OUTWITTING A TYRANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 7

OUTWITTING A TYRANT.

t was in tha year 1818 that the leading 1 tizens of the chicE towns of the Lombardo- j enetian kingdom avowed openly their stestation of Austria, and they awaited lly a favourable opportunity to throw off le yoke. At one of the theatres of Venice, 1 a certain evening, a magnificent bouquet as thrown upon the stage at the feet of a sautiful danscuse. It was a rare piece of orkmanabip, and its three colours of red, hite, and green wero so arranged that the rmbol of Italian Independence could not be listakeir. The ilanscuse picked it up and ißsed it repeatedly and pressed is rapturisly to her bosom, while the vast audience aplauded vociferously. On the following iorning the actress was summoned before is police authorities, aud sharply questioned raching the absurd treatment of the bouquet •hich had been thrown to her on the revious evening. She tremblingly answered lat she had done only as she always did 'hen such beautiful tributes were given her. Very well," said the Austrian chief; 'hereafter, when a bouquet is thrown to ou thus publicly, you will trample upon it rith your foot. Do you understand ?" She lid she understood, and she was suffered to epart. She went to some of her friends nd told them what had happened. "Ah," aid the artist Antonio Luigi, "and you rill trample upon it?" "I must." "Then will see that you have the right kind. Be irave, pretty one, and we will win applause gain. Wait." That evening, when the avourite daiueuse had acquitted herself randly, a hugh bouqust was thrown upon he stage—a broad tk-11 of Btrange flowers, he only colours yellow and black—the Imperial standard of Austria ! There could le no mistaking it. " Jiestiaccia J" (great igly beast) said the actrcss, loud enough to >e heard over the house; and then she umped upon the yollow aud black symbol, .nd trampled it heartily. For a time it eemed as though the applause would shatter he building. The police took the hint, and lid not venture to interfere with the bou[uets of the bold and favourite danscuse.