"Having" Peter the Great.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2279, 22 September 1899, Page 6

"Having" Peter the Great.

Thorp is a story told of Peter tin(Jreat in the character of a dentisi wliich strikes one (writes Mr. James Paynl as very charnWeristlc of his Impulsive and high-handed ways. Peter had studied dentistry, in common with most other useful arts, and plumed him self on his dexterity in drawing a tooth. though one tinds no record of his giving himself the trouble to stop one. Oh serving one of his valets do chambro to he in had spirits, he asked what was the matter (an unexpected trait in Peter), and was told that it was the spectacle of his wife suffering from toothache that so distressed him " Why doesn't she have it out ?" inquired the Tzar, beginning to feel the professional instinct. " T can't per suade her. Sire ; she always pretends not to suffer when we wish to give her ease : hut renews her lamentations (which distress me to hear) when the dentist is dismissed." " Let me see her," said the Czar ; " I'll cure her." Tie was introduced to her apartment, and, in spite of her protestations of there boins nothing the matter, examined her mouth. Having satisfied himself as to which was the peccant molar, the Czar said to the husband : " Hold her head and arms and she shall he cured in an instant." Then, ii> spite of her cries, he extracted her tooth with great address, and without the aid of an ana esthetic. Hearing a few days afterwards that the whole affair was a trick of tlie valet to torture his wife, with whom he had quarrelled, the Czar beat him within an inch of his life—not so much, it was shrewdly suspected, on account of the deception practised upon him. as because il hail caused him to make an incorrect diagnosis.