1856.] The Einperor and the Yankee. 437 



The following occurrence is quoted by Frcderika Bremer, in her 

 late work on America, as from the letters of Mrs. Child, and gives a 

 graphic illustration of a prominent feature in American character. 

 The adventurous youth alluded to, was the brother of the Hon. 

 Charles Sumner, one of the present Senators in Congress from 

 Massachusetts. Instead, however, of coming immediately to this 

 country, as the story intimates, he pursued his travels in the East, and 

 was returning home in the ill-fated brig Elizabeth, with Margaret 

 Fuller Ossoli, and, with her, perished in the wreck of that vessel off 

 the southern shore of Long Island. The date of the following scenes 

 was about 1837, when the Hon. George M. Dallas, since Vice Presi- 

 dent, was our Minister to the Court of Ilussia : 



One day a lad, apparently about nineteen, presented himself, before 

 our Ambassador at St. Petersburgh. He was a pure specimen of the 

 genus Yankee — with sleeves too short for his bony arms, trowsers 

 half way up to his knees, and hands playing with coppers and ten- 

 penny nails in his pockets. He introduced himself by saying — " I've 

 just come out here to trade, with a few Yankee notions, and I want to 

 get a sight of the Emperor." 



^'Why do you wish to see him ?" 



"I've brought him a present all the way from Ameriky. I respect 

 liim considerable, and I want to get at him and give it to him with my 

 own hands." 



Mr. Dallas smiled as he answered — "It is such a common thing, 

 my lad, to make crowned heads a present, expecting something in 

 return, that I am afraid the emperor will consider this only a Yankee 

 trick. What have you brought ? " 



" An acoin." 



^* An acorn ! What under the sun induced you to bring the Empe- 

 ror of Russia an acorn?" 



" Why, just before I sailed, mother and I went out to Washington 

 to see about a pension; and when we was there, we thought we'd just 

 step over to Mount Vernon. I picked up the acorn there ; and I 

 thought to mjsolf I'd bring it to the emperor. Thinks says I, he 

 must have heard a considerable deal about our General Washington, 

 and I expect he must admire our institutions. So now you see I've 

 brought it, and I want to get at him." 



