Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-10-21
important Meeting.

Tho story has been told, in many
forms, of two persons each of WHOM
suspected the other of IL dcep-la i
malign plan, and each gave time and
anxiety to the discovery of that pl IN,
only to find in the end that neither
had any plan except to watch the
other.
One day Prince Metternich, the old
Austrian statesman. was informeD
that a stranger desired to see hinll
The man being admitted was rccOg-s
nized by Metternich as n whom he
had formerly known at Paris. But
the maj now appeared under q Dor.
rowed name.
He had Il fragment Of handwriting
of Fouche, the French Minister Of
Police, as evidence that he was sent
by Fouche.
His mission he said was most secret,
and in fact. only extended to inform
ing the Prince that Fouchc was de-
;;ilous OF Offering to his consideration
propositions of a highly important
nature.
The messenger declared that he was
quite ignorant of the purport of these
propositions, and had no other author
ity than to invite the Prince to a
secret conference through the me-
dium of some trusty envoy, who
should be dispatched to Paris for the
purpose.
The Prince replied. ssYou must
permit me to think of this"
The agent retired, and the Austrian
tpinicfn IN ,,n,, ;,,l ~ l,D IN.-,n, ,D, ,,,3
'rcconntcd what had passed.
What do you think of doing?:"
asked the Emperor.
II Think" replied the Prince, chat
VIC should send a confidential agent,
not to Paris, but to some other place
that may be fixed upon, who shall
have no other instructions but to lis
ten to all that the Frcnchman, who
will meet him there, shall impart,
and bring us faithfully an account Of
it,"
The mysterious messenger was ac-
cordingly dismissed with an answer
to the effect that an Austrian calling
himself Werner should be at a cer-
tain hotel in the town of Basic. in
Switzerland, on such a day Will. in.
structions from the Prince Mctt-r.
inch. The meeting thus appointed
took place at the spot and hour fixed.
The diplomatic agents salutcd each
other with fitting courtesy. seated
themselves face to face, and each as
sumed the attitude of a listener.
''May / ask you, sir, SAID the envoy
from Paris at length, ''what is the
object of our mcctlng?:"
'My object, SIR" replied the Aus
trian, sis to listen to whatever you
may be disposed to say"
"And minc," rcjoined the French
man, sis solely to hear what you may
have to communicates"
Ncithcrof the ENJOYS had anything
further to add to this i%ntercstiil, in
tcrchangc of information, and there
upon they separated with perfect my
tual civility.-Youth's Companion. u
Unlicard Asidcs.
Many persons uphold theories that
cannot be maintained, but it is un-
usual to see any one promptly dis
prove his own theory, especially when
it is an extremely gold one. The
fabulist, La Fontainc, did this on one
occasion. 1t happened that he at
forded an exceptionally good example
for the other side of the argument.
lie, Boileau, Molicre, and several
friends were dining together.
The conversation turned upon the
diana, and La Fontaine emphatically
condemned the ''asldes" of the stage,
the remarks and %soliloquies for the
benefit of the audience,
s.It is absurd," he said; chow can
persons on the stage be supposed not
to notice what every person in the
house hears distinct.y?"
Prcsently.he rclapsed into one of the
reveries which were habitual with
him. Wrapped in dreamy medita.
tion he was apt to forget where he
was. Boilcau turned to his neighbor
and remarked loudly, sit must be
confessed that La Fontaine is a fool"
Then he harangued his neighbor OPP
posite. "La Fontaine's remarks were
idiotlc. What does he know about
the drama anyway??"
He continued in this strain until
every n at the table was laughing
except La Fontaine. Then the poet
reused himself.
"What is it?" he said. "what is
the joker"
They explained to him that he of
all persons should not condemn stage
asides, since he was the only person
present who had not heard the very
audible ones which Boileau had just
uttered.
"A Country of Reptiles.
A Scotchman who has lately trav-
elcd extnnsivnly in Australia sn,.c 4hn4