o the office,
and was informed that my petition for a renewal of permission had not
been granted.

"Why didn't you send me word earlier?" I asked.

"We were not bound to do so without the extra stamp," replied my dapper
official.

"But why has my application been refused?"

"Too many people are seeing that journal; some one must be refused."

"Nonsense," said I. "And if it is really so, _I_ am not the proper
person to be rejected. It will hurt some of these Russian subscribers
more than it will me, because it is only a question of _when_ I shall
read it, not of whether I shall read it at all. I wonder that so many
demoralizing things do not affect the officials. However, that is not
the point; pray keep for your own use anything which you regard as
deleterious to me. I am obliged to you for your consideration. But you
have no right to spoil three or four articles; and by a proper use of
scissors and caviare that can easily be avoided. In any case, it will be
much better to give me the book unmutilated."

The official and the occupants of the reception-room seemed to find my
view very humorous; but he declared that he had no power in the matter.

"Very well," said I, taking a seat. "I will see the censor.

"I am the censor," he replied.

"Oh, no. I happen to be aware that the head censor is expected in a few
minutes, and I will wait."

My (apparently) intimate knowledge of the ways of censors again won the
day. The chief actually was expected, and I was granted the first
audience. I explained matters and repeated my arguments. He sent for the
assistant.

"Why was not this application granted?" he asked impressively.

"We don't know, your Excellency," was the meek and not very consistent
reply.

"You may go," said his Excellency. Then he turned graciously to me. "You
will receive it."

"Uncut?"

"Yes."

"But will they let me have it?"

"Will--they--let--you--have--it--when--I--say--so?" he
retorted with tremendous dignity.

Then I knew that I should have no further trouble, and I was right. I
received no written permission, but the magazine was never interfered
with again. Thus it will be seen that one practically registers
periodicals wholesale, at a wonderfully favorable discount.

During the whole of my stay in Russia I received many books unread,
apparently even unopened to see whether they belonged on the free list.
In one case, at least, volumes which were posted before the official
date o