The morning times., 1896-12-27

had been regarded as inevitable for more
than a week previous, and IL was only
question of the exact hour at which the re-
quest would be made.
The interview between the Secretary of
State and the minister's representative
from the legation was short and business
like The minister desired the assurances
of his personal esteem and consideration
conveyed to the Secretary, and regretted
that the stand recent Y taken by the Tnietd
States touching Cuban affairs should make
IL necessary to sever the friendly relations
that had so long existed between the Uni
ted States and the government of his most
gracious majesty, the Queen Regent.
The Secretary's reply was equally courte-
Gus and businesslike. However much he
might regret the unpleasantness that might
follow the action of the United States,
especially in the loss of so esteemed per-
sonal friend as the minister, he could ex-
press no sorrow for the determination Of
the United States to follow the only course
that was left open 10 a free, powerful and
Just minded nation.
The minister's representative left with
tire hope expressed that the United States
might not have cause to regret the course it
had chosen TO adopt.
The news spread like fire through the
Department The correspondents were
busy with the telephones before the minis
ter's secretary had cleared the building.
The messe ngers caught up the report, ana
there was no more work i'm the great gran
its building that day.
.'FO' Gawd, yo' gwinet year sum min
drap now.n grinned the SecreJary's gray
bn =,
and fro in his revolving chair outside the
Secrctary's door, and slapped his rheumatic
knee with a black, shriyeled hand.
'Phwt! woJ's tn chance fer a scrap
wild lot er murtherin', opere- singin' da-
eos, orlloike . know" commented Larry,
the riding messenger, contcmptuouIy, as
he stopped to discuss the matter with ais
old enemy for these two attaches of the
Secretary We're always at swords points
.'Schrap.' continued Larry, as he yield
ed up his bundle of dispatches TO the darky,
sure, it's blessin' it's come int summer,
it is, Ter by ST Patherick. there won't lie
work enough t kape an able bodied man
warmi''
The Excitement.
The news spread on the streets. News
boys kept the air filled with ''Extry,
cxtry papers, ana swarms of department
clerks, turned ont upon the broad streets
at O'Clock, bought the printed account
of what they knew already, TO read ON
the cars going home.
Everybody discussed the probable war,
but nobody took il very seriously. The
Secretary was type of the popular mind
when he politely bowed out the repre-
sentative OF the minister, gave the neces-
Sary orders for the preparation of the
ministers documents, and then turned to
his desk to finish up some other business
that had come over from the morning
before going across TO personally confer
with the President.
A call had been quietly passed around
for a Cabinet meeting, and the Secretary
20 knew the gathering that he should find
when he walked across to the White
House from the State Department about
half-past 3. But carefully "a he had en-
deavored TO gauge the future, he had
HH been prepared for the news that he
had - carry To his waiting colea CUES.
About half-past 4, when the big build
ing was almost deserted two closed car
riages drove hurriedly up to the north
front of the state, War, aud Navy build
ing. They had come from opposite di-
rectionS, but their occupants bowed to
each other as they alighUed and together
passed rapidly through the long, empty
corridors.
The Conference.
There was another brief conference in
the Secre,ary's private room. TWO visit,
ors left a s quietly as they had come. and
the Secretary walked across To the White
House. chewing the end OF "A cigar Ire had
forgotten to light.
There was no need To count noses for
a quorum when he passed into the presi-
dcuts office. Every department except
his own was represented around the long
table. But it WAS 10y no means a s0mbcr
group. There was rather hum of pIaa Sed
expectancy in the air, and the first greet
ing lie received was, .IIave a cigar a
very pacific request, coming from the
Secretary of War.
Bat with the reply, a" 70. thanks, Tn
smoking the Secretary of State passed
around to the President chair and handed
himtwo letters. The President ran through
them rapidly and tossed them on the table.
'Gentlemen," said he, you all know
that TINS afternoon the Spanish minister
asked for his passports. These two papers
from the French and Italian ministers con
tain the same request. OF course, we have
discussed the possibility OF this combina-
ton in the past week, and il was dis.
missed as improbable. l must say That
the coup was cleverly contrived.'
lit looks as though we were in for il, :
remarked the Secretary OF Agriculture
pulling his mustache.
Il should say decidedly that they wer.
in for it,, growled the Secretary of War
sliding his clenched fist out ON the table
I'VE are not going abroad to look for
trouble. but II the other half Of the world
wants to hunt it here we can furnishit.''
Yes, gentlemen.' added the President
quietly. We can furnish it for everything
east OF Liverpool and west Of Hong KoDg,'
The First Attack.
As had been expected. the first attacl
OF the allied forces had been ON in New
York.
Pie ministers had taken leave of thi
government on the Sd. On the ] 9th wa
had formally been declared. and the Goth
brought rumOrs of the allied squadrol
massing off New York.
Within two da ys this was confirmed when
the fleet cruiser Columbia ran 10 cove
inside the Hook, herding ahead of her n,
less than three prizes, which she had
gathered in by swift dash across the track
of the Southern Atlantic travel.
The Columbia brought real news For
day and half she had led the enemy
merry chase, to lure him off the track O
the prizes already sent ahead. and the
beautiful ocean racer had given her pur
suers the slip in the darkness only the nigh
before, in time TO sweep her prizes safely
into port. under cover OF her own guns.