The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-12-09

iSeu luDelNleW tOoR place. OnOrtly aIGer-
ward the marshal returned to France,
having accomplished his mission in the
most satisfactory manner possible. It
now only remains to us to solve this
riddle, which is what we are about to do.
In 1914, three statesmen, namely,
NM. de Talleyrand, de Metternich, and
de Nesserode, were met together in
Paris, and were engaged in settling the
grave questions which had arisen out of
the fall of Napoleon and the entrance of
the allied powers into France. Those
grave interests took up nearly all their
time, and yet they occasionally found
means to escape from the preoccupa-
tions of diplomacy, saying among each
other: Let us put off serious matters
till tomorrow 81
One day the three diplomats were
assembled at gay dinner. The CONVEX
sation, after rowing from one frivolous
subject to another, finally turned upon
women.
"Oh," said Prince Talleyrand, "I
know marvel of beauty to whom moth
ing is comparable"
"I," said M. de Metternich, "know
a woman who is fairer than the fairest I"
"And l." said NJ. de Nesselrode, the
envoy of Russia, "can cite person who
certainly has no rival -
"There exists apparently three incom-
parable Beauties" then said M. de Tai
leyrand, who had spoken first; =" but I
do not doubt that mine is the handsom-
est of the three"
"No; it is mine"
"No mine"
"It is easy to see that you do not
know the person of whom speak,"
"Nor you the one whom mean"
eff 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 q
very simple means of solving the diff
Guilty; let us bring these three mysteri-
Gus beauties together"
can excellent idea, but difficult of
execution"
"Not 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"
"Bravo!"
Talleyrand rang, and sent for pen,
ink, ana 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 Gu
rious in case he was followed.
Another hour passed, and then the
three guests set off for the opera. Ar
rived at the door of the box, NJ de Tai
leyrand motioned to M. de Metternich
to enter first, who in turn went through
the same ceremony with M. de Nessel-
rode. Each of them repeated:
CATER you, SIR"
AN. lie Prince, J could not think of
it."
AS last, Prince Metternich entered.
In an arm chair at the front of the
box sat solitary lady.
"What does this pleasantly mean,
sir?" asked NJ. dc Metternich, bfusque-
ly, of Prince Talleyrand, who followed
him.
81 was about to ask you the same
question" said, at the same time, NJ. de
Nesselrode.
"And Twas about to addressit to you,
gentlemen" replied Talleyrand.
"Why did you send off my te
onlyI"
"It was mine"
"You mean mine."
Frankly, gentlemen, L do not un~
derstand the SITUATION"
"Here is the explanation, then said
the fair unknown and, drawing from
her glove three little fofled papers, she
presented one to each of the three states
All tha nntao bora {bo
| address. That address was " Pecca-
dille." -'-
When NM. de Metternich and de
Nesselrode were about to leave France,
they met for q last conference with
Prince Talleyrand.
"We are about to separate" said the
latter. "Do younot think that it would
be as well to establish ameans of under
standing each other from afar as we do
when we are together9"
"We can write"
GA letter may be lost, and that is
compromising.
"We might establish a correspon-
dence in cipher"
"That has the same drawback. There
are keys to all known ciphers."
Let us invent new alphabet"
That is not much more certain.
"Then what can we do"
"Might we not, as is the custom dur
ing war, fix upon common watchword,
and accord all credit to the envoy who
shall repeat to any one of us this word
from one of the others2"
"Let us choose a word, then. But
what shall it be ?"
Let US see."
"Patriotism2"
"Bad."
Fraternity 2"
"No."
Loyalty"
+" Impossible"
"Then what can we take2"
/" A proper name would be best"
every well, then, let it be proper
name-but there are so many. Could
not mistake arise through lapse of
nemory2"
"I have it, gentlemen-I have it !"
said Prince Talleyrand, at that moment.
81 will give you name which neither
of us three will ever forget, 1 am GER
tain."
What name is that 2"
Peccadille l"-Appleton's Journal.