Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-10
STUFF HIM ALIVE.
A RUSSIAN OFFICIAL WHp UNDERSTOOD An
IMPERIAL 0RDEa
Meaning Of = Visit From an Officer Who Game to
Carry a Very Remarkable order INTO
Esei-Whal Prevented TIE
FulilnenL

when n concerned the hanging OF 4
man or the knoutng of serf. Even
foreigners We're exposed 90 combined
zeal and stupidity oi these gentry.
A rich Eugish capitalist, Sunder-
land by rsme. residing BOB 81 Peters
burg, enjoyed the friendship Of the
Empress I'M consequence OF his having
given her an Italian greyhound. OF
which she was very fond.
One morning he WAS awakened early
By his valet, who said % him:
"Sir, your house Is surrounded oy
soldiers, aud tho Chief OF Police insists
on speaking with yoa.'
"What can be want Of me?' exclaim-
ed the banker, jumping out OF bed, and
IN a panic already over an announce
ment which i'm Russia generally has a
terrible Significance.
AZ 90 not know, sir, replied the at
tendant, "but IL seems 20 be an affair OF
the greatest Importance, and which, ac-
cording 70 him, can be communicated
only 20 yourself
Let him come in, said the banker,
hastily putting on his clothes.
The valet won't cut and came back IN
few minutes afterward conducting
the Chief of Police. A single glance at
his face convinced the banker that he
was the bearer OF some very serious III
formation. The Englishman did not,
however, abate in the slightest degree
his usual urbanlty In his welcome Of the
official: offered him a chair and begged
him 10 be seated. But his visitor de-
clined 10 with thanks by a shake OF the
head. stood upright, and, In as Sympa-
thetic tone as be knew how 10 assume,
addressed the banker:
sMr. Sunderland, you may well be-
Neve that ] am distressed beyond tell
ing at having been selected by her
most gracious Majesty 20 carry out
decree whose severity afilicts me. but
which, without doubt, has been pro-
voked by some great crime
TERRIBLE PENALTY.
..What great crime? Who has COM
mitted it?' cried the banker.
'You, undoubtedly, sir, since 1t is TO
YOU that the punishment is coming"
"Sir. l swear that I have in vain
scrutinized my conscience and can
find nothing with which TO reprOach
myself toward our sovereign, for you
know that am Russian by naturaiiz-
alton"
"It IS lust because yOG are q natural
lied Russian that your position Is so
terrible. II you were q subject OF MS
Britannia Majesty you could call on the
English consul for protection, and so
perhaps, escape the rigOr of the orders
] am charged with enforcing"
"What, then, your excelleucy, are
your orders?'
"Oh, sir, have scarcely strength to
tell YOU.
"Have then lost the esteem and IA
yOr of her Majesty 2'
"Oh, If it were only no worse than
that
"What do you mean? Are they talk
ing OF sending me 20 Eug,andY
off it were only that do you suppose
/ would hesitate long about telling
you?'
"Good God. You alarm me. 1t is
surely not exile TO Siberian
"Sberia, sir, is delightful country,
which has been greatly miSrepreSented.
Besides, people come back from there. y
IAN /. then, condemned TO prison?"
"Prison is nothing. one can leave a
prison"
"Sir. sir" cried the banker, more and
more terrified cam l destined to the
horrible knout?'
'sThe knout is a very painful punish
ment, but the knOut does not kill"
"By the divine goodness" cried the
panic-stricken Sunderland, lit is death
then"
"And such a DEATH said the Chief of
Police. raising his eyes with an express
ion Of profound compassion.
"Such a deathw echoed the English
man. lis it not enough that ! am TO be
killed without trial, aSSaSsinated with
ont cause? Has she ordered anything
mOre2'
"Alas. yes. She has ordered"
"Wen: speak. sir. What has she or
dered? am msn Of courage. Tell
me-"
..Alasl sir. she orderS-if she had not
given 70 10 me. personally, declare,
Mr.. Sunderland, never would have be-
lieved IT,"
"You PIT me TO death thousand
times. Come. let me know what orders
she has given you.
"she has ordered me to stuff you
alive"
A TAXIpERMISr TO 30 IT.
The poor banker uttered cry OF dis
tress. then looking the Chief OF Police
sousrelv in the face, he said:
"But. your Excellency, this is mon
strous. Have you lost your reaSonP'
"No. sir, not at all, but 1 shall 60
crazy during the operation"
"Rut how could YOU take such an or
der9 You have told me a hundred
times that you were my friend. l have
had the good fortune of being OF some
service 10 YOU. How. then. cOuld you
take such an order without trying to
make her Majesty comprehend its utter
barbRrity?'
"Apd then" continued the Chief of
Police. II visited Immediately a very
skillful naturalist, who stuffed the birds
for the Academy of Science, for, since
the thing must be done, l
thought it ought TO be done in the high
est style of the art?'
"And did the wretch cOnSent?"
con account Of the close resemblance
between the human a-d tho monkey
species, he sent me his brother, who has
stuffed apes"
"Well."
al did what could. No one in my
Mace would have dared do as much. 1
begged her majesty TO give up her pro-
iect. or at least commission somebody
besides me 10 carry it out. l Gid so
with tesas 10 my eyes. But her Majesty
answered in that tone which, as you
know, admits Of no reply: Co, sir! do
not forget your duts, and fulfill without
murmuring the commissions l charge
Won with.