Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13
Interviewed BY An Emperor.

Forbes gives the following account of how he
was interviewed by the White Gar:
Just as I rode into the square, Gen. Ignatief
came out of Prince Dolgoroukis tent, and met
me full face.
"Ha, Mr.. Forbes where from now. you great
galloppeY?" was the generals jovial greeting.
had gained some little reputation among the
Russian headquarter people for hard riding
when news had to be carried fast.
From the Schipka," was my reply. 81 saw a
battle there all day yesterday, and left Radetski
ut last night
The deuce you didr' returned Igpatief,
bluntly. "Why we have no tidings so late. You
have beaten all our orderlies! Come into my
tent and tell me the story
just then what could least afford, when l
grudged every moment that kept me from the
general for many kindness. and it would have
been neither grateful nor seemly to have ex-
cused myself.
"And you think" was his comment as con-
Guided a narrative which l made short as
decently coud-"you think that Radetski can
hold on, that the Sehipka is safe?''
''FOr what my conviction may be worth.
general, was my response; II prove it best in
the fact that 1 am here. 1 shall commit my
self to it in the telegram, to dispatch which to
the Daily Ne,rs am hurrying to Bucharest"
well. your belief is dead in the face of all our
opinions here You know your own business
our experts wrong!''
1t was time for me to say word to protect
myself it seemed from the generals tone as if
'''A>
false position.
Remember" said /, "you have asked me for
my opinion, general. / did not bring il to YOU
as a volunteer. Now that you have got it, Ibeg
OF you to take it simply for what it may be
worth"
And with this left Gen. Ignatieff and went
across the square to Col. Wellesley to whom.
while was eating, and while his groom was
getting my fresh horse ready, gave succint
summary OF the situation according to my
lights But my conversation with our military
ottdche was abruptly Interrupted.
Hi: hi! MI Forbes! Where are you? 1 want
you at once. was the summons that presently
reached me in Gen. Ignatieffs strident tones
"Oh, come along! Make no delay! l have re-
lated to the emperor the information YOU have
given me, and he at once commanded me to 90
find you. make you his compliments and eX-
press his desire that You will come and relieve
his anxiety by telling him all you known
This summons from the great White Car
himself was 10 doubt complimentary but il
was also embarrassing. was in great hurry,
1or the Ddsty NeWs was more to me than We're
all the emperOrs of the habtable globe And
then the state l was in. l do not profess to
have been brought up among emperOrs: but I
some sense of decency, and know that "a man
ought to wait ON an emperor in his Sunday
proper Sundays either, for three months and 1
was conscious that my personal appearance
was fiagrantly disreputable. l had been wear
night. night and day. The black of my saddle
had come Oft on TO them with great liberality;
and they We're spotted down the front with
poor DragomirOffs blood. which had been
trickling when we had helped to carry him out
OF the fire. was all over about half an inch
was cheerfully relieved by fiery sun-biisters,
and by IL stubby beard of about q week $
growth. l had not washed for three days. and
altogether felt myself humiliatingly dilapi-
dated representative OF that great empire ON
which the sun never sets. But I.natietf was
peremptory, and insisted that tho emperor in
the circumstances would by no means Stand on
ceremony. He told me that be had ventured
TO rouse his imperial master from sleep to COM
munieate to him the Intelligence, which 1 had
brought and he presently ushered me through
the CoSsack guard into the dingy alcove which
was to form the hall Of audience. The I'm
periai residence was u dismantIed Turkish
house, the balcony on the upper foor of which,
where we found the emperor 1mpatiently strid-
Ing to and fro, was Enclosed with curtains of
the rugged boards. A glimpse into the bed
chamber, whence the emperor had crncryed
showed me tiny cabin with mud walls and a
little camp bedstead standing on mud floor.
The Emperor, who was quite alone, received
me with great courtesy, shaking hands and
paying me a compliment on the speed with
which had Travelled. 1t was about the wor,t
period of ill fortune to the Russian arms and
the haras,ment of anxiety and misclance was
ton. He carried himself with rounded shout
ders: he was gaunt, worn and haggard; his voice
qulvered with nervousness, and was fitfuly in
eerfupted oy the asthma that affected him. \
few months later, when Plcvna had fallen and
that tardy success had revolutioniZed the situa-
ton, saw his majesty in st. Petersburg-a veri-
table t,nperor. upright of figure, proud OF gait,
arrayed IL splendid uniform. and his bosom
covered with decorations. \ glittering court
ana suite thronsed around the stately man
with enthusiastically respectful homage. The
dazzling splendOr OF the Winter Palace formed
the setting of the sulnptUouS picture; and as |
gaZcd on the magnificent scene l could hardly
realize that the central figure of it, in the pOnp
OF his imperial state. was Of u verify the self
same man in whose presence l had stood in the
squalid Bulgarian hOvei-the same worn anx-
1ous, shabby, wistful man, who with spasmo etic
utterance and the expression in his eye as of a
hunted deer. had asked Inc breathless questions
as to the episodes and issue Of the fighting.
The Good Old Times We Read AbOut.
A STORY OF THE DAYS BEFORE NATIONAL
BANKS AND EXPRESS COMPANIES
From the Hartford Courant.
y paper read by Mr.. F.. F. Starr, of Middle
town, some weeks ago before the Connecticut
Historical Society, presents very suggestively
through series of letters the difficulty in the
way of carrying on business between the states
about sixty years ago.
The Tennessee legislature in 1910 voted to
present swords to Gems. Andrew Jackson and
Edmund +. Gaines for their services i'm the
Seminole war. Hearing of this vote, Nathan
STAR, OF Mnaaef9wn, who was then about co-
the governor OF his ability to make a good sword
ana asking for this contract. He referred to the
Johnson sword. which he was making by order
OF the general government at the price of 200.
The tennessee officials examined it, found it
very satisfactory and offered $1,SOO for two,
Sc
accepted the offer and his troubles then began.
II took until January, 1921. to get the contract
made and the work started. By April the
authorltle: began to write to know how soon
they could have the swords, and giving direc-
tons for their delivery. They were to be taken
TO Washington and put into the hands of some
OF the Tennessee delegation in Congress- There
was no express then, and no way to get them
from Middletown to Tennessee except by special
messenger In March, 1892, the swords were
practically ready and Alr. Starr opened cores
pondence regarding his pay, He asked to be
paid i'll Washington, as funds cannot he GOT
from your state here short OF 10 or / per cen
discount The swords he explained had cost
him Sl,7SO and the expense OF taking them to
Washington would add $40 or 500 more His
pay was to be 81 500.
The governor replied that he could not nav q +
Washington as the state had no money there
Mr.. Starr delivered the swords in AIay and
asked for money, saying his whole outlay had
been 81 ,S56.73 The governor acknoWledged
their receipt, but said that, as the legislatures
would undoubtedly come i'm to prevent him
from loss. he would wait about remittinp until
they had acted. In July Mr.. Starr asks again
Tor any funds that can negotiate i'm New
YORK, Philadelphia or Boston without loss" In
october the governor wrote saying he would paw
the whole outlay, and adding:
r,, aiiG season Is approaching when the east
ern merchants may be disposed to purchase the
products OF this country, it is robable that Won
can negotiate bill on me. If so, il will he naid
on SIGHT In the current bank paper of this state
al a discount which Will make it equal To silver
III you cannot sell bill, it would perhaps be
your best plan to authorize some person M
Nashville to receive the money and vest il i'm
eastern funds" ~ 80
Mr.. Starr replied -
Il find ii impossible to negotiate a bill in New
York, or in that part of the country as no funds
appear 10 be wanted at the south and west bv
our merchants ~ W
Four months later the governor wrota tbot l. u
did not remit the money because of the ..di III
Guilty OF procuring suitable funds" II Still con.