Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-01-04
From Our Regular Correspondent
81, Petersburg Letter.
ST.. PETERSBURG, Dec.


ST.. PETERSBURG, Dec. II, 'Sl.
Considerable interest was excited in the
Russian capital short time ago by
curious case tried before the chief magis.
trate of the eighth police district. both
plaintiff and defendant being persons well
known in the upper circles OF st. Peters
burg society The former. Michael Grds
dinski. a noble by birth, is fashionable
dancing master. phlrunLsd by the court
and aristocracy; the latter Captain lie
Breseuski, II staff officer of the imperial
guard. 1t appears that Grusdnski had
given twenty dancing lessons. ut he rate
of two roubles per lesson-his regular
cnarge-to the captains youthful dangh'e
and has applied repeatedly for payment OF
his bill, but in vain. One evening ht
called upon De Bresenskl in person to
collect his forty roubes, and was sho wn
into a dining room, where the gallant
guardsman, whose speech and demcanor
exhibited unmistaklble symptoms Of
vinous excitement, greeted him will
aft cionate jovialitv, and, in reply &c
Grusdinskls respectful request for settle
ment of account, declared himself ready
and willing to pay up on the spot 10 thu
last kopeck, upon one rifliag condition =
that his creditor should there and ther
dance the Kamorinski," for his, Bresen
skis, special and praticular delectation
This the Terpsichorean professor slldf'st'
ly refused to do; whereupon Bres-nski's
cheerfulness incontinently for>ook him
and, summoning his servants, he com
manded hem to show the dancing dos
into the street." They fulfilled his orders
to the letter. Charged with assault
Captain de Bresenski attempted to excus'
his conduct on the ground that he ha'
intended to pay Grusiinski IL complimnn
in asking him to dance, and on his abrup
refusal to comply with his request, ht'
been m wed by natural Indignation to tur
him out of doors. The court, however
failing to recognize the force Of this Ar
gument, sentenced Captain de BresenSk
to suffer three days Imprisonment, and t,
pay the outraged dancing masters CLAIM
in full.
Reports having reached the governor q
Ppltava that the nuns of Walikobud wer
string up the Senkoff peasantry ag4lns
the sanitary commission visiting ,thn
district. denouncing the commissioners II
imps of Satan, and their disinfectant pre-
cedures as sorcery inspired by the for
fiend. bis excellency disp ,tched an otfi ia
in high authority, accompanied by
strong police force, to the convent i
question with orders to " bring the sed
tious sisters to their senses When tn
official arrived at the convent. high mas
was being celebrated. He awaited tn
conclusion of the ceremony in the church
and then, as the congregation were pre-
pairing to leave, he addressed them il
energetic language, representing to Their
that the sanitary commission had bee
sent to them for their good, and that tn
nuns, in denouncing it as work Of tn
devil. had grossly imposed upon thei
credulty. 40 prove" he added, hoy
utterly unfounded are these wicked alleg,
tons, shall proceed forthwith to dislnfet
this church and convent" He had harll
spoken these words, when tumult brok
out among the nuns, some of whor
attacked him and his following, Will.
others rushed to the belfry and rang
furious alarm peal Soon a number {
peasant women. armed with brooms an
fire irons and hay forks, appeared upo
the scene and get upon the policemen wit
such ferocitv. that the latter were con
PEELED, in sheer self defence. to III Ike us
OF their side arms. Repeated charges upo
; the enraged women, however, failed
dispense or rut them to fight, and after
desperate struggle, in which several
his men were disabled, the officer himse
severely hurt, was compelled to beat
hastv retreat.