The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-10-16
A RUSSIAN STORY.
The Cook Got 100 Lnshes Beforc the
Mistake Was Discovered.

sometimes the promptness with which
orders are executed in Russia causes big
blunders to be made, and the innocent
frequently suffer for the guilty.
One of the foreign ambassadors at St
Petersburg saw man entering his house
with cleaning eyes, flushed face, and
dishevelcd clothing.
Justice, your honor, justice." ex.
cl,imed his unlucky countryman.
Against whom?"
Against Russian nobleman. my
lord, the governor of the city. who has
just now had ME flogged with hundred
lashes.
"A hundred lashes !" repeated the as
tonished minister. "What had you been
doing?"
Nothing, absolutely nothing
But that is impossible"
IL swear on my honor your grace"
you are crazy, my friend"
my lord, beg of YOU to believe on
the contrary that l am in possession of
all my senses"
But how can you expect me to be.
lieve that man who is reported ON
every hand to be exceptionally just and
merciful has been guilty of such vio-
lence?"
Excuse me, your grace, cried the
complainant, "but You must permit mo
to prove what have said"
And at these words the unlucky
Frenchman threw off coat and vest and
showed the ambassador his shirt, red and
stiff with blood.
But how did it happen?" asked the
ambassador.
I'm the simplest way imaginable
learned that the governor wanted a cook.
Being out of situation, / applied for it,
The servant who undertook to introduce
me threw open the door of the room say
ing. My lord. it is the cook All right
said the governor with an distracted air,
have him taken into the court yard and
flogged.' They seized me. carried me
into the yard, and in spite of my resist
ance, my threats, and my cries, they gave
me exactly hundred lashes, no more,
no less.
"lf what you say is true, it is infa.
nous.
If have not told you the exact truth.
will agree to take as much more"
Listen" said the ambassador. detect.
ing in the poor devils complaint a tone
of truthfulness. I will investigate the
affair, and if, as I begin to think. YOU
have not deceived me, you will get.
promise you. slashing reward for this
violence. If, on the other hand, YOU
have lied to me in the slightest particu.
lar, will have you conducted to the
frontier and sent back to France"
Il will agree to the whole of it, my
lord
Very well, >" said the ambassador. sit.
ting down to his desk; take a letter to
the governor.
mo, no; am obliged to you. will
not voluntarily set foot again in the house
OF man who has so strange fashion of
dealing with those who have business
with him."
"One of my secretaries will 60 with
you"
That is another thing. In company
with any one from you will 60 to the
internal regions"
The ambassador gave the necessary or
ders, and the trio left the house
In less than an l.our the victim of the |
beating returned looking radiant.
Welt" asked the ambassador.
1T is all right, said the other, "every-
thing is explained.
ITO your satisfaction, apparently"
"Yes, my lord"
IL confess / would like to hear all |
about it"
Nothing easier His cxcellency had |
n cook in whom he had entire confidence.
Four days ago he stole 800 roubles ami |
ran away. 1t was his place ! applied |
for, and went there for that purpose.
Unluckily for me he had just heard of |
the arrest of his former cook. So that
when his servant said to him My lord.
here is the cook: he thought it was the
fugitive who had been brought back, and
being very much engaged on report to
the emperor, he said without even turn
ing around, Good, take him out. anil |
give him 100 lashes" and in that way /
got the hundred meant for the other
fellow"
Did the governor make an Apology
Better than that" said the cnok.
chinking his pockets, "he gave mo a gold
piece for every stroke; has taken me into
his service; and assured me that every
lick received in advance will he cred.
tied against every fault l may commit.
So if I keep an eye on myself it will he
several years before get thrashing."
At that moment messenger from the
governor arrived to invite the amhassa-
dor to taste the new cooks dinner next
day. He staid 10 years with this master,
and returned to France with little for.
tune Of 5000 roubles, blessing the happy
blunder to which he owed it.-Detroit
Free Press.