresh Anecdotes Illustrating his Character.
now Courier got Money by Anserinq Him,
sno now he Made his Courtiers Pay Their Debts

INV Courter got Money by Anqerinq Him,
'"' TOW ne made his Courtiers Pay Their Debts
From the New York Evening Post,
whenever the truth could reach his
ears the late Alexander never failed to
redress the wrong done by his repre-
senta9ves. His severity towards officers
VINO had betrayed their trust should
have commended him to the love of the
people. One morning some years ago
the car, who had started for walk In
the Jardl d'Ete with his favorite dog
Mliofd, was accosted by an old woman.
Not recognizing him she asked whether
ne was employed in the Winter palace.
les, answered the czar, "what can L
do for you ?''
linen the old woman told him that
long time before she had lent a large
sum OF money to high functuary in the
palace, and she could not get him to pay
her. She was in extreme poverty. she
said, and the sum would be a God-send
to her in the present circumstances.
The emperor inquired tor the officers
name and promised her that he would
use his influence to have the claim set
tled. Appointment was given her by his
imperial majesty for the morrow at noon
at the same place where they were stand
ing, If the gentleman failed to pay his
debt before that.
Returning to the palace, the emperor
sent for the debtor. The latter acknowl-
edged his indebtedness but pleaded lack
OF money. His majesty gave him the
money out of his pocket, telling him to
go at once and settle with his needy
creditor.
Next morning, however, the czar was
surprised to see the woman punctual to
the eventual appointment. He first
imagined she had come to express her
thanks, but he soon learned that she had
received nothing. The czar frowned and
ordered her to follow him to the palace.
He was III state of great excitement.
He walked so fast that the poor lady
could hardly keep step with him. When
she saw servants, soldiers, generals,
every one bow most humbly to her guide
she was stupefed. The guards were
about stopping her, but the czar made
sign, and no further hindrance was put
to her stepping into the imperial apart
ments. The functionary was summoned
What does this mean?" said the
emperor. You have not paid this
woman. What have you done with the
money L gave you?"
The officer made such piteous face
that the czar's anger almost gave place
to desire to laugh
Well, your majesty, replied the man,
on my way home / was assailed by so
many creditors that [ had nothing left
for this woman. How the jackals had
learned / had the money / know not;
but the fact is that they knew it and
forced me to surrender it. ;"
The car accepted the excuse, paid the
old lady, and issued a ukase to the effect
that the privileges which noblemen en-
loyed as regards the debts they had con-
tracted should be abolished. More than
one courtier who had hitherto violated
his most solemn engagements with men
OF the people was severely punished by
Alexander for not complying with his
orders.
When in the heyday of his manhood
Alexander III. had few rivals sports
man. Almost every Thursday then was
by him devoted to hunting. The chase
of the bear was his favorite exercise
An anecdote may be related in this con-
nechon which bespeaks the peculiar
courage with which he was endowed
This quality rather than dashing, was of
the passive kind One day he had fired
the two shots contained in his double
barreled gun at a bear, causing simply a
slight wound. The beast rose on his
hind paws, then savagely rushed for the
| sovereign, who was seated, as was GUS
tomary with him, on camp-stool. The
men who accompanied him naturally an
ticipated that the car, unarmed as he
was, would withdraw They were mis-
taken. The bear was not more than two
yards distant from the car, and the lat
ter had not moved from his seat. He
was saved by Petroff, who violently
pulled him back and sent a bullet through
the animals heart. Such was Alexan-
| der's nature never to recede.
This anecdote brings another to mind.
During sojou1n at Moscow, Alexander
expressed desire to hunt the bear in
the neighborhood. Explorers were des-
patched in different directions, but no
trace OF bear was to be found. Rather
than disappoint his majesty, bear was
purchased from some Barnum who owned
circus in the city. The animal was
carried to given point in the country
and let loose at the time when the imper-
ial hunter arrived on the spot. The
bear, however, o1ltwitted the emperor
courtiers. AS it came within sight of
the imperial party it probably thought
itself In the presence of it's usual specta-
tors and began to dance in it best style,
as ii it had been in a circus, and thus
saved it's life. The car heartily laughed
at the revenge the animal had taken I1p-
on his toadies, and ordered the harmless
brute to be placed in the st. Petersburg
geological garden.
The Minhfv MississinDi