Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-04
INCIDENT AT A COURT BALL.
An American Girl yanquishes Russian
Mistress of Etiquette.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.l
The following is narrative of an Incl
dent which occurred in St. Petersburg
some years ago. The American lady con,
cerned is the daughter Of a prominent
public benefactor, has for years been q
social leader in society, is the wife of a
leading Republican statesman and would
be recognized instantly if her name might
be mentioned.
A grand reception was in progress at the
palace of high Russian dignitary. Mem
bers of the Cabinet, Generals of the army
Grand Dukes, the nobility of the empire,
and the diplomatic corps were present. Ii
was notable affair. Four young ladies
three Russian and one American-had
gathered into a little nook screened in
palms, and were discussing in French the
dowdy appearance of high court lady.
Some eavesdropper caught their remarks
and bore them to the criticised lady. She
in turn reported the conversation to a
noble Duchess, who held the peculiar
Office of "Mistress of Etiquette" She re-
tired to a private room and had the four
culprits summoned before her. They APP
peared, the Russian girls in fear and
trembling, the American 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 ETH
quette, and it is my duty as court mistress
of etiquette to punish you. Olga, your
slipper"
The trembling Olga took off her slipper
and meekly received sound punishment
of the kind confined in America exclu-
sively to the nursery.
"Katia it is your turn. Give me your
slipper w said the memorable duenna, as
the weeping Olga arose from her castiga-
ton. Katia took her Cruel with audible
lamentations, and Tania followed the suf-
fering 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
fists clenched with excitement.
at is your turn now," said the mistress
of etiquette to the fair American, 'your
slipper, please"
Columbia's blood was up. There was fight
ing stock back of her for generations. She
removed her slipper and drew near, but
she held the slipper by the toe. Atproper
range she swung the missile and struck the
old lady in the mouth fearful clip. Then
she sailed in. Lace, feathers and furbe-
lows flew. Finger nails fetched blood.
Gray hair and the St. Petersburg fashions
of 1868 filled the air. The screams of the
thoroughly frightened mistress of etiquette
brought crowd The door was battered
down. The three Russian girls were
screaming in their respective corners. The
cd lady was hors de combat, and fiery
eyed goddess of the room, waving tuft of
gray hair in one hand and .jeweled hair
dagger, with which she had been trying to
stab the Russian, in the other.
The mistress of etiquette fairly screamed
with impotent rage, showered maledlctions
in broken French, German and Russian
upon her conqueror, and demanded that
the most condign punishment be melted
out to her. The matter was carried to the
Car. Nicholas made pretense of pun
ishing the young lady by issuing some
orders against her appearing at any
ball for certain period, but the old
liberator was immensely tickled. He
showered the most embarrassing pres
ents upon the American, beautiful slippers
of every kind and description, silver slip
pers and gold slippers, and finally wound
up by sending her hair dagger set with
diamonds