The Republican journal., 1870-06-30
PARKER'S PRIVATE SECRETARY.

PARKER'S PRIVATE SECRETARY.
The story am about to tell relates to an
incident in the history of England which is
but little known, and which you will not find
in books, but one which nevertheless had a
great effect on her destinics.
About the beginning of this century, while
the Revolutionary wars were raging, COM
munication in cipher was naturally very
prevalent; and ingenuity was taxed to the
utmost on one hand to invent, and on the
other to detect the medium used in secret
correspondence AS rule, the decipherer
had beaten the cipher, and no known method
was secure of detection. If conventional
signs merely were used, the recurrence Of
the different symbols gave key easily fol
lowed out. Some ingenious spirits cores
pond by reference to the pages and lines OF
particular editions of books-mcthods, al
though they might preserve the secret, dis
closed what was often quite as dangerous,
that there was a secret. am about to tell you
of n plan which Tor 4 long time was not only
undetected, but msuspected.
1t was at that time when the first Napole-
on had assembled his fleet and transports at
Brest, with the ostensible and as is general
ly believed the real view Of making q de-
scent on England. The greatest precautions
were observed by the English Government in
regard to correspondence from France, and
an amount of espionage was practiced at the
post office, which left Sir James Graham's
subsequent performers in that line far be-
hind. The national excitement was intense
and the political departments Of the govern
ment We're administered with an iron sway.
My uncle, Sir George Trevor was, us all
the world then knew, high in the Admiralty
and as it was from him that | heard this
anecdote, its vcracity may be depended on
The dispatches to and from the Admiralty
were the subject of the gravest vigilance, and
the most stringent regulations. The clerks
were not permitted to send on receive letters
which were not first submitted to the chief
clerk and it was believed that letters ad-
dressed even to private residences were fire.
quently opened at the post office.
At the time | speak Of, the chief clerk was
an elderly man Of the name Of Parkcr-a
wizencl, wry, dapper individual, so imbued
with the official tincture of Whitehall that it
had become second nature to him. He lived
and brcathcd and thought and slept solely for
the Admiralty. and knew no other pleasure
on care. He was withal 4 genial and kindly
soul, keen and energetic in the affairs of his
office, and in all others q mere child.
He had as his private secretary a young
fellow of the name of Beaumont, who was
one of the most promising subor'linates in
the establishment He was modest and I'M
assuming, very good-looking, with a counte-
nance and an air suggestive of depression
and melancholy. He was evidently OF good
education, and probably well born also, for
his manners We're easy and indicated good
breeding He was q native OF jersey, and
had been introduced to the notice Of the ad-
miralty authorities by some influential MEM
Der of Parliament He was much liked in
the office and DISCHARGED his duties to perlec-
ton.
One morning Parker presented himself be-
fore my uncle with q visage pale with woe
and trembling with excitement.
'Why, what is the matter, Parker? Has
Bonaparte come ~
HE may have, for aught know" said
Parker. Things are all wrong, Sir George -
"What is wrong?"
''Thc letters are wrong. There is spy
among us. | have know it for long time,
now | am quite sure; but cannot find him
outn
Parker went on to explain that he had tor
some time suspected that some one in the Of
fee communicated their private information
and dispatches outside He had redonbled
his precautions; but, more than ever con
lirmed in his suspicious, was entirely bailled
| in his endeavOrS to detect the culprIt.
but, Parker" said my uncle, chow do
YOU come to be so sure that your secrets have
lranspired?'
sDv the funds, Sir George. They answer
to the news as surely as the bell down stairs
answers to the beIl-rope. [ find them going
up and down as if they were sitting in the
Office said Parker, personityng the stock
exchange for a moment
"IIavc all the letters to the clerks been ex-
amincd strictly?'
"Yes; | read them all myself
"Find nothing in them? ?"
"Mighty little. Some are from home and
some from friends but most Of them from
sweetheaus" said Parker, twisting his face
into a grim smile, "and rum things they say
| i'm Them
"And the young mems letters, Are they
rum, too?"
"They are more careful like, rs they know
| am to see them; but Lord save You, sir,
they are all stuff; not Il ha-porth of harm in
thcm'
"This matter must be seen to-" said my
uncle; ~ have had my own misgvings on
the same subject. Bring me all the letters
which come to and are sent by the clerks for
the next week. There is no reason why you
should hayc all the rum things to yourself"
So my uncle had the letters fora week, and
| lOullu lncln very lHutH (S ktt Ilttu uc-
scribed them The suspicious symptoms in
creased; the stock exchange respondedmore
sensitively than ever; but not the slightest
ground for suspecting any one transpired.
My uncle was bewildcred, and Parker was
rapidly verging to insanity.'
at is certainly not the clerks" said my
uncle 'Therc is no reason there" said he,
pushing back the letters of the day. "By the
way, how does young Beaumont get on? She
seems nice creature, that sister of his, to
Judge by her letters"
''IIe is the best hand in the office, q long
sight; and his sister is q very ladylike crca-
ture They are orphans, poor things and he
supports her out of his salary. She called at
the office two months ago, and | gave him
leave to see her for q few moments in my
room. But he knew it was against the rules,
and has not seen her here again.
''But what are we to do? ?' said my uncle.
81 think will speak to the First Lord"
SO he spoke to the First Lord, who thought
the affair serious enough
ut must be in the leters,' said he.
at cannot be in the letters" said my un-
Gle.
"As you please" said the chief; but al
though you cannot find it there, perhaps an