The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-10-09
A COURIER'S STORY:


A COURIER'S STORY:
My name is Carl Johann Roeckel.
BY birth and nationality am Il Swiss,
but cosmopolitan in every taste and
habit. In my early days l regularly
followed the profession of courier
as do now occasionally when any of
my old patrons or their friends require
such services. which is rather in
frequent. the taste of the travelling
public having degenerated into hasty
Journeys by express trains, with the
consequent loss of all enjoyment of the
different phases of scenery through
which the travellers are passing. In
the course OF my many years expert
ence | have been witness to many
strange occurrences. have assisted in
many secret and adventurous UNDER
taking. and have been subject to many
perilS. From among such varied eX-
periences give the following strange
story. suppressing for obvious reasons
the real names of those interested.
Many years ago l was engaged as
courier to his Excellency the Honor
able Frederick Eslington, Ambassador
Extraordinary of his Britannia Majesty
King George. on a special secret mis-
sion to one of the great Continental
powers. Having finished his duties
and successfully attained the object of
his mission. we started on our home
ward journey in the summer of 1S-.
The period was one to be long remem-
bered. from the political excitement
which existed throughout all Europe,
almost every government having I'M
sheathed the sword. We had travelled
considerable part of the first stage of
our return journey, when his Excel
lency. who was feeling the fatigues of
the incessant travelling in the heavy.
rumbling carriage, said he should stop
at the next town we arrived at, and
take rest and Refreshments. both of
which he was much in need of, beside
having important state documents to
transcribe. In due course we arrived
at the small town of s., on the con-
fines of Germany, where we put up.
We staid day and half there; and |
was then instructed to have the car
riage and horses in readiness to con-
tinue our journey. His Excellency
meanwhile had completed his writings,
to which he had assiduously applied
himself: and told me. us it was a fine
afternoon. he would take short walk.
and on his return resume his journey
at once, and l must therefore make all
necessary preparations. He accord
ingly left the hotel. But he was never
seen afterward. nor was anything
known of his fate.
waited for upward of an hour anx-
iouSlv. and then made a close search for
him, which continued for several days,
but not trace could discover of my
master. A villager, however, living
outside the town, brought to me at the
hotel pair of overalls, which he stated
he had found in neighboring copse.
recognized the garment as belonging
to his Excellency, and at once repaired
with the villager to the copse, and close
ly examined the spot, but found no trace
or sign of any struggle.
Finding it useless to prosecute the
search, l at once returned to London
with his Excellency's travelling gear,
which | handed to his family. The
British Government at once instituted
inquiries, as also did his Excellency's
family. and large rewards were offered
by both. and advertisements widely dis
seminated for any information respect
ing the missing Ambassador; but they
failed one and all to gain any informa-
ton of or the slightest clew to his fate.
A certain amount of suspicion attached
to me, but it was only momentary, and
at once cleared myself of it, and as
sisted the distracted wife and her miss
ing husbands family as much as lay in
my power. Well l remember the
agonies of anxiety and suspense caused
to the Ambassador wife and family by
the distressing calamity. Magisterial
investigation was made, experts were
employed, and every endeavor made to
penetrate the dark veil of mystery sur
rounding the event; but all efforts were
unsuccessful. One of his Majesty's Am
bassadors had completely and mys-
teriously disappeared, without leaving a
clew to light up the awful obscurity
which envelOped the tragic occurrence.
Several years had elapsed since the
distressing event, and the memory, the
painful memory, of it was beginning to
fade from my mind, when l happened
to be in Antwerp on short tour with
patrons. And while listlessly strolling
by myself on the quay one summers
evening, watching the passengers dis
embarking from the newly-arrived
steamer l was accosted by mean,
haggard-looking little man of beggarly
appearance, who spoke to me in Flem-
ish.
"Are you not Herr Roeckel, the
courier?" said he.
YES replied 1. "What do you
want with mep Who are you?''
Il suppose you have quite forgotten
me?" said he.
stared at him keenly. The man S
features were somewhat familiar to me,
yet was confused in my remembrance
OF how and where had seen him. 81
do not know you," said l.
Yes, you do, and very WELL" re-
Piled he My name is Ludwig Kuhl,
ana nave frequently driven you the
first stage out of Vienna l did SO
when you were courier to his Excellency
the Honorable Eslington, in the sum-
mer of the year 18-."
(The courier is remembered even
when the patron is forgotten, for it is
to us that landlords and their servants
look for their gratuities.)
l stared at him, and then recognized
the haggard looks. "True," said L;
81 remember you now well. How
goes it with you? What do you here in
Antwerp The old trade, eh?''
"Ah, mol! he replied, with deeply
drawn sigh. cts long story, and 1
can't tell it to you here in all this noise
and hustle. Let us go to a quiet
cabaret.