Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-11-18

powers into France.
Those grave interests took up nearly all
their time, and yet they occasionally found
means to escape from the preoccupations
of diplomacy, saying among each other:
Let us put off serious matters till to-
| morrow"
One day the three diplomats were assem-
bled at gay dinner. Toward the end of
the repast they dismissed the servants in
order to talk more freely; and certainly no
one could have recognized in the jolly
comrades, saying merrily all the foolish
things that were inspired by the fumes of
wine, the grave men who that very morn
| ing had been occupied by the affairs of a
part of the world.
The conversation, after rowing from
one frivolous subject to another, finally
| turned upon women.
"Oh, said Prince Talleyrand, know
a marvel of beauty to whom nothing is
comparable"
~ said NJ de Metternich, "know
| woman who is tairer than the tairest!"
"And l." said M. de Nesselrode, the
envoy of Russia, "can cite person who
certainly has no rivaln'
"There exist apparently three incom-
parable beauties, them" said Nj. de Tai
| leyrand, who had spoken first; but do
| not doubt that mine is the handsomest of
| the three"
"No; it is mine"
"No; mine"
9" 1t is easy to see that you do not know
the person of whom | speak"
Nor you the one whom | mean.'
" If you had seen mine you would not
| talk so enthusiastically of the beauty of
| the Others"
Thus commenced, the conversation
gradually grew animated and finally de-
| generated into quarrel.
1--WE are absurd, gentlemen" SAID at
| length M. de Talleyrand;" there is avery
simple means of solving the difficulty; let
us bring these three mysterious beauties
| together"
IAN excellent idea, but difficult of exc
cution."
Mot in the least. This is opera night;
| offer you my box. Each of US will write
to his goddess, and when the three are met
| together there, we will arrive.n
Bravom
Talleyrand rang, and sent for pen, ink
and paper. Each of the men wrote note
| and gave it to footman, ordering him to
| take circuitous route when he left the
| hotel, in order to battle the curious in case
he was followed.
Another hour passed, and then the three
guests set off for the opera.
| Arrived at the door of the box, M. de
| Talleyrand motoned to M. de Metternich
| to enter first, who in turn wen. through
| the same ceremony with NJ. de Nesselrode
| Each of them repeated
After you, sir"
IN. lie Prince, | could not think of
! it.n
At last Prince Metternch entered.
In an armchair at the front of the box
sat a solitary lady, but one, we must say,
of the most dazzling beauty.
"What does this pleasantly mean, sir?'
asked NJ de Metternich, brusquely, of
| Prince Talleyrand, who followed him.
:" was about to ask you the same ques-
tion," said, at the same time, NJ. de Mes
selrode.
"And l was about to address it to you,
| gentlemen" replied Talleyrand
Why did you send off my note onlyg"
1t was mine"
You mean mine"
+" Frankly, gentlemen, do not UNDER
stand the situation"
| the fair unknown; and, drawing from her
scented one to each of the three statesmen.
All the notes bore the same address
That address was Peccadille."
When NM de Metternich and dc Mes
selrode were about to leave France they
met for last conference with Prince
| Talleyrand.
ave are about to separate" said the
| latter ado you not think that it would
be as well to establish a means of under
standing each other from afar as we do
when we are to gether"
Ave can write"
"A letter may be lost, and that is COM
promising"
eve might establish a correspondence
in cipher"
THAT has the same drawback. There
are keys to all known ciphers."
Let us invent a new alphabet"
"That is not much more certain"
"Then what can we do:'
"Might we not, as is the custom during
war, fix upon a common watchword and
accord all credit to the envoy who shall
repeat to any one of Us this word from
one of the others -
"Let us choose a word then. But what
| shall it be-"
- Let us see
" PatrotismE"
bad"
Fraternity"
mo"
" Loyalty?'
" Impossible"
Then what can we take$''
: A hnE