UTILIZING AN OLD PLAY-BILL.

Ashburton Herald, Volume I, Issue 240, 7 January 1879, Page 2

UTILIZING AN OLD PLAY-BILL.

of Russian engineer officers, from their post on the Syr-Daria, ventured into the hostile territory of Bokhara,. with the hope of surveying a portion of it before they could be discovered. But they were compelled to relinquish this design by the’, appearance of an overwhelming forced'of Bokhariote horsemen, who quickly surrounded them. Seeing that resistance was impossible, the Russian leader advanced with friendly greetings, and announced himself a 3 a special envoy from the Czar to the Amir, and, in that character, demanded to be led into the presence of that important personage. The ruse worked like a charm, and the party made a triumphal entry into the capital, escorted by their captors. With due ceremony, the gentlemen were admitted to an audience, and the chief officer, with great dignity and impressiveness, conveyed assurances of profound re-/. gard from the Czar of all the Russians to his royal brother, and concluded by presenting his own gold watch and silverhandled knife to the Bavage despot, as gifts from his august master to the Amir. Everything was proceeding smoothly, when the Asiatic King upset the whole business by asking for the Czar’s letter—he knew how such matters were always conducted ; of course the great Czar had accompanied his gifts by a letter. At this demand the self-appointed ambassador turned pale as death,; and stood a picture of mute despair. But a young subaltern at his side came to the rescue. With almost a preternatural presence of mind, he drew forth his pocket-book and carefully unfolded an old play-bill of the! Alexander Theatre at St. Petersburg, and. coolly read from it an imaginary letter ol congratulation, winding up by presenting it to the Amir with a profound obeisance His eminence of Bokhara had seen the Czar’s name appended to officialdocuments, and was entirely satisfied by the sight of the huge line “ Alexander ” on the top of the bill, together with the double eagle of Russia, and. the precious play bill was reverently deposited among the archives of Bokhara, where it probably remains to this day, a source of wonder and amusement. v