A RUSSIAN GRAND DUCAL JOKE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 405, 25 June 1881, Page 2

A RUSSIAN GRAND DUCAL JOKE.

Among many amusing anecdotes of the Russian Imperial family related in the laie Karl Bemlcr's Memoirs, is the following highly characteristic story of the eccemric Graad Dake Constantine, Czar Alexander's eldest uneler White residing at Warsaw, Constantine gave & splendid bar-quet to a number of the great. Polish, nobles, to each of whom, at the- eonciiision of the feast, an ordmar.vVjaHfow or.ndle was served on a pate by the-^Wend 1 - ant lacqueys. As soon as all his guests were supplied with these peculiarly unapyet ring objects, the Grand Duke, who. had given orders that an imitation candle, admirably executed in marchpane, should be placed upon his plate, rose from hiseat and exclaimed, iC Gentlemen, let us eat, to the honor of Enssia, that favorite national comestible of my country. Look at me. This is the way to do it." So saying he threw back his head, opened his mouth wide, and inserted therein two. inches or so of the dainty in question.. As he cWd his teeth, however, theexpression of his countenance underwent an extraordinary change" .One of thenoblemen oittingin his immediate neighborhood had contrived to substitute his own genuine iallow candle for the marchpane imiialion set before the Grand Dukewho, not choosing to betray himself to his; guesis, found himself compelled to chew at least one mouthful of good Russian iallow, as an exaiiiple to all the victims of his deveitabie jest 1 , none of whom, of corrse, dared to abstain from doing as the tevr'We -Duke Constantine did. It is need'cs to add that the dexterous appropriator of the marchpane candle, while devouring- thai- toothsome article with a joyful l.'oart, baffled suspicion by the- mosfc horrible visual contortion, expressive of loathing, and nausea.