Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1877 — Skobeleff. [ARTICLE]

Skobeleff.

The Skobelefi's have a singular origin. In 1839 the Emperor Nicholas, while at a review of hi-, whole army, ordered a Gen. Skobeleff to sei eit the finest men in the army to form into a body of Imperial Guards. In the first regiment examined the General came across a stalwart young soldier, who far surpassed his comrades in appearance. The soldier said that his name was Kobcleff, and that he came from a village in the province of Novgorod. The General, upon hearing this reply to an inquiry he had made, seemed greatly interested, and, being told that it was only the youth of Kobeleff that had hindered his advancement from the ranks, at once gave orders that he should be made a non-commissioned officer. That evening Gen. Skobeleff, at a dinner given to the officers of the regime nt to which Kobeleff belonged, told an anecdote. He said that many years before, when he was a private soldier, he was on guard one day at the Winter Palace. While keeping guard the Empress passed by, and, after looking at him a few moments, asked him his name. He replied that it was Kobeleff. “Kobeleff,” said the Empress; “I don’t like the scund of that name ; for the future you are to be called Skobeleff. ” From that time the Empress took an interest in bis welfare, and eventually, through her favor, he became aide-de-camp to the Czar. “ I have only one remark to make,” said the General, “and that is that the young fellow whom I raised to be an officer to-day is the son of the brother I left at home to look after our village homestead.” The nephew took his uncle’s name, and subsequently himself became a General. It is his son, “Skobeleff the younger,” who has just distinguished himself before Plevna. A parrot which had been in a family at Clinton, Maes., for thirty years, died recently. It was believed to be 90 years old, its former owners having been traced back for fifty years. It could talk until within twenty years, but in that time has said onlywone word distinctly, that being the name of a former owner, “Harriet.” It apparentto died of old age, showing all the symplyjpp of a very aged person.