The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-05-26

--sszZ - turning to he
- lady-in-waitin.
whose duty it was to supply her with I
fresh pair of gloves at the beginning o
every game; 81 shall not play any more
/ will have my revenge tomorrow, M
lie Marquis"
. Your imperial majesty has hat
it already" replied Marquis Strogo
noff, who was the popular and &C
complished French ambassador. II
you could but see the deep contrltior
OF my heart for having had the pre-
sumption to defeat you, you would fine
yourself amply avenged"
The young empress smiled graciously
and rejoined: Every well, but prefer
deeds to words That is what l try t.
impress upon my people. Apropos. yor
know how we Russians pride ourselve:
on the strictness and alertne-s of oul
detectives, and how nothing escape:
their keen vigilance. AS you seem tc
doubt the watchfulness of my subjects
/ requested that the very next case o.
detected smuggling be at once made
known to me-"
ITO doubt would be reasonable,
your majesty" said the marquis, with
a smile. do let us hear the details.
Count Lazareff has just been ar.
rested and detained on the frontier foi
smuggling all kinds of contraband arti-
cles from Paris, which were most in.
geniously hidden in the Innings and
roof of the carriage; and the emperor,
to encourage the detectives, has dis
tributed among them the heavy fine OF
eight hundred roubles, which the count
had to pay. What do you say to that,
marquis?"
Il can bit say, your majesty" he an
swered, with a shrug of his shoulders
~ can but say how clumsy the man
must have been to fail in such simple
thing"
Simple thingr' repeated the en-
press, with a slight look of surprise.
II do not think you would find it so
easy to deceive our inspectors.
Twill yonr majesty give me leave to
try?" the marquis quietly asked.
On no." she answered with smile.
1T would be of no use. You know
that youc person and property as am
bassador are sacred, and therefore you
would not be fair test. l would
wager, however, this diamond ring
that were you to pass our frontier as a
private individual, you would not sue
coed in smuggling in the veriest trifle
without being detected"
IL accept the challenge" repliedr the
marquis. with graceful bow, and
as | am shortly going to France on
urgent private business, l shall avail
myself of your gracious permission, re-
turn to Russia as private individual.
and subject myself and property to the
most rigorous search of the custom
house."
You have accepted my challenge"
the empress rejoined 'Remember
marquis, we shall have no pity on you"
Great excitement prevailed at the
small frontier station on the road from
konigsberg to St Petersb burg. The Of
ficers of the custom house were on the
alert, for they had received orders from
headquarters that when the travelling
carriage of the French ambassador
should pass through that day it was to
be most carefully searched and ex-
amined, and even the person of the
marquis was not to be spared. Such
were the emperor's orders, and un-
usual as they were they must be
obeyed.
Count Lazareff's ru bles were moth
ing to it! BY St Alexander, the en-
peror is kind father to us, and the
men stroked their long boards and
gulped down bowls of hot tea. But
bark! there is faint tinkle of bells
and the swift sound of horses on the
crisp snow
Here he cotnesr' cried one OF the
men, jumping from his warm seat. The
rest quickly followed, and as the am
bassador's covered sledge with its four
horses drew in sight it was surrounded
by the band of officers
Respectfully touching his cap, the
head man accosted the marquis and
apologized for the intrusion, but he had
received orders to examine the carriage
effects of his excellency, and must
trouble him to alight while the search
was being made.
The marquis, who was luxuriously
reclining in the warm folds of a mag
nitcent olack-fox cloak, reused him.
self at the words and replied that there
was no occasion to apologize
"Alphonse," he called, as his valet
came to the door of the sledge, take
care OF Fioele, and see that the poor
little thing does not catch cold coming
out into this frosty air."
/, Like eager birds of prey over rich
prize, the examiners gathered around
the sledge, and began their search in
the most systematic manner, ransack-
ing every possible place of conceal
ment Even the cushions and Innings
were not spared, to the indignation of
the coachman and valet. who looked |