Connecticut western news., 1894-10-25

iT That led heron. as starr redeem fho night.
 Mary inacher Higginson.
 A NARROW ESCAPE.
 Just before the war broke out between France and Germany arrived in the latter country with the view of studying at one of the southern universities. In lthssns6ntime. akDwsvsr. 2 was spending a-few weeks at Franhort-on- the Main. where found much to interest me. and especially in regard to the early life of Goethe who was born there But tho pleasure of the sojourn was greatly damped by the trouble the police gave me.
 At this time. although well aoquaint- ed with German grammatically, could speak but few words of the language Knowing French, however. managed te get on pretty we'll all the walters in tAesAotsls and cafei knowing something .of that tou4uee> and most of the trades people talking 1t little Having be- aides spent little time previously in Paris. I,had perhaps become somewhat Frenchifed. I had to this extent any way-that wore my hair rather short andwaxed thedends of my mustache To this circumstance and to the fact that spoke French in preference! to either English or German must, imagine. be Attributed the annoyance, and even trou- ble, to which I soon began to be sub jeoted
 When Iafirst took supe my temporary abode ins the imperial city, made the necessary announcement of my intention to the police. made it from the Hotel 4arni, in which | first installed myself I made it again from the private lodging I hired Ierepeatsd 1t when. Ireznoved to more commodious and salubrious quarters in the suburbs of the city.
 But all this was not enough I had no sooner settled down in my new quarters may bofure had time thus to settle down-I wAs honored by one of the gen. try with the pickelhaube and sword who pass for policemen in that land of soldiera
 He generally commenced by asking my name and profession, where was born, who was my father and who my mother,c what 'Iseame 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 day or two by that of another officer, @whow put me through the same or very similar catechism. Then, by way of variation, fwould be summoned to one of the dis trict police stations-plaoes more like barracks than anything else-there to be again subjected to . perfect senalnde oi questionings and aoss squestfoifings, 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 I 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 andrefuss to respond toiths sum mons ofs the next sinspe0tor- what ever he might be-of police But the bsre Mpxeetioo os such obuxse horri. .ned my frfends fw'Frankfort was then . conquered city and was treated as such They informed mo that to act in such a way would be regarded as tanta mount to high treason, and that as the result l might find myself in prison or else conducted with scsnt ceremony over the frontier.
 Finally I had assummons from the chief of police himself He was major of the Prussian army and was . tall, broad shoultlcred and very austere look ing parsonage Ny first Interview with this gentleman lasted ove half an hour He asked me If | Thad ever been in the army, used rife. played with the swofd; if know Paris, Bordeaux. Stras- burg; where was born, where my mother was when was born Ia literal faot), If had any brothers and sisters; their names, and so forth.
 A second. third, and even -a fourth time was closeted with this same func- tionary. each time being piled with more and more perple1inRs and, aas, they seemed to me. absurd questions. On the occasion of one of these visits l was asked to produce g photograph of my self. if I had one As 1 happened to have one which shad been tsken little while previously Paris, Forwarded this with my compliments to the major. with the hope that when he wished te look upon my face again he would sat. isfy himself by gazing upon my "ooun. terfeit presentment" instead
 Finally I became so tired of these in. quisitions. and, asI had reason to be. lieve. private examination of my papers when was out that Iawas sincerely thinking of relinquishing. my real pur. pose of becoming acquainted with Ger, man philosophy and making . little money by newspaper cMrespondenoe. ] had gone 90 far as to give my landlady r notice to quit, when suddenly a change came 'ovsrfthe soene
 Responding one day to 8 summons from the major, was agreeably sur | prised to find the worthy fellow in . re. markedly sgod hu,nor. He shook me by the hand, As thOnsh had long been his dearest friend, smiled all over his face, assured mo that was all ''goot" and | "reoht, 1" and % dismissed me moro per l plexed than ever.
 Very soon afterward war was de-
 olared, and in the turmoil danger and
 excitement that ensued well nigh
 forgot the-sunoyumce and frequent in
 convenience l had been put to by thu
 suspicious of the police Possibly
 should have thought no more about them
 and haveiqldts' fogottsn sAem sby thil time but for an incident that occurred shortly after the close of the war.