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Show COSTLY POLITENESS. i ' The P.usslan peasant has a saying which invariably puzxles the foreigner: "Too polite, and die like Bekovltch." The proverb refers to one of the most tragic episodes in Muscovite history. In the early spring of 1717 Prince Bekovltch Cheraski led an armed expedition, ex-pedition, consisting of 4000 infantry and 2000 cavalry, into the then almost un. known interior of South Central Asia, His ostensible object was to open up commercial relations with the Khans of Khiva and of Bokhara. His real one, to see if it were possible to Invade India In-dia from the north. The Prince, with whom very many officers of-ficers of the Imperial Bodyguard, a brilliant company, marched his men across the arid steppes with difficulty, and on August 15 halted some eighty miles from the city of Khiva. The Khlvans, Ignoring his professions of friendship, attacked in force; but were easily defeated by the better armed and better disciplined soldiers of the Cxar. Their Khan, thereupon, resorted to diplomacy. He visited the Russian camp in state. Explained that the attack at-tack delivered by his people was all a mistake, and invited Prince Bekovltch and his principal officers to visit his capital as his guests. Two days later, at a grand entertainment, entertain-ment, the Khan toasted his "friends the Russians," and vowed eternal friendship. He also took the opportunity opportu-nity or requesting Prince Bekovltch to divide his army into small detachments for entertainment in the surrounding villages, regretting the inability of his capital to entertain so many guests. The Russian commander politely agreed to the politely preferred request, the Russian force was broken up and the Khan laughed sardonically. His turn had come. Early next day he killed Bekovltch and forwarded his head as a gift to the Khan or Bokhara. Then he annihilated the Russian army. - Yet another notable Instance of an excess ex-cess of politeness In war, resulting in disaster, occurred, at the battle of Fontenoy. Two bodies of troops, the one French, the other English, suddenly found themselves face to face, and within twenty paces of one another. Lord Charles Hay. who happened to be the senior officer on one side, at once Stepped to the front, and saluting the French commander (Count d'Aute-roche). d'Aute-roche). exclaimed: "Gentlemen of the French Guardv fire first!" To this courteous Invitation the Count, not meaning to be outdone in politeness, replied: "Fire yourselves, gentlemen of England; we never fire first." "As you please," rejoined Lord Hay, and turning to his men, he gave the requisite re-quisite word of command. An instant later the British muskets were spouting death, and the French had to retire in confusion. Pearson's Weekly. |