Year: 1876

a lady, dressed with the utmost ele.
gance, was walking on the Moscow
promenade, leaning upon her husbands
arm, and letting the long train of her
rich dress sweep the dust and dirt oi
the street.


A young officer, coming hastily from
q side street, was so careless as to catch
one Of his spurs in the lady's train,
and in an instant a great piece was
torn out of the costly but frail materi-
al Of the dress.


81 beg thousand pardons, mad.
an" said the officer with polite bow,
and then was about to pass on, when
he was detained by the lady's hus.
band.


"You have insulted my wife,"


Nothing was farther from my in.
tention, sir. Your wife's long dress is
to blame for the accident, which l sin.
cerely regret, and beg you once more
to receive my apologies for any care.
lessness on my part" Thereu pom he
attempted to hasten on.


"You shall not escape So" said the
lady, with her head thrown back in q
spirited way. To-day is the first time
l have worn this dress, and cost two
hundred rubles which you must make
good"


"My dear madam, | beg you not to
detain me. am obliged to 90 on
duty at once. AS to the two hundred
rubles-I really cannot help the length
of your dress, yet beg your pardon
for not having been more cautious"


"You shall not stir, sir. That YOU
are obliged to go on duty is nothing
to us. My wife is right; the dress
must be made good"


The officers face grew pale.


"You force me to break through
the rules of the service, and / shall re.
ceive punishment.


PAY the two hundred rubIes and
you are Free"


The quickly changing color in the
officers face betrayed how inwardly
disturbed he was but stepping close
up to both of them, he said, with ap-
parent selfcommand.


"You will renounce your claim when
I tell you that an. .a-a-poor man,
who has nothing to live on but his
officers pay, and the amount of that
pay hardly reaches the sum of two
hundred rubles in whole year. |
can, therefore, make no amends for
the misfortune except by again beg
ging your pardon"


ooh! anybody could say all that
but well see if it's true; we'll find out
if you have nothing but your pay. I
declare myself not satisfied with your
excuses, and l demand my money"
persisted the lady, in the hard voice of
an unfeeling woman.


''That is true-you are right" the
husband added, dutifully supporting
her. "By good luck we have the
open court just now in session. Go
with us before the judge and he will
decide the matter" wvrt nTw


All further protestation on the off,
GERS part that he was poor, that he
was expected on duty, and SO forth,
did not kel p matters. Out of respect
for his uniform and to avoid an open
scene, he had to go with them to the
court room. where the gallery was
densely packed with crowd Of peo-
pie. 2 ~


After waiting for some time the |
lady had leave to bring her complaint. |


"What have you to answer to this
complaint 2" said the Judge turning to
the officer, who seemed embarrassed |
and half in despair. 49,


"On the whole very little. AS the
lateness of the hour, and being requir-
ed on duty, compelled me to hurry,
did not notice this lady's train. which |
was dragging on the ground. / caught
one of my spurs in it, and had the
misfortune to tear the dress. Madam
would not receive my excuses, but
perhaps now she might find herself
more disposed to forgiveness, when /
again declare, so help me God, that l
committed this awkward blunder with
out any mischievous intention, and 1
"arnestly beg that she will pardon
me-" ""0h the gallery,


A murtfler ran tnIO~. ~ sides
evidently from the people taKl"s
with the defendant, and against long |
trains in general, and the lady in par
ticular.
asked. dAre you satisfied with the de-
fendant's explanation p


"Not at all satisfied. ] demand two
hundred rublss in payment for my


aDefendent, will you pay this sum y