, 1889-12-22
AsrounDeD THE powAeEa.
An American Girl in It Petersburg A !.
serts Her Independence.

An American Girl in ST. Petersburg As
serts Her Independence.
The following is a narrative of an
incident which occurred in st. Peters
burg some years ago.. The American
lady concerned is the daughter of a
prominent public benefactor, has for
years been a social leader in Washing
ton, d h wife of a leading statesman
and would be recognized instantly if
her name might be mentioned. The
half dozen initiates will remember the
incident.
A grand reception IA in progress
at the palace of q high Russian digni-
tary. Members of the cabinet, gen
erals OF the army, grand dukes, the
nobility of the empire aud the diplo-
matte corps were present. 1t was a
notable affair. Four young ladies
three Russian and one American-had
gathered into a little nook screened in
palms, and We're discussing in French
the dowdy appearance of a high court
lady. Some eavesdropper caught their
remarks and bore them to the criti-
cised lady. She in turn Indignantly
reported the conversation to a noble
duchess, who held the peculiar office
OF mistress of etiquette" She re-
tired to IA private room and had the
four culprits summoned before her.
They appeared, the Russian girls in
fear and trembling, the American girl
calm and self possessed.
Young ladies'" said she, you
have been commenting discourteously
upon the personal appearance of Lady
-. You have committed a grave
breach of etiquette, and it is my duty
as court mistress of etiquette to pun
ish you. Olga, your slipper"
The trembling Olga took off her
slipper, and meekly received a sound
punishment of the sort confined in
America exclusively to the nursery.
"katlar 1t is your turn. Give me
your slipperl' said the memorable
duenna, as the weeping Olga arose
from her castigation. Katia took her
Cruel with audible lamentations, and
Tania followed the suffering Katia.
All the while the American girl
watched and waited. The indignities
thrust upon her companions reused
the Hail Columbia in her. Her eyes
flashed and her little hands clinched
with excitement.
st is your turn now" said the mis-
tress of etiquette to the fair American;
your slipper, please"
Columbia's blood was up. There was
fighting stock back of her for gener-
atoms. She removed her slipper and
drew near, but she held the slipper by
the TOE. AT proper range she swung
the missile and struck the old lady in
the mouth a fearful clip. Then she
sailed in. Laces, feathers and furbe-
lows flew. Fingernails fetched blood.
n zen ~ Ia.,. nd f1n O. Da+nI,x. FL.
ions of 1868 filed the air.
The creams of the thoroughly
frightened mistress of etiquette brought
a crowd. The door was battered down.
The three Russian girls were scream
ing in their respective The
old lady was hors du combat, and a
fiery eyed Goddess of Liberty stood in
the center of the room, waving a tuft
of gray hair in one hand and a jeweled
hair dagger, with which she had been
trying to stab the Russian, in the
other.
The mistress of etiquette fairly
screamed with iinpotent rage, shower
ed maledictions in broken French,
German and Russian upon her CON
queror, and demanded that the most
condign punishment be melted out to
her. The matter was carried to- the
czar. Nicholas made a pretense of
furnishing the young lady by issuing
some order against her appearing at
any ball for a certain period, but the
old liberator was immensely tickled.
He showered the most embarrassing
presents upon the American-beauti-
full slippers of every kind and descrip-
tor, silver slippers and gold slippers,g
and finally wound up by sending her
a hair dagger set with diamonds
Washington Post