| Show Couldnt Trust His Countrymen Bismarck relates the following anecdote One day the physicians in attendance on the Czar Nicholas recommended their august patient to have his back rubbed The emperor had no one about his person whom he saw fit to intrust with the operation oper-ation In his dilemma he decided to write to King Frederick William IV asking him to send to St Petersburg a few subaltern sub-altern officers of the Prussian guards These administered in turns the prescribed amount of friction and when the cure was completed were richly rewarded for their pains So long as I see my Russians face to face said the czar everything goes well but as for letting them rub my back I wont risk itLa Famille |