1792. “anecdotes of ¥. %. Ankersiroem, | ° 20% 
favourable exteriors’he concealed a heart susceptible of the* 
most malevolent affections, which discovered itself on many 
eccasions in trifling incidents.that oceurred inthe common 
course of childifl: amusements, or ordinary businefs. A- 
mong other particulars, equally insignificant of themselves, 
but which serve to mark the charactet, the followimg havé 
been lately publiflied in Sweden: 
While young Ankerstroem was attending his studies at 
the university of Upsal, he took a pleasure in tormenting 
such unsuspecting peasants as he accidentally met with, in 
the foliowing manner: He used to collect. together the 
points of broken knives, or other fharp points he could. 
meet with, which he fixed’ in corks; these he put in his 
pocket, and wlien hie saw a peasant, whose'simplicity of 
appearance gave him encouragement, he took one of these 
into the palm:of his’ hand, and coming up. to the peasant, 
with a frank, cordial air, took him, by the and, and. 
squeezing hard, run the points deep into his flefh, and 
then ran off, laughing at the’ pain he had given him, and. 
the distortions. of countenance it occasioned, . 
When he: grew up, the cruelty of his disposition be- 
came stil! more apparent.’ He-entered into the army, and, 
when he was ensign in the Royals, he bought.a very fine 
horse, for- which he paid above am hundred rix, dollars.. 
This animal was high fed, and not having been properly. 
trained, it turned restive. with him one day, sé that he 
could péither get. it to go one- way or other with him. 
Exasperated: at. being exposed in this. awkward. situ- 
ation, Ankerstroem alighted from the ‘horse, led him. 
up to.a neighbouring village, where he borrowed a, large. 
knife, and having fastened: the horse securely, deliberate- 
ly fell’ to cutting and slafhing ‘the horse, with his own 
hands, for upwards of two hours, when the animal expi~ 
red; 
