The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-19
DIMr1RI,s PUNISHMENT.
An Amusing Instance of Administration
 Under Russian Bureaucracy.

Under Russian Bureaucracy.
 tFrom the Tagliche Rundschan.l
 There was once a Russian named
 Dimitri Dimitriewitch-there or there.
 abouts. He occupied a tolerably power full government position in a certain Russian country town-in fact, he was
 sort of glori6ed country councillor | He loved wine, woman and song, par
 ticularly woman; also cards and horses
 These qualities he shared with all oth- CT Russian government officials. One | afternoon he went, as he usually did
 to take tea with the lovely widow All exandra Wasslyevna, who received him, contrary to the usual custom, with sad and depressed manner. With tender anxiety he asked the reason of her sadness.
 ''Dimitri," she replied. bursting into tears you know how passionately I love music; and I have no plano! And when you are away have no solaoe, no"--
 My sweet little strawberry! Sun of my existence! You know you never ex- pressed a wish which did not immedi-
 
 mand and the piano is herep'
 "oh! cried Alexandra, in a voice of ecstasy, her tears all gone, 'do you mean Bechstein grand?"
 "A Bechstein grand" declared Dimi- trl.
 But Alexandra's smiles disappeared as quickly as they come. "Dimitrie- witch" she said you are promising an impossibility; you are not telling me the truth. How can piano be brought here from the station through the bot tomless sand In summer, or the still more bottomless mud in spring or au- tumn?"
 "On sleigh in winter" replied Dimi- tri with decision.
 NO, the piano would be ruined by the cold" and Alexandra began to weep afresh.
 "LoVeliest flower in the garden of earth" cried Dimitri, "it shall be done; road shall be made on purpose!'
 Friend of my soul" murmured AL exandra, q thank you"
 Dimitri always kept his word when 1t was possible without any grave incon- venience. So the next day he dressed in his best uniform, and went to ex- plain to the governor that the town was simply going to rack and ruin for want of a good road to the station. The gov ernor, who was the father of six un- married daughters, the eldest of whom he had often thought would make a capital Mrs. Dimitri received his visi- tor with much cordiality, saw the ne- cessity of the road, and agreed to all low five hundred thousand rubles for the undertalSing--that is to say, at the rate of one hundred thousand rubles per mile. Dlmitri went to work at once. But as he reckoned that each mile would cost him ninety-six thou sand rublesi at which rate he would only be able to pocket twenty thousand rubles ons the whole transaction, 1t struck hinshe could not afford to make a foundation to the road. Nor did he; so that the work got on quickly. Three miles were already finished, and Dimi- l tri was about to travel to the govern | ment town to receive the rest of the en- gineering money, when a fatal thing | happened. Alexandra suddenly eloped | with a Cossack hetman named Nicolai | Fomitch Dargan, so that the reason for | the road existed no longer. Just as | with full pockets but sore | heart, was issuing from the door of the | palace he ran into the arms | 1f lieutenant of dragons. Hello, | Dlmitri," said the lieutenant, fits ages since we met Let's go to Antonskt's | and have a drink" At Antonskfs they | ,ound more dragoons. and little play was proposed. Dlmitri had bad luck md when he left he had lost two hun fred thousand rubles. He went home | very cross. He had lost Alexandra, he lad lost the money for the rest of the 'oad, and he was determined not to jpend on it what he had already saved ut of it. So he first gave orders to cave off working. By and by com ,laints reached the governors ears and le ordered Dimitri to appear before Jim.
 "Dimitri Dimitriewitch," said His Ex- in severe tones, take a cigar tte and sit down."
 ITO hear is to obey, Your Excellen-t y," replied the culprit, doing as he was old.
 "Dimitri Dimitriewitch," continued he governor, q have heard terrible ales of you. Why did you not have a oundation put to the road?"
 T forgot 1t, Your Excellency."
 And why didn't you finish the oad?"
 "I forgot it, Your Exeellency."
 And the money you received for the oad you lost at cards, Didn't you now it was His Majesty the Emperor's loney?"
 q forgot 1t, Your Excellenoy." "Dimitri Dimitriewitch, you have obbed His Majesty, our gracious Czar, yhom God protect! This is a serious rime, and, sorry as I am, for am fondl f you, it must be punished. Either ou must marry my eldest daughter or ou must be-ahem, transferred, shall : -e call it?"