Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-08-29

VI sky, where no star glmmers through
While the calm, Summer sunlight filings
Bloom over all the face of things:
Thus day in radiant splendor thrlves,
when night lies soft on sleeping lives;
And the round earth forever seems
Two worlds like two inimitable dreams.
George Edgar montgomery.
THE PRIVATE SECRETARY.
An In cident Of Napoleon's Threatened
Invasion OF England.
About the beginning of this century,
while the Revolutionary Wars were rag
ing. communication in cipher was natur-
ally very prevalent; and ingenuity was
taxed to the utmost on one hand to in
vent, 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 mere
ly were used, the recurrence Of the differ
ent symbols gave a key easily followed
out. Some ingenious spirits correspond
ed by reference to the pages and lines o
particular editions of particular books
others by an agreed-on vocabulary. But
these last methods, although they might
preserve the secret, disclosed what was
often quite as dangerous, that there was
secret. am about to tell you of plan
which for long time was not only unde-
tected, but unsupported.
1t was at that time when the first Ma =
poleon hid assembled his fleets and tran
sports at Brest, with the ostensib:c, and
as is generally believed the real, view of
making descent on England. The
greatest precautions were observed by
the English Government in regard to
correspondence with France, and an
amount Of espionage was practiced at the
post-office which left Sir James Graham s
subsequent performances in that line far
behind. The national excitement was
intense, and the political department was
administered with an iron sway.
My uncle, Sir George Trevor, was, as
all the world then knew, high in the Ad-
miralty; and as it was from him that
heard this anecdote, its veracity may be
depended on.
The dispatches to and from the Ad-
miralty were the subject Of the greatest
vigilance and the most stringent tegula-
tions. The clerks were not permitted to
send or receive letters which were not
first submitted to the chief clerk, and it
was believed that letters addressed even
to their private residences were frequent
ly opened at the post office.
At the time | speak Of, the chief clerk
was an elderly man Of the name of Park
er-a wizened, wiry, dapper individual,
50 imbued with the official tlncture of
Whitehall that it had become second ma
ture to him. Tie was genial and kindly
soul, keen and energetic IN the affairs of
his office. and in all others mere child.
lie had engaged as private secretary
young fellow by the name of Beaumont,
who was one of The most promising sub
Ordinates in the establishment. He was
modest, unassumlng man, very good
looking, with a Countenance and an air
suggestive of depression and melancholy.
He was evidently of good education, and
probably we|l-born also, for his manners
were easy, and indicated good breeding.
He was native Of Jersey, and had been
introduced to the notice of the Admiral
ty authorities by some Influential mem
Der Of Parliament. He was much liked
in the office, and dicharged' his duties to
perfection.
One morning Parker presented himself
before my uncle with visage pale with
woe, and trembling with excitement
"Why, what is the matter, Parker9 Has
Bonaparte Gomez
"He may have, for aught know" said
Parker. Things are all wrong, Sir
Gcorgcw
"What are wrong?"
"The letters are wrong. There is spy
among us. I have known it for long :;
now am quite sure; out can not find
him out
Parker went on to explain that he had
Tor some time suspected that some one in
the office communicated their private in
formation and dispatches outside. He
had redoubed his precautions; but more
than ever confirmed in his suspicious
was entirely batiled in his endeavors to
detect the culprit.
"But, Parker" said my uncle, chow do
you cume to be so sure that your secrets
have transpired?"
by the funds, Sir George. They an
swer to the news as surely as the bell
down stairs does to the bell-rope. / find
them going up and down as if they were
sitting in he Office said Parker, person.
flying the Stock Exchange for the moment.
"Have all the letters to the clerks been
examined strictly?"
"Yes, read them all myself
"Find nothing in them?''
"Mighty little Some are from home
some from friends, and most of them
from sweethearts," said Parker, twisting
his face into q grim smile, land rum
things they say ip them"
"And the young mems letters. Are
they rum, too9'
"They are more careful like, as they
know | am to see them; but, Lord save
you, sir, they are all stuff; not u ha'porth
of harm in them"
"This matter must be seen to-" said my
uncle; ~ have had my own misgivings on
the same subject. Bring me all the letters
which come TO, and esent by, the clerks
for the next week. There is no reason
why you should have all the rum things
to yourself" -. .....>~s
So my uncle had the letters for week,
and found them very much as Parker had
described them. The suspicious symptoms
increased the Stock Exchange responded
more sensitively than ever; hut not the
slightest ground tor suspecting any one
transpired. My. uncle was bew1ldered,
and Parker was rapidly yerging to 1nsan-
ity. 1*a92@& = SIS s. s &@
at is certainly not the clerks, y said my
uncle. "There is no treason there,' said
he, pushing back the letters OF the day.
"By the way, how does young Beaumont
get on? She seems a nice creature that
lister of his, to judge by her letters"
'sHe is the best hand in the office, q
l. ong sight and his sister IS a very sweet,
|; ldylike creature They are orphans,
p OR things, ard he supports her. out of
h is salary. She called at the office two
N !onths Ego, and I gave him leave to see
h. IL for few minutes in my room. But
h knew it was against rules, and has not
on ~, II horo r.oir, ! r..