Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-03-20

the feet of Isaac Newton placard bear
ing notice i'll Russian and French: II
is strictly forbidden to touch the figures.
Offenders will be prosecuted with the
utmost rigor of the law (not light
matter, mind you, in Russia). She prop
ped the board up against my legs, whis.
pered, BE sure you don't winkP and
with gracious, winning smile advanced
to meet her mother-in-law had never
admired her more than at that moment.
Why, have you heard of it, too?
she exclaimed.
Nadia! What are you doing heres
Are you aloneS'
'''Of course, dear. 1 camo to see the
model. Didn't your
"'What model, child?
"'Why, ofsour friend Mr.. Dexter.
THAT young man?'
"'Yes. Don't you know he's one of
the greatest biologists in the world, and
Marribon has just put up model of
him. Look, here it is!'
| "I don t know that I'm more nervous
than other people. but it was 1 confess,
trying moment when the old lady put
up her eyeglasses and stared at me.
Dear Nadia stuck her pretty head on
one side in critical way and said:
"'I don't call it very good. Do You?
It's so stiff and unnatural.
1.-THE old lady said nothing. She came
step nearer and raised her parasol.
The old wretch was going to poke mel
"'Oh, but you mustn't touch It'll!
cried Nadia, turning pale. Look at the
notice!
1.-The old lady advanced her parasol
But at this moment one of the police
appeared at her elbow,
You mustn't touch the figures,
madame, said he, and I blessed him
for every word.
"Never a word did the old princess
speak She glared at me, she glared at
Nadia, and she glared at the policeman,
and she turned round and walked out OF
the gallery. The policeman followed
her. Nadia softly clapped her hands. I
sprang forward, seized her slim fingers
and kissed them.
"'Oh, we're not safe yet, she said
MY mother in-law suspects. Luckily
the place closes in quarter of an hour,
and she can't do anything tonight, and
the prince won't be back from Moscow
till the day after tomorrow. Jack there
must be real model of you by then.
''I was amazed, but listened to her
instructions Taking out her purse, she
pressed it on me. Irefused, but on find
ing that had only q e5 pound note l
was compelled to accept 90, 600 rubles
the x s are fabulously rich, You
know. I escorted the princess to cab,
and then I called on the proprietor of
the exhibition.
"Well, to make long story short
l, or rather the princess rubles-I
kept one. and wear it now on my watch
chain; see, here it is!-overcame Mme
Marribon's s surprise and swept away her
scruples. Iadmitted that she might, not
unnaturally, never have heard of Pro-
fessor Dexter, but I told her that the
name was household word in all cul
tivated circles in England and America,
and / promised her to pay all expenses
and 1000 rubles if portrait model
of the great zoologist stood beside Kant
in SO hours. The result was that by 6
o'clock in the evening I was sitting in
an armchair and young M. Marribon
was taking cast of my features in
plaster of paris. At this moment, how
ever, there occurred an interruption
which, if it had come little sooner,
would have ruined the whole affair.
As l sat, covered with the plaster, ex-
cept where holes were left for sight and
breathing, l saw, to my CONSERVATION,
the same policeman who had been in
the gallery in the afternoon enter the
room. He brought with him an official
notice.
"'Order from the minister of the in
terror, he said. You're to close to-
morrow-day of intercession for the
safety of the czar ordered, and all pub
lie exhibitions to be closed.
81 rejoiced to hear that. 1t smoothed
my way, but / wished the policeman
would take himself off.
"'Hello!' he said. Who have we
here? l must have his name, please.
&C This is Mr.. Dexter, the great zool
ogist.
"'Who's he? Come, M. Marribon,
must have that stuff off his face, you
know. Why, he might be nihilist, or
anybody you like, and me none the
wiser, with that stuff on him.
"'But, my dear sir, pleaded Marri-
bon, the stuff won't come off. If try
to remove it before it hardens. it will
tear off his skin with it.. That is the
case with plaster of paris, you know,
colonel.
"'Can't help it, said the brute. I've
got my orders, and no distinction is
made as to the effect on the skin |
must see his face.
"'Oh, impossibleP cried Marribon.
1T would be barbarity! 1t will be dry
IN 10 minutes
Then IN walt, said the man, and
he sat down.
LAS you may suppose, my brain was
busy during those Is minutes If I
could speak alone to Marribon for an in
slant, I saw my way. An idea struck
me. Speaking as well as could through
the mouth hole, I suggested that we
were probably all thirsty, and I held
out some rubles. Would the gentleman
fetch some brandy? He wavered and
fell. He was gone five minutes When
he returned, my face was uncovered
and Marribon richer by some valuable
instructions and a couple Of thousand
more rubles.
why, you've got figure of him
alreadyl' cried the policeman.
Certainly we had, but Mr.. Dexter
was not satisfied with it, SO have
taken advantage of his visit here to take
fresh cast.
1.-THE man looked suspicious.
"'Where's the old one?" he asked.
It's melted down., said Marribon
suavely as he poured out the brandy.
''That peril was past. My next visit
was to Marribon's s advertising agents
By next morning we flooded the town
with posters, an. ouncing the new and
interesting addition to the exhibition.
received scores of congratulations on
my distinction, and also on my singular
modesty, for nobody in Russia had ever
| heard of my fame as a zoologist before.
| I accepted the kind words of my friends
| with otit,1do op6 T inuitp1 lorOo