The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-05-25
"But they do, monsieur"
"Then why don't they make republic

heref'
He was delighted at my expression That
was information" for which he would get
credit with his chief He entered Paris with
me, drove to the same hotel, and as soon us
had gone to my room lie disappeared. Two
hours later very genteel looking man paid
me visit and introduced himself as an official
of the bureau of public safety | was a for
eigner. 1t was his duty to inspect my papers.
Monsieur is English, l believe, and from
Londonl" he queried
mo. am an American. from New York.
$50! Docs monsieur travel for pleasure2"
"Oh, no. am in France to buy chestnuts
for the American army"
"Chestnuts for soldicrsr' he queried. THAT
is strange. Monsieur speaks Frenchs"
Sorry to say that my French is a failure"
"Ah, so! will look at the papers"
They were papers, as have said that no
official would dare to question, and, after
looking them over, he bowed very low and
inquired:
"Will monsieur remain long in Franccf'
THAT will depend Oh the state of the chest
nut market" replied
During the day called upon the secretary
of legation for consultation, and when told
him of the spies, he said that every American
greater or less degree. The war i'll the United
States was exciting the French people and
making them restless, and the political police
had been doubled in number Revolution
was breeding, and Napoleon was determined
to apply the knife with vigorous hand. Sus.
poets were arrested and imprisoned in tho
most arbitrary Manner and no one felt that
he could trust any one outside his own fam
lily.
was to go from Paris to Reins. Spies
had followed mo everywhere in Paris and
planned to get out of the city without being
Swallowed. The clerk at the hotel office
hoped l would give him days notice of my
intended departure I1e wanted to inform
the spies, but determined to beat him. /
ate my dinner us usual, went out for stroll,
and when returned rushed for valse, al
ready prepared, demanded my bill OH the in
slant and was out of the house in ten minutes
pleading case of life or death went on
foot for three squares, engaged cab to take
me to the station from which could depart
from Versailles, and as soon as he had put me
down and departed walked away and en-
gagged another vehicle to convey mo to the
right depot We arrived ten minutes be.
fore the departure Of the train, and | pur
chased my ticket and got away with the rush.
AS came to know subsequently, there was
n great row raised over my departure. Spies
were sent out by the dozen, kilograms dc
spatchetl by the score, and arrived at Reims
to find n crowd of no less than six officials
awaiting to arrest me- 1t was not exactly an
arrest, either AS left the train an official
touched me on the arm and respectfully said:
Monsieur the American will oblige meg
''1f possible" replied, knowing we'll what
was coming
"Then monsieur will accompany me in my
carriage to make call at headquarters"
Two carriages followed ours, and after u
drive of a mile we drew up at the headquarters
of the bureau of public safety in Reims. 1t
was misnomcr. 1t should have been called
the bureau of public peril, for tho arbitrary
measures of thi, department were making
fresh enemies every hour in the day. The
chief was very po,npous and dignilied man.
Hcreceivcd me politely. but coldly and the
first question asked was:
''ls monsieur guilty of some crimc that ho
lea es Paris so sccretlyf'
u left when got ready, and after my own
fashion. Here are my papers. Examine
them and satisfy yourself"
He looked them over No official in France
dared dispute them or put me under arrest
after seeing them.
But why did monsieur claim to be an Eng
lishmansH he asked.
II never did"
$50! But you speak French, and yet you
denied it,
II never denied it,
But you say you want chestnuts for
American soldiers What do they do with
thcm.'
Make soup, of course
"Oh! That is different. 1t must be good
soup. Monsieur asked why the French did
not make u republic"
THAT was to please ono of your political
spies p"
"Spics Have we spiesa'
Thousands sir. They are at every sta,
ton, in every hotel and cafe, on the steam
boats, in the omnibus, in the theatre and
church. They have dogged me ever since
landed Napoleon is afraid | have come to
usurp the throne. You had better search
my hind pockets and sec if | have usurpcr
with me''
They looked puzzled, and, after a consulta-
ton, was bowed out of headquarters and
sent in carriage to a hotel. Twice after
ward, at Amiens and Lille, was brought
up i'll the same way and sent off after exami.
nation, and during my three months stay
Ill the country there was never day that
was not under surveillance and suspicion
New York Sun