Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-04-05
The POrter's Iron Collar.

"urSn, III VIC ihiust vi Wiue pam,
stands the ears country palace of
Tsarakoe-Selo Gears village the great
park Of which is q very pretty place
in fine summer weather. All through
June and July you may see the Rus
-ian children running about under the
trees by scores, with a shouting and
laughing that would do the Cars
heart good to hear. if he were any
where within reach. In every shady
spot you are pretty sure to find pic
mic party making merry on the grass
with two or three well filled lunch
baskets beside them; and when you
come to the little summer house near
the lake, you will most likely find at
least half dozen people in each. gath
cred around big bowl of prostokvash,
which is the Russian name for curds
and cream.
This lake is one Of the great sights
of the park, for it has boat house
filled with model Of every kind of
boat in the world, down to Greenland
fishing boats and Polynesian war
canoes and when they are all sent
floating over the lake after dark, hung
with colored lamps, they make a very
fine show indeed. But there is some
thing even better worth seeing little
farther on, and that is the palace mu-
scum, filled with strange presents which
have been given to the Russian Cars
by various kings, savage or civilized,
from jeweled sword presented by the
first Napoleon, to Persian carpet sent
by the Ameer of Bokhara.
On table near the door lies very
curious relic, which every one who
comes in notices at once. 1t is large
silver dish, rolled up like sheet of pa
pnr so as to make a kind Of funnel
and if you ask the old soldier who
shows the museum how it came to lie
twisted up like that, he will give
knowing grin, and ask you if you ever
heard Of Count Gregory Orloff.
This Gregory Orlofi' was a Russian
count who lived about hundred years
ago. and was not only n count, but an
admiral as well, though there were peo-
pie who said that if he had had to man
age the fleet by himself instead Of hav-
ing three or four excellent naval com.
mandcrs to help him, he would have
made poor job of it. But whatever
doubt there might be about his seaman.
ship, there was none about his strength,
for he was one of the largest and most
powerful men in Russia. Like MANY
other giants. he was perhaps, just lit
tie too fond of showing off his great
strength. Nothing pleased him more
than to bend a horseshoe between his
fingers, or pull out of the ground a
stake which no one else could move
and if one Of his sailors turned mutin.
Gus, and began to make noise, Orloff
would just take him by the throat, and
shake him rs n cat shakes mouse, af-
ter which the brawler was usually quiet
enough.
Now, it happened that one night this
-trong-handed admiral was at an even
ing party at the palace, and as he was
handing boquet Of flowers to one of
the ladies, the silver paper which was
wrapped around it slipped off. Orloff
said nothing, but stepped to the supper
table, and taking up a silver dish, rolled
it up like piece of paper, put the boz
luet into it, and handed it to the lady ;
and this is the dish you see in the mu.
scum.
Not long after this, Orloff arrived in
St. Petersburg from journey, and was
net at his own door by messenger from
he palace, who told him that the EN-
press particularly wished to see him,
ind that he must 60 to her at once.
Some men would have waited to put on
heir finest clothes, and to make them
elves look quite gay and dandiied, but
he admiral was used to obeying orders
It once, and off he started for the pal.
ice. just as he was.
Now, while the admiral had been
ourneying, there had come to the pal
ice a new hall porter who had never
cen him before. This porter was
trong fellow. although not nearly rs
zig as Orlof, and not nice tempered
nan by any means; so when he saw
he admiral's big, coarse-looking. ugly
igurc coming up to the door of the !
lately palace. in a dusty travelling
|ress, he shouted ficrcely:
"Be of. you vagabondl You've no
business here! Who are you, should
ike to knowr
Orloff never answered, bnt stopped
nd picked up long iron bar that
listened the door at night. One jerk