The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-15

restrial globe presents us with. The stu
dent who attempts 10 solve II finds him
self forever confronted with new aspects.
new phases, and factors that he never cal
culated upon until with a sense Of utter
despair. ne is inclined to eXclaim'The hu-
man brain IS utterly incapable Of under
standing that which is within itself" The
world grows old; things and manners
change: our mode of life is different TO
that of our forefathers, as theirs was
different TO that of primitive man. And
yet human nature changes not, except in
so far as external signs go; its primordial
elements are precisely the same
The cunning of savage man is replaced
by the smirk hypocracy of Of civilization
the smirk hypOcracy Of civilization, ana
and wickedness is ever with us. Ii was a
dictum of the philosophers of old that
money and women We're at the root of all
evil; and the French, with the incisive-
ness so characteristic of them say-wnen
ought goes wrong, "Cherchez Ia Femme.
This is bitter bur it embodies a tremen-
dous truth. And during a long career, in
the course Of which it has been my duty
10 see much of the shady side OF men ana
women, l can scarcely call case where
the impelling influence of women has not
been made manifest.
Woman, poor thing, has much to an
swer for, and as she tempted man 10 MS
original fall it is, perhaps, IN accord with
original fall ii is perhaps, in accordance
with the eternal fitness of things that she
should still lure him with forbidden trut
should still ure him with forbidden irult
And vet, let me hasten TO say, that, IN
my opinion, man is frequently more than
contemplate for the ready way in which
4 2 l. he %
serves TO be styled the fool instead of the
Lord of Creation.
l have been induced to begin the story
have to tell with this little Introduction
for its appOsiteness viii, / think, be free
ly admitted, and IL carries with II
moral which the story will enforce. For
oh Vious reasons il is undesirable that /
should give the real names Of the char
acters who played their part in the re-
markable little drama, but many middle
aged people will no doubt recognize TIE
incidents. For, though desperate efforts
were made to conceal the facts from the
public gaze, they leaked out and the at
tempted suppression only served to whet
the appetite OF the curious for more, with
the usual result CARRIED, inexact, and
altogether incorrect versions found their
way into certain public prints, whose
conductors are always eager to dish up for
their patrons any sensation or scandal,
while out of very little they will make
very much.
one grain of truth will, according 10
their views, admit of any amount of adul-
teration. and if the persons implicated are
very high UP in the social scale so much
the better, for your journalistic purveyor
OF garbage is delighted to his hearts core
when he can bespatter with his foul ink
lord or a lady In this instance it was
not lord exactly, but nevertheless those
whom / have to deal with were con-
spiciuous members of society.
Without specifying the time too min
utely, I may begin by saying that years
ago the Austrian ambassador at the
Court of St. James was Count Blank,
a gentleman who was not only distin-
guished. as a diplomatist but as a scholar.
The count was a widower, and one OF his
attaches was his eldest son Ferdinand.
The count and his son were very popular
amongst all classes of society, and be-
ing wealthy they dispensed their hospi-
tally with a princely hand.
One summers morning I found myself
waiting in the counts elegantly furnish
ed reception room, whittier 1 had gone in
response to an urgent message he had sent
me. But as he was engaged on my arrival
with a member of the English Cabinet l
had time to examine some of the ex-
quisite works of art that adorned the
ROOM for the count was famed as a vir-
collection of treasures
In the course of few minutes. however,
a tall. handsome, young fellow entered the
room, and with most graceful bow, in
troduced himself TO me as Ferdinand, the
counts son. At this time they were both
utter strangers TO me. Ferdinand was
about four and twenty with a clean-cut
face, blue eyes and light hair, while his
lips were shaded by a most arts tically-
trimmed mOustache. He was dressed in
the hight of fashion, and there was a self
consciousness about him that was not al
together pleasing.
1t seemed TO me that he posed, as II
were, and studied effects. These things
however, were the weaknesses of we'll
endowed youth. and though Objectionable,
could be excused on the grounds that
with ripper years wisdom would come, and
the meanness Of vanity would be recog-
nized.
you haven't seen my father yet" ne
remarked, with easy grace, as he leaned
his back against the marble mantelpiece
and fixed mis- blue eyes upon me with a
keen, searching gaze, as though he was
subjecting me to a process of mental anal
ysis.
"No, sir, I have not" I answered.
Il am sorry you nave TO wait, but just
before you came the count had to give
audience TO a cabinet minister, though /
don't think he viii be long. Did my father
tell you in his letter why he wished to see
you?
NO. He gave no indication as to the
nature of the business"
well, it's very important and no less
mysterious. By the way, Mr.. Donovan,
you have been mixed up in a good many
mysterious cases in your time, have you
not?'
Il think I may answer that in the af-
firmative."
''And I hear that you have some special
faculty which enables you to get at the
bottom Of things which puzzles ordinary
men" I bowed. Well" added the young
man. with a little laugh, as he drew out
a cigarette from an elegant silver case,
and proceeded TO light it. "as far as I can
understand this business 1 fancy, you will
be bafhed. 1t seems to me to be quite out
of the ordinary"
Possibly for that very reason il may
prove less difficult. Riddles that on the
first blush seem very complicated, gener-
ally after a little consideration, show
themselves to be very easy
Ferdinand laughed again, displaying
his white teeth. and toying carelessly
with his watch chain.
All" he remarked you deucedly clev-
er fellows never like to admit that you are
mastered. But even a Napoleon in the
q RI Of 6p+apffpn &c fuf