WHY THE PRINCE WAS THRASHED.
young recruit was standing guard ouo day before the door of tho entrance to Peter tho Great's private chambers in tho Palace of St, Petersburg. Ho had recuived orders to admit no one. As ho was passing slowly up and down beforo tho door, Princo Mentchikolf. tho lavourito Minister of the Czar, approached. Attempting lo enter lw was slopped by tho recruit. Tho prince, who had the fullest, liberty of calling upon his master at any time, sought to push tho guard and p?ss him, yet the young niau would not move, but ordered h's highness to stand back. " You fool!" shouted the prince, " don't yon know ir.e ?" The recruit smiled, Rnd said, " Very well, jour highness; but my orders aro to let nobody pass." Tlio prince, esssperated, struck hiui a Wow in tlio fuco with his riding-wliip. " Strike away, your highness," said the soldier," but I cannot lot yi;U in." Fetor, in tho rcom, hearing the noise outside, opened tho door and enquired what it meant, aud tho prince told him, The Caur was amused, but said nothing at the timo, In the evening, however, ho sent for the princo uud tho soldier, As they both appeared, I'oter give his own eaue to tho soldier, saying, '■ That man struck you in the morning ; now you must return tho blow to that fellow with my stick," The princo was'amazed, ''Your Majesty,'' lib said, " this common soldier is to stiikeme"l niab him a captain,"said Peter, " But I'm an officer of your Majesty's household," objected the prince, " I make him a colonel of the Life Uiiards and an offer of my household," said Peter again, "My rtnk, your Majesty know, is that of gcuenl," again protested Mentchikolf. " Then I make him a general, so that the beating you get may come from a man of your rank," The prince got a found thrashing iu tho presence of tho Czar. Tho recruit was nest day commissioned a general, with the title of Count .Oroinolf, and was the founder of a powerful family, whoso descendants aro still high in the Imperial service of liussia,
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Bibliographic details
North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 979, 25 May 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)
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355WHY THE PRINCE WAS THRASHED. North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 979, 25 May 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)
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