New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-21

ar,rsir, exneriences In his autobiography,
lust published by the Century Company. he de-
scribes many of these and has many anecdotes
to tell of the life of a diplomat
According to Mr. White. one of the messages
which President Roosevelt intrusted to the
former to give to Emperor William was as
follows:
Tell his majesty that I hunter and as
such. envy him one thing especially. He has
done what I have never yet been able to do
he has killed a whale. But say to him that il
he will come to the United States I Will take
him to the Rocky Mountains to hunt the
mountain lions which is no bad sport and thar
If he kills one as he doubtless will, he will DO
the first monarch who has killed lion since
Tiglath- Pleser" Mr.. White continues: II need
hardly add that when, a few weeks later, de-
livered the message to the Emperor at Potsdam,
It pleased him. Many people on both sides Of
the Atlantic have noted similarity in quail
ties between these two rulers, and, from close
observation 1 must confess that this is better
founded than are most such attributed re-
sembIances"
Mr. Whites first diplomatic experience was as
an attache at St Petersburg at the time of
the Crimean War. The brought to Russia
many American Adventures.
"One man who came out with superb plans"
Mr. White says, brought a militia colOneFs
commission from the Governor of a Western
state and the full uniform of a major general.
At first he hesitated to clothe himself in ell his
glory. and therefore went through a process Of
evolution beginning first with part of his uni
form and then adding more as his courage rose.
During this process ne became the standing joke
of St Petersburg. but later, when he had
emerged in full and final spendor. he became a
man of mark indeed. much that serious
difficulties arose Throughout the city are
rious corps de garde. and the sentinel on duty
before each of these while allowed merely TO
present arms to an officer OF lower rank, must
whenever he catches sight Of a general officer.
call out the entire guard to present arms, with
the beating of drums. Here American was
a source of much difficulty for whenever any
sentinel caught sight Of his gorgeous epaulets
in the distance the guard instantly called out,
arms were presented and drums beaten, much to
the delight of our friend, but even more to the
disgust Of the generals of the Russian army and
to the troops who thus rendered absurd homage
and found themselves taking part in something
like a bit of comic opera.
Another example was also interesting. A
New-York ward leader-big, rough and rosy
had come out agent for American
breech- loading musket company, and had snug
gled specimens of arms over the frontier. Ar
irving in ST. Petersburg. he was presented to the
monials. was put in charge of two aides-de-
camp. who took him and his wife about in court
carriages to see the sights of the Russian capt.
tai. At the close of his stay, wishing to make
some return for this courtesy, he gave these two
officers dinner at his hotel.
1.-The table was splendidly furnished. At the
head OF it was his wife. and at her right one of
the Russian officials in gorgeous uniform; at
the other end of our table was our host, and
at his right the other Russian official splendidly
attired. Beside the first official sat our secre-
tary and beside the other was the place assigned
to me. The dinner successful, all spoke
English and all happy but toward the end
of it our host. having perhaps taken more wine
than was his won't grew communicative. and, as
I'll luck would have it, the subject of the con-
versation became personal courage, whereupon
he told a story. Recalling his experience as a
deputy sheriff of New-York he said:
When those river pirates who murdered a
sailor in New-York Harbor had to be hanged,
the Sheriff of the county hadn't the courage to
DO it and ordered me to hang them. I rather
hated the business. but made everything ready.
and when the time came took an extra glass Of
brandy cut the rope and off they swung.
The two Russians started back in Consterna-
ton Not all their poIiteness could conceal it.
Horror of horrors, they were dining with
hangman Besides their sense of degradation
In this companionshp. superstitfons had been
bred in them which doubled their distress A
dead silence fell over all. 1 the first to
break it by remarking to my Russian neghbor:
You may perhaps not know, sir. that in the
State of New-York the taking of life by due
process of law is considered so solemn matter
that we ntrust it to the chief executive officers
OF our counties-to our Sheriffs-and not to
hangmen or executioners.'
Oked n me- cry a j n
nounced this truth, and then. after solemn
pause, gasped out in a dubious. awestruck
voice: Merci bien, monsieur Heneeforth 1t
cold. indeed. and at the earliest moment
possible the Russian officials bowed themselves
out and no doubt for a long time afterward
ascribed any ill luck which beten them to this
scene Of Ill omen"
Evidently the ignorance Of the proper thing
to do was not confined to visitors. Mr.. White
tells the following story about himself:
Our first secretary of legation and having
gone on Easter eve TO the midnight mass at the
Kazan Cathedral. we were shown at once into
place of honor in front of the great silver
iconostase and stationed Immediately before one
of the doors opening through it into the inner
sanctuary. At first the service went on in
darkness. only mitgated by a few tapers at
the high altar; but as the clock struck the
hour of midnight there came suddenly the roar
ing of the fortress guns the booming of great
bells above and around us, and a light which
seemed to shoot in all directions leaving trains
OF fire, until all was ablaEe, every person pres
ent holding a lighted taper. Then came the
mass celebrated by bishop and his acolytes
gorgeously attired, with the swinging of censers
not only toward the ecolesiastics, but toward the
persons Of Importance present. among whom we
were included w