The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-06-15
A NARROW ESCAPE.

Just before the war broke out between
France and Germany ! arrived I'm tho
latter country with the view Of studying
at one Of the southern universities. In
the meantime, however, I was spending
o few weeks at Frankfort-on-the-Mai
where I found much 10 interest me- and
especially in regard to the early life Of
Goethe, who was born there But the
pleasure Of the sojourn was greatly
damped by the trouble the police gave
me
AZ this time, although well acquaint-
ed with German dramatically, I could
speak bat o few words Of the language
Knowing French, however, ] managed
to get ON pretty well, all the walters in
the hotels and cafes knowing something
Of that tongue. and most Of the trades
people talking 1t q little Having be-
sides spent q little time previously In
Paris ] had perhaps become somewhat
Frenchiaed 7 had TO this extent any
way-that ] wore my hair rather short
and waxed the ends Of my mustache To
this circumstance and 10 the fact that
] spoke French In preference TO either
English or German must, ! imagine be
attributed the annoyance, and even trou-
BILE, TO which ! Don began to be sub
ieCted
When ] first took up my temporary
abode In the imperial city, ] made the
necessary announcement of my intention
20 the police. I made it from the Hotel
Garni. in which ] first Installed myself
! made it again from the private lodging
I hired I repeated &c when / removed
to more commodious and ~salubrious
quarters in the suburbs Of the city.
But all this was not enough ] had NO
sooner settled down In my new quarters
may. before ! had time thus to settle
down. was honored by one Of the gem
try with the pickelhaube and sword
who pass for policemen in that land OF
soldiers
He generally commenced by asking
my name and profession, where ] was
born, who was my father and who my
mother, what ] came to the fatherland
for and other similar questions. While
thus catechising me he would take mi
mute stock Of my apartment His visit
would be followed In q day on two by
that of another officer, who would put
me through the same or . very similar
catechism- Then, by way Of variation,
I would be summoned to Of the dis
trict police stations-places more like
barracks than anything else-there to DO
again subjected to . perfect enflade Of
questionings and cross questionings.
These were all the more ~perplexing be-
cause Of my inability TO express myself in
German and my tormentors' ignorance
of either French or English.
This went ON, as ] say, for some time,
till. In fact, ! was at my wits end to
know what it all meant / asked several
Of my friends. but they could not en-
tighten me. ] proposed to shut the door
In the face of the next pickelhaube that
called and refuse TO respond TO the SUM.
mons oR the next inspectOr-Or what
ever he might be-of police. But the
bare suggestion Of such o course hOfri-
ned my friends for Frankfort was then
d conquered city and was treated as
such. They informed me that 10 oct in
such . way would be regarded q tanta-
mount to high treason, and that NJ the
result + might ind myself in prison or
else conducted with scant ceremony over
the frontier.
Finally ] had q summons from the
chief Of police himself. He was q major
Of the Prussian army and was q tall,
broad shculdered and very austere look
ing parsonage. My first interview with
this gentleman lasted over half ar hour.
He asked me If I had ever been In the
army, used q rifle, played with the
sword; IL I knew Paris, Bordeaux. Stras-
burg; where ! was born, where my
mother was when ! was born Ia literal
fact, tf I had amy brothers and sisters;
their names, and 30 forth.
A second, third, and even q fourth
time / was closeted with this same func-
tionary, each time being piled with
more and more p~erplexing, and, as they
seemed TO me, absurd questions. On the
occasion OF one of these visits I was
asked TO produce q photograph OF my
self, IL ! had one. As I happened 70
have one which had been taken . little
while previously In Paris. + forwarded
this with my compliments 70 thalnajor,
with the hope that when he wished to
look upon my face again he would sat
isfy himself by gazing upon my "coun-
terfeit presentment'' instead.
Finally ! became 50 tired OF these in
quisitions, and, az ! had reason to be-
lieve, private examination OF my papers
when I was out, that 7 was sincerely
thinking Of relinquishing my real pur-
pose Of becoming acquainted with Ger
man philosophy and making q little
money By newspaper correspondence ]
had gone 80 far ii to give my landlady
notice to quit. when suddenly d change
came over the scene.
Responding ona day to a summons
from the major, ] was agreeably sur
prised 10 find the worthy fellow In D re-
markabIy good humor. He shook me by
the hand, As though ] had long been his
dearest friend, smiled al over his face,
A--A.H AEAA .-NA4 g4AA~-A4e mAm1