Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-10-09

That shall raise our nature human;
Be not fashions giddy lady
Be a brave. whole-souled, true woman
COURIER'S STORY.
My name is Carl Johann Roeckel. By
birth and nationality am Swiss, but
cosmopolitan in eveiy taste and
habit. In my early days regularly fol-
lowed the profession of courier, as do
now occasionally, when any of my old
patrons or their friends require such ser
vices, which is rather inlrcquent, the
taste of the travelling public having de-
generated into hasty journeys by express
trains, with the consequent loss of all
enjoyment Of the different phases of seen
cry through which the tr avelers are
passing. In the course of my many
years experience have been witness to
many strange occurrences, have assisted
in many a secret and adventurous under
taking, and have been subject to many
perils. From among such varied expert
ences I give the following strange story,
suppressing for obvious reasons the real
names Of those interested.
Many years ago was engaged as
courier to his Exceliency the Honorable
friedrich Esliugton, ambassador extra
ordinary of his Britannia Majesty King
George, on special secret mission to
one of the great Continental powers.
Having finished his duties and successful
ly.attained the object of mis- mission, we
started on our homcward journey in the
summer of 49,. The period was one
to be long remembered, from the pollti-
cal excitement which existed throughout
all Europe, almost every government
having unsheathcd the sword. We had
Travelled considerable part of the first
stage Of OUR return journey, when his
Excellency, 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 refreshment, both of which he
was much in need of, besides having i'm
portant state documents to tratscribe.
In due course we arrived at the small
town of s., ON the confines of Ger
many, where we put up. We staid day
and a half there; and Twas then instruct
ed to have the carriage and horses in
readiness to continue our journey. His
Excc!lency meanwhile had completed his
writings, to which he had assiduously
applied himself; and told me, as it was
a fine afternoon, he would take a short
walk, and on his return resume his jour
ney 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 bour anx
iously, and then made close search for
but not trace could I discover Of my
master. A villagcr, however, living out
side the town, brought to me at the hotel
pair of overalls, which he stated he had
found in a neighhoring copse. recog-
nized the garment as belonging to his
Excellency, and at once repaired with
the vlllagcr to the copse, and closely ex-
amined the spot, but found no trace or
sign of any struggle.
Finding it useless to prosecute the
search, at once returned to London with
his Excellency's travelling gear, which I
handed to his family. The British Gov
eminent at once instituted INQUIRIES, as
also did his Excellency's family, and
large rewards were offered by both, and
advertisements widely disseminated for
any information respecting the missing
ambassador but they failed one and all
to gain any information of or the slight.
est clew to his tate. A certain amount OF
suspicion attached to me, but it was only
momentry, and I at once cleared myself
of it, and assisted the distracted wife and
her missing husbands family as much as
Law In my power: Well remember the
agonies of anxiety and suspense caused
to the ambassadors wife and family by
the distressing calamity. Magisterial in
vestigation wassmade, experts were en-
ployed, 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 myster1ously and com.
plctely disappeared, without leaving a
clew to light up the awful obscurity
which enveloped the tragic occurrence.
Several years had elapsed since the lis
tressing event, land the memory, the pain
full memory Of it was beginning to fade
from my mind, when I happened to be in
Antwerp OF" short tour through Belgium
with patrons. And while listlessly stroll
ing by myself on the quay one summers
evening, watching the passengers disem.
bark from the newly arrived steamer
was aceostcd by mean, haggard-l looking
little man Gf beggarly appearance, who
spoke to me in Flemish.
''Are you not Herr Roeckel, the couri'
err" said he.
eyes," replied 1. "What do you want
with mc2 Who are YOu2'
II suppose you have quite forgotten
mc2" said he.
l stared at him keenly. The mans
features were somewhat familiar to me
yet was confused in my remembrance
of how and wheres I had seen him. 81
do not know you," said +.
eyes, you do, and very WE'LL" replied
he. my name is Ludwig ~Kuhl, and
have frequently driven you in the frs
stage out of Vienna. i did SO when 20.
were courier to his Excelleney the Hon
orable Eslington, in the summer o. th'
year 18-." ~ s%%'!4 2sS>3 't2Y 3a5$55,
(The courier is remembered even whe1
the patron is forgotten, for it is to us tina
landlords and their servants look for thei
gratuities.) 81 4
stared at him, and then recognizes
the haggard looks. True said & :.
remember you now WE'LL, How goes j
with you2 What do you here In Ant
werp2 At the old trade, eh2"
'Ah, mol" he replied with deepl,,
drawn sigh. "It's long story, and
can't tell il to you here in al this nois
and hustle. Let us go to quiet cabaret.
agreed: and in our short walk ! re
volved in my mind all those circumstan
ees.- so dark and impcnetrable in thei
profound mystery, which had happened
wears before. And I remembered hoy
our position, Ludwig Kuhl, had assiste'
me- in the unavailing search for his Elk
cellency. Soon we reached a little cab0
ret their name is legion in Antwerp i
one of the back streets near the cathe
dral; and with glass of his fayorit
Boonjekamp in front of him, he seate