Year: 1873

SWIFT JUSTICE.


A merchant left St. Petersburg to travel
across Europe In the course of his journey
he arrived at Warsaw. Being furnished
with letter of introduction, he repaired to
the house of one of the chief citizens there
and was courteously received. He stayed at
Warsaw for week, and his host showed hin,
everything worth seeing in the town. Indeed
the visitor was quite overwhelmed by the un-
usual amount of kindness, really shown to
any friend of long standing. At length the
pleasant visit drew to a close, and after
breakfast the guest expressed wish to see
some parts of the town of which he had
heard.


! "But," said he, II have with me a small
box of great value that do not like to risk
in such places; if it were my own l should
not be so particular; but it was intrusted to
me by friend, who requested me to deliver
it to a person in another town. 1t contains
diamonds and other valuables Would you
! do me great favor of taking charge of it for
one day?"


The host, with usual urbanity, agreed to
the proposal, and the merchant departed
with light heart on his tour of inspection:
! Next morning, after breakfast, he cordially
thanked his kind entertainers for their zeal
Gus hospitality, and added that, as he was
about to depart, he would now resume his
charge of the box, which had never before
Quilted his person since he had received it
from its owner. The host and hostess stated
at him in we'll acted amazement.


"What box?" asked the host 81 remenl'
Der no box do you, my dear p turning to his
wife.


"No" she replied, 81 have no recollection
of any box whatever"


"What was it like?" asked the host. "Per-
haps you left it in your own room."


But on the merchant persisting that it was
with the host himself that it had been left,
on returning to the hostess and tryingto make
her re, ,llect the circumstance, both after ap,
pealing to each other in the denial, became cold
and distant, and began limiting that something
must have happened to the merchant to in
duce him to presist in so strange deluslon.


AS the host touched his forehead with a
significant glance, the poor man remembered
that he was in a strange city, and the ground
seemed slipping from under his feet; danger
to himself loomed in the distance, and he has
tened from the house in alarm. Straight to
the police he went and stated his case. The
official listened imperturbably to the whole sto'
ry and then asked:


"You gave up this valuable box to an ac.
quaintance of weeks standing, without any
witness or any written acknowledgements Z


"He had been so very kind, and man in
his position"


"Bah ?-you, \ man of business? But
have you no proof that the box belongs to
you?"


"None whatever except the key 1t is lock.
ed, and I have the key-here it is" and he
produced a small key from an inner pocket


The official remained in thought for some
time, and then said:


"Well, I will do the only thing can for
you. The Archduke Constaine (the Governor
of Poland) is stern, harsh man, but he is
known for his vigorous justice, and if he be-
lieves yeur story he will do his best for you
l will take you to him at once"


No time was lost, and the merchant soon
found himself in the archduke's presence
and was desired to relate his story. When it
was concluded, the archduke after a mo-
ment's reflection, rang q bell. An official en-
TERED.


"Send for NJ" naming the treacherous
host.


1t was squickly done, and the archduke, with
out question or preamble, said to the guilty


"Sit down to the writing table and write
what shall dictate"


The man took his seat and took up pen
the archduke began debating


"My dear wife: All is found out"


"No; 1 won't write that" said the man,
springing from his seat


"Then you are guilty. was the prompt an
swer.


Puzzled and foiled, he resumed his seat
and wrote as he was desired.


"NIy dear wife: All is found out. Send
the box by the bearer"


Then he signed his own name, by the
archduke's order, and messenger was des-
patched with it. The messenger found the
lady at her toilet. When she read the mis-
sive she turned ashy pale, trembling violent
ly. Then leaning forward, she drew the box
from the recess in her toilet table, and han
ded it to the bearer, who, swiftly returning,
placed it in the hands of the archduke.


He immediatel y handed it to the merchant,
desiring him to unlock it that being done, he
asked whether the diamonds were all there.
Yes, the box had not been opened they were
exactly as the merchant had left them.


Again the archduke rang the bell, and to
the attendant who entered he said, designa-
ting the guilty man:


"Take him to Siberia: he is not to 60 to
his own house again"