| Show nicholas of russia by mr dallas dalkos vice president presiding 0 of the united states and minister to russia no admitted merit no length of service no elevation of rank can avert the blow with which ahi ch he is ever ready to strike the culpable or disloyal to maintain the discipline of his troops he is in the habit of suddenly visiting their stations without warning when wo to the officer or private then detected in fault he has been known on the instant of discovering remissness or inattention to tear off with his bis own hands the epaulettes epaul ettes and decorative badges of a veteran and favorite officer there revels in his what may be called d a dash of romance which set off by a form of great elegance and muscular mua cular strength gives to his actions actins grace vivacity and int interest Arest when representing the imperial chief his details of gran grandeur dear and magnificence may be truly and gor gorgees gorge geus oua his audiences bina lets and festi festivals aa imposing and drama tie tic as ai those hose in the arabian nights yet often from alem he breaks abruptly away travels throaty through ii hit his kingdom unknown and nd ed gaining perhaps per hips nips admission to the palace of s imp 01 neighboring sovereign under a ficai tiou thoua 3 atme or as a medio medici ant tat by the wayside I 1 claims the charity of hi his it lein empress press or it may be ai a i ao awkward captain ot a steamer steam sr affects to ruu run down some same lubbering captain of a small craft on the baltic ind while supposed to be thus roaming over the empire alarms his ministers by suddenly presenting himself amongst them the n A few years ago an american frigate alike celebrated fr for the beauty of her proportions the solidity of her form and quickness of sailing entered the harbor ot cronstedt Cron stadt her arrival wai wa i at once communicated to nicholas and before her anchor was f fairly down one of his richely ornamented steamers was observed ap rig ac roes the wide bay the steamer stopped at about one hundred bundred yards distance from the frigate and a d dizzying dizz ling roup of officers was seen to entera enter a barge the couse of which was immediately directed towards the ship Act acting irti n a coxswain to this barge and seating eating himself at the stern appeared a con figure figare with a small white cap encircled by a red hand and attired in a single breasted dark green frock coat the attire corresponding with the individuals subordinate capacity cap icily and presenting a singular contrast to the epati ap pp lettes and other finery of those under whose orders he seemed stationed always prepared prep tred ired to receive such vi visitor sour naval commander matthem met them at the gangway and gave them thein a cordial welcome among them was the vice chancellor dds 0 e ern empire pire the minister of marine aw and a i or of admirals admiral and sand genea general of loffi fisers ers who benl in the cam cah of the cl cn n a their coxswain as if conscious that be must look out f fir ir himself walked forward and mingled carelessly with the common sailors As he examined ezi mined the battery and scrutinized the bulwarks bulwa asking a nw aw w and then some questions the hardy tars trained to discern the air and tone of real authority instinctively touched their tarpaulin hats and winking knowingly kno to each other whispered their conviction that it was the old boy hin himself this suspicion circulated with rapidity throughout the frigate but no one deemed it deco decorous de cotou roup by the slightest word or look to I 1 intimate its existence to alln him who t thought u himself tie as he be wished to absolutely be unrecognised unrecognized I 1 after inspecting this thi proud specimen of our naval I 1 architecture an ana vm nent ant the splendid cavalcade re ra enart il air A ir barge and now arrived the moment when the commodore was to decide whether he should give I 1 the ordinary salute of twenty I 1 one twice that nt number iber cons constituting titu ting an imperial salute the suspect eA coxswain coxswain was then observed alone and lean leaning ai the wheel f the he steamer as thi the e trian naan of wars heavy cannon thundered dred from her ports he remained silent and stationary until at the sound of the twenty second gun he started with sar surprise prise gathered ga therea his bis officers around him and after he had explained to them that the cote aute yankees Yanke ev had seen through his disguise he issued his orders for the resumption of his true signals were immediately noticed to be exchanged exchinger with the surrounding arts and ten or twelve alu baian ships in the harbor the star spangled fanner antler was than hoisted at tile the masthead mast head of the steamer gracefully playing across the bows of the american i chip while every other armed vessel commenced tiring firing answering salutes when ceased the nig of the union nion slowly decender dec ended and nicholas proclaimed his real presence by hoisting i in in its stead the standard of his house the dark double headed eagle on a yellow ground whose appearance as if by magie magic awoke the cannon both on the shore chore prid and the bay producing ing the d roar of 2090 2040 guns the self confide ned which leads to those movements c characterizes the d nt of the sovereign every where and nd at all times our fancies are apt to imigine hi it always moving fit wate sate and hedging himself around with guards and attendants with with all the show maid and i pomp of the th appurtenances of tyranny such is not the caad why the elected citizen the kingoff king of france with awers espre sly defined and restricted feels safe only within his palace walls or surrounded by hia hi soldiers whilst nicholis the unrestricted and irresponsible avs ata pot maintains in all his intercourse with his p ople the freedom and carelessness of anim unimportant privacy he is seen at all hours hoarsen ho arsin in a a tal kalk single horse aleth in an open carriage on horseback or on bodt 0 t unaccompanied and undistinguished except by those amilear with his general personal app arance or physiognomy strangers str inlets often unaware of his presence pasa him without i reppel re r I 1 |
