Hoodwinking the Nihilists.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4546, 18 November 1882, Page 3

Hoodwinking the Nihilists.

Ourious stories, based on the alleged fear of the Ozar to show himself in public among his faithful subjeots, are by no means rare, but the following account of one of His Majesty's subterfuges for eluding the danger of a Nihiliit attaok is, perhaps, the most amusing of any that have been published. It emanates from a correspondent of the Intrantigeant, and is dated "St. Petersburg, Sept. 17,1882:—The inhabitants of this city were lately exoited at the news of a very unexpected event. It was stated that the Emperor had at last made up his mind to come to St Petersburg. He had been seen with only a small escort in an open ca'.fcche en the Newski Perspective. People havo beoome so unaccustomed to regard St. Petoraburg as an Imperial residence that, in «pite of the assertions of the newspapers, no ono at first plaoed any credit in the report. The next day, however, the Czar's promenade was repeated, and even incredulous people were convinced. His Majesty's partisans went into ecstasies, and exclaimed, ' You see that Alexander 111. is no coward, as his enemies tret end.' Alas! the illusions of the faithful and the wonder of the popidace were of short duration. It soon transpired that it was nob the Emperor who was seated on the cushions of the caliche, but a wax figure clad in the Imperial uniform; its face bearing a wonderful resemblance to the features of the sovereign. fJ he Czar's consent to this mockery bad been obtained by ingenious offioialf, who pointed out that his cowardice was daily becoming more evident to the people, and that it vras absolutely necessary to redeem his fallen prestige Alexander gave in to these arguments, and the figure was made in secret. It is a perfeot likeness, and the movements of the head to the right and to the left complete the illusion. At the sight of the masterpiece, the Czar is said to hvro embraced Tolstoi, exclaiming, 'At last I can show myself to the nation without fear of the Terrorists; let them blow up my carriage if they dare.' A similar story to the above was told of the late Emperor, except that in his case the wax figure was sent on in a so-called Imperial train to test the safety of the railway line, while the real Czar travelled in a train composed of baggage fonrgons."