Utilising An Old play Bill.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 35

Utilising An Old play Bill.

A party of Russian engineer officers ventured into the hostile territory of Bokhara with the hope of surveying a portion of it before they were discovered. But they were compelled to relinquish their design by the appearance qi an overwhelming force of Bokhariote horsemen, who quickly surrounded them.

Seeing that resistance was impossible, the Russian leader advanced with friendly greetings, and announced himself as 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 triumphant entry into the capital, escorted by their captors. With due ceremony the gentlemen were admitted to an audience, and the chief officer, with dignity and impressiveness, conveyed assurances of profound regard for the Czar of all the Kuasias to his royal brother, and concluded by presenting his own gold watch and silverhandled knife to the savage despot as gifts from his angust master to the Amir.

Everything was proceeding smoothly, when the Asiatic king upset the whole business by asking for the Czar's letters— he knew how such matters were always conducted ; of course, the Czar had accompanied his gifts by a letter. At this demand the selfappointed ambassdor turned as pale as death, and stood the 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 pocketbook and carf ully unfolded an old play bill of the Alexandra Theatre atSt.Petersburgh.and cooly read from it an imaginary letter of congratulation, winding up by handing it to the Amir with a profound obeisance.

His Eminence of Bokhara had already seen the Czar's name appended to official docnments, and was entirely satisfied by the sight of the huge line " Alexander " at the top of the bill, together with the double eagle of Eussia, 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.