Show I I SKOBELEFF I Admired by His Men aud Disliked by His Brother Generals I Every one knows that he spoke most fluently Erench German and English I once heard him speak very fair Italian and he had already picked up a considerable consider-able knowledge of Turkish I asked once how it that he was spoke English so very idiomatically and when he said that he had English nurses when a child I suggested that they would not account for the fashionable and army slan he ° used so correctly To this he only replied re-plied Oh I once sailed a yacht at Cowes but by the laugh which accompanied accom-panied the answer he evidently did not intend it to be taken as conclusive He told me he thought his family was not originally Russian and had heard vaguely that it might have been English I suggested Schbell but Nonot that I think Anyhow I dont know who my greatgrandfather was and I dont care j As we became more intimate our conversation con-versation turned on more serious matters mat-ters and I recollect him asking me whether I really thought he was popular with the officers and men of his corps I Of course my aides tell me so from morning till night but then they would say the same to the first general who may supercede me I replied that hav ing known many oi his officers and scores belonging to other corps I had heard him very frequently spoken of and invariably in the most flattering manner As for the men of your command com-mand I have several times been amused o find that instead of swearing by the name of the Deity they say By Skobe leff its true At this he seemed much pleased But when I added that he must not think too much of his popularity popu-larity among his brother generals whose best words for him were that with three or four more Skobelefla there would be no Russian army left he exclaimed Oh generals Of course they are all jealous of me After a pause he continued And yet if anyone any-one has cause to be discontented it is I and not they Just look at the men to whom they give their best civil and military mili-tary appointments Look at that pompous pomp-ous ass D K at S an amiable faineant at L who is only fit to be a shopkeepers clerk As for me Oh theres Skobeloff fightings his trade let him fight So I do the hard work and the others get rewarded Presently the same subject evidently rankling in his mind he went on And you dont know you cant imagine how all the Imperial family hate me All these Grand Dukes have their rank their titles and their wealth while all the beauty of Russia is at their feet if they choose to throw the handkerchief and they hate me because I have what they have not a little military glory AmondjaTi Hey in St James Gazette |