Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-02-22
VOL. IL.
AMlAet G eAReARlANs.
Anecdote of roistoi. tho Russlan Novelist.
aud fseuerst Melfkorf.

Anecdote Of Toistoi. the Russian Novelist.
aud General Melikou.
From the isar down to the humbisst
muiik, the Russians are more or less
barbarians. from the point OF view OF
the refined West. but certainly most
amiabie barbarians. so far as foreign
ers are concerned. Their hospitality
knows no limits; no trouble is too
great when il is u question of obliging
foreign visitor; but charming as they
are. you are constantly being reminded
OF the wildness of their real underly
ing nature by the strange contrasts Of
delicacy aud brutality. OF civilization
aud barbarism. which their daily life
offers. To hear the Russians talk
about the unwritten contem porary
history OF their social and national
life is like listening TO the stories oi
the Arabian Nights. The true nara.
tive OF SlSobeleff's career and death
anil the true narrative of the circum-
stances of the assassination Of the late
Tsar. are far more thrilling and ex-
traordinary than print has ever told.
As an example OF the strange con
trasts OF real Russia we will cite tive
anecdotes that were related To us by n
distinguished official. whose intention
was certainly not TO throw dust in our
eyes. or even To astonish us beyond
measure. The conversation happened
to turn upon General l.oris Melikoff.
the famous chief of the dreaded third
section" The Emperor. we were told
by our informant had given Lorin
Melikoff unbounded power TO nc,
against the Nihilists. and had virtually
created him vice Emperor as Melikofl
himself used to say. Now, MeliISon
had discovered that one Of the leading
Nihilist chiefs was in the habit OF FIRE
auently visiting Count Tolstoi. ths
novelist, and one day he went ont /,
Tolstofs country house. Before the
uisitor had announced himself, rolsto
recognized him. and said:
You are Loris Melikoff. chief of tn,
third section. DO you come to see m,
officially. or as private mane II yot
come officially. here are my keys
search. open every thing. You arr
free"
ii come not officially" replied Nell
koff.
very good" answered Tolstoi; an,
calling two mujiks. he said 10 them
Throw this man out Of the houser'
The mujiks obeyed Tolstoi to tn,
letter, and Loris Melikoff had to accep
this trea ment, for In his way Tolsio
Is q mightier man even than on
father the Tsar." In the eyes of tn
Russian people he is an exceptiona
being. being more than saint, au'
aam0s; savior.
The mention Of Loris Me,ikoi
brought up another anecdote. som
twelve years ago the Emperor sent 70
Melikoff and announced To him that tn
plague was raging in two villages q
the empire. and ordered HIM TO d
whatever was needful will. view /
stopping its ravages. at the same tim
giving him unlimited powers.
Thereupon LOris Melikof went firs
OF all 10 the Minister OF Finance. In
formed him that he should perhaps re
quire great deal of money in order I
carry out the Emperor's command.
aud demanded a credit of fifty million
of rubles The Minister of Financ
made long face. but was unable To RI
fuse. Loris Melikoff then posted to tn
villages In question. and having ot
served the situation. he telegraphe
for twenty fire-engines TO be sent froi
the neighboring towns. had the pump
charged with petroleum, and ordere
the firemen 10 approach the village
by night. innndate the cottages wit
petroleum, set them on fire and sav
nobody. The order was executed; tn
cottages and their few hundred inhai
itants-- men. women, children and ca
tle-were burned 10 ashes, and thos
two villages disappeared from the ma
OF Russia and from the registers {
the empire. The measure was radica
but IL stamped out the plague effectl
ally. Loris Mellkotf thereupon r,
ported to the Emperor that his con
mands had been executed, and the
called on the Minister OF Finance I
tell him that out Of the credit OF fift
millions Of rubles granted to him
had spent only two Hundred rubies I
buy petroleum. and that consequent
his Excellency the Minister could di,
poes of the balance.
In both OF these stories, which W
have reason to believe to be literall
exact. we find that curious mixture ,
the grandiose. of ostentation aud I
barbaric recklessness which are cha
actcristic OF the Russian Temperament
Theodore Child. in Harper's Mag,
Gina
. -
a Predatory Dog 0uswitted.