The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-31

cal officials to tour along the Volga and en-
force TO the utmost the powers with which
an autocracy has invested them, to the end
that they may successfully grapple with
the pest fend. Al carefully prepared and
apparently complete set Of instructions
have been formulated and Issued from the
ministry OF the interior. st. Petersburg.
of cour sc, say the powers that be, must be
guarded at all hazards from even the posi-
bility of contagion.
Many drastic measures have been taken
among the Russo-PersiRn and Afghan
frontiers aud numerous fugitiyes have been
shot down and spe8red by Cossack cordons
In their attempts to cross over the Russian
soil The orders under which these guards
were acting simply admitted of no half
measures. In the midst OF such horrors one
turns with certain sense OF relief TO the re-
verssskde of the medal; in other words, TO
the humors of the situation. A good story
is thus being told at New Of a Russian
doctor who was sent over the Afghan
frontier to an outpost north OF Herat TO
open negotiatio with the local sirdar
on the subject Of the cholera GORDON.
The Muscovite physician was large and
heavy man and he was accompanied by
Cossack escort The sirdar invited MIN TO
join his cortege, which was just starting on
a tour Of inspection, and proposed that they
could thus obtain an opportunity for arriv-
ing at an intelligent idea OF the general sit
uation. The sirdar's invraiable custom was
to travel 10 company with his three WIVES
and the first night the entire party cam cd
together amid some ancient ruins for the
purpose OF enjoying much-needed rest.
Now, it 30 happened that the Russian doc
tor went TO bed in an unusually exalted
state Of mind, consequent upon too generous
indulgence In the hospitality of the slrdar's
table. During the night the watohful AT
CHAN sentries deserted a white object crawl
ing stealthily in the direction Of the tent
occupied by the sirdars wives. They ran to-
ward the mysterious object and cautiously
followed in its wake. They had not long to
wait before the figure, which was that of a
man, clad In scanty undergarments, reached
the ladies' tent and attempted to pass under
il, much In the fashion of the small boy who
seeks a surreptitious view of circus show.
The instant the ghostly form betrayed its
fell design a sentry iabbed him IN the rear
with his hooked spear. when a sharp ory
rang out and the wounded man rolled on his
back. The slight injury, however, that he
had sustained, was nothing TO the disgrace
of the exposure. for the culprit was none
other than the Russian medical
to his tent, but held him prisoner till day
break, and had it not been for the inter
ference Of the Cossack escort, Peeping Tom
would have Jared badly. Next day the
sirdar held a solemn court Of inquiry and
the doctor tried to explain the affair away
by saying that he was chronic sufferer
from somnambulism. The sirdar accepted
the explanation, but the negotiations came
to an abrupt ending, the doctor returning
to his station across the Russian border.
Upon arriving there he would have sue
ceeded in handing in very satisfactory re-
port had 1t not been for the unlucky cir
cumstance Of one of his Cossack guards get
ting drunk, and while in his cups giving
the whole story away.
Still funnier is the story lately current in
Baku concerning the archemandrite of that
place. The habitual practice there OF leav-
ing the carcasses of animals to rot in the
streets without being removed is mentioned
above. Some highly disrespectful person
saw fit to deposit during the small hours,
right in front of the archemandrite's resi-
dence, the dead body OF a mule. To make
matters worse, it was clear that the animal
had bean dead for some time and
its condition was correspondingly offensive.
Official dignity was outraged, and the entire
staff of the archemandrite's servants was
hastily summoned to the scene with orders TO
speedily removed the remains. They all re-
sponded to the call Of duty with one excep-
form any such degrading duty. What"
he exclaimed, "turn me, trained and
high-priced disciple Of Vatel, into a scaven-
ger of street retusel Never; death would be
preferable TO such dishonor." The archie
mandrite, enraged at this refusal, went to
the length OF threatening the obstinate cook
with corporal punishment till the latter
finally gave in and took his part in remov-
ing the mule. Next day the family of the
archemandrite were served at
dinner with a dish which emitted
a very suspicious odor. IL was
highly, even extravaRsntly, seasoned. The
cook was Intercepted as to its composition,
and replied that il was ragout of English
jagged hare and been purposely allowed to
become high" before its preparation for
the table. The dish was partakeu of but
the diners we're soon attacked with serious
symptoms. Suspicion being directed to the
cook, this worthy, after due coercion, con-
fessed that from motives of revenge for
having been forced TO remove the mule, he
had secretly cut off a piece Of the tainted
flesh and by the exercise Of all the inge-
nuity Of his art had succeeded in making a
palatable dish for the family table. He is
now on his way to the Tobolsk penal settle
ment for a prolonged term.
SERGE SUSCHENKs.