Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-09
IT TICKLED THE CAR.
An American Girls Defiance of the Mis-
tress of Court Etiquette at a Russian
Court Ball.

An American Girls Defiance of the Mis-
tress of Court Etiquette at a Russian
Court Ball.
The following is a 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 many years been
a social leader In Washington, 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 a high Russian dignitary.
Members of the Cabinet, Generals of the
army, grand dukes, the nobility of the
Empire and the diplomatic corps were
present. 1t was a notable affair.
Four young ladies-three Russian and
one A~merjcan-had gathered in a little
nook screened IN palms, and were discuss
ing In French the dowdy appearance of a
high court lady. Some eavesdropper caught
their remarks and bore them to the crit
cized lady.
She in turn Indignantly reported the
conversation to a noble duchess, who held
the peculiar office of mistress of ETH
quette." She retired to a private room
and had the four culprits summoned be-
fore her. They appeared, the Russian girls
In fear and trembling, the American calm
and self-possessed.
Young ladies' said she. ''vou 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 punish you. Olga your ship
perl"
The trembling olga took off her slipper
and meekly received a sound punishment
of the sort confined in America exclusively
to the nursery.
"Katia, it is your turn. Give me your
slipper!' said the inexorable 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 clinched with excite
ment.
1T is your turn now" said the mistress
of etiquette to the fair American, your
slipper, please"
Columbia's blood was up. There was
fighting stock back of her for generations.
She moved 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 a fearful clip.
Then she sailed in.
Lace, feathers and furbelows flew.
Finger-nails fetched blood. Grey hair
and the st. Petersburg fashions of 1863
filed the air. The screams of the thor
oughly frightened mistress of etiquette
brought a crowd. The door was bat
tered down. The three Russian girls
were screaming in their respective cor
ners.
The old lady was hors de combat, and a
fiery-eyed goddess Of liberty stood in the
center of the room waving a tuft of grey
hair in one hand and a jeweled hair dag
ger, with which she had been trying to
stab the Russian, in the other.
The mistress of etiquette fairly screamed
with impotent rage, showered maledictions
In broken French, German and Russian
upon her conqueror and demanded that
the most condign punishment be meted out
to her.
The matter was carried to the Gar. He
made a p~retense of furnishing the young
lady by issuing some order against her APP
pearing at any ball for a certain period,
but the old liberator was immensely
tickled.
He showered the most embarrassing
presents pom the American-beautiful
slippers of every kind and description,
silver slippers and gold slippers, and
finally wound up by sending her a hair
dagger set with diamonds.-New York
Journal