AN ACTOR'S HAPPY THOUGHT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 174, 5 July 1872, Page 5

AN ACTOR'S HAPPY THOUGHT.

■" The following anecdote" exhibits a late Emperor of -Russia in a new character, as weil as records one of. the most, happy escapear from awkward ." position that was effected hy wit absence of mind : i Some years ago there was a cele-\ brated comic-actor, at St. Petersburgh named Martinoff. He had the mostextraordinary powers of imitation,, and was so great''a favorite witlf the public as sometimes to venture interpolations of his own, instead of followingthe advice of Hamlet to his players, • " to speak no more than is set downfor them.", The Emperor had a high chamberlain, or person filling a similar office, named PoldfFsky Whetherfor fun or-malice, Martinoff, while performing; contrived to let fly some puns against this great man, which were very warmly received by the audience. The consequence was, as soon as the ' play was over, the actor found himself in the custody of a guard of soldiers who took him to be confined for a fortnight. . Not content with this, Poloffsk'y either told the Emperor himself or contrived that it should come to his ears that the player actually had the .presumption .to indulge in imitations, of his Imperial Majesty, iOn his liberation, Martinoff went to Court to pay his respects, as usual, and the Emperor told him of the accu--1 sation, which he denied. ".Well," ! said the Emperor, " if you ever did so, i let me have,: an imitation, of myself now. We know you can do it if you choose." This'was an awkward and dangerous position for the poor actor i who felt he should' get into trouble : for either falling short bi of overdoing . ,the character. But. the autocrat was determined, and there was no escape. Suddenly a bright thought struck Martinoff, and drawing'himself up, he' as-" samed the"exactrbearing j and tnanhrr of the iSuipero.r..and in a yjcjice so. like it that it .made everyone, present,.start, • he said, " Poloffsk\%'give '.Martinoff a thousand silver roubles."' "Stop!" , said the Emperor ; " I have ; heard i quite .enough. The imitation is ad- ' i mirable, but the entertainment prom-, . j ises to be to-) expensive. G-ive him I the roubles, Poloffsky : and now mind, j air, let this be the last time you mimic 'me here or elsewhere." It is, of course i unnecessary to say that Martinoff, who had*.'expected nothing less than a . journey to' Siberia, was too glad to. <pocket the money and to escape so easily % "■ • '