DYEING A COUNT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIX, Issue 115, 18 May 1883, Page 2

DYEING A COUNT.

A lieutenant in the Russian Army, and a Count pfmlemsik march? , having paid marked attention to the prettiest girl in Mosoow, her father, by profession a dyer, nsSed him if his intentions were honorable or otherwise. As the young nobleman's reply was evasive, the worthy dyer naturally concluded they were otherwise, and requested him to bestow his attentions elsewhere. The young gallant kept out of the way for some time, but at last passion got the better of prudence, and he re-commenced his flirtations with the dyer's pretty daughter during the absence of her worthy sire. The inevitable occurred. Papa surprised the lovers, and without much ado collared the budding warrior, doused him in the first handy vat o£ dye, and then reasoned with him a posteriori. When the Count got home he found that neither cold water nor hot, neither spirits of wine nor benzine, neither soap nor silver sand, would remove his new complexion — a heavenly azure. The Governor-General of Moscow was informed of the tragedy, summoned the dyer to his presence, and ordered him to remove the stain at once, but the delinquent proudly answered that the azure was his own invention, and a fast color, which neither he nor anybody else could wash out. He admitted, however, that it could be changed to black, and he would do it gratia. The young Count nearly lost his senses. Every chemist in Moscow tried his skill, but without avail. At last the heroine of this story wormed out the secret from her father. The Count's complexion was restored to its pristine pink, and she is a Countess.