The morning times., 1896-02-23
Our Minister TO Greece
Pays Dear for Meat.
All Because of
Venezuela.

bassador must live abroad, for he would
hardly dare, for the sake Of his country's
name, TO travel about the city with fewer
than two horses, better with four The
four ambassadors get SIT 800 a year.
except Ambassador MacVeagh, who gets
S12 900. But this is so inadequate, es-
peciany in time Of trouble, when money
must be spent. that representatives trenbIe
lest they have that honor thrust upon them.
In IeisUreIy Italy the war talk has scarcely
touched the minister thus far.
Minister Alexander Of Greece says he
can live more comfortably upon his Sc, 800
4 year, with the rank Of minister, than
he could upon ST ,OCO as an ambassador.
with the etiquette Of the ambassador to
maintain. SO much does the rumor OF
war affect a minister's home that since
the beginning OF the Venezuelan cOntTO-
versy, it is said, the GreCian butcher who
supplies Minister Alexander has charged
him double, as his sympathies are with
brother, an English sailor.
The Alexander house is a large square
structure in Athens 1t floats on holidays
the American flag and has the appearance
OF a city mansion in this country. It's
servants are natives, and It's garden Is filled
with the flowers OF Greece, while around
its doors hang the types OF Greece, the
peasants selling trifles, the flower girls and
the beggars. 1t is a very comfortable Eega-
LOn, and Minister Alexander. with his wife
and daughter, has been singuIariy successful
in making il a home for Americans travel
ing In Greece.
Minister Lewis Baker OF Nicaragua, lives
In native house, with two stories, a deep
veranda and all native servants. He has
made himself so much one eOftheNicaraguans of
That his friends In Minnesota. bis native
State, who are Ion the inside" claim that
but for his office the trouble over the
Niearaguan canal would have become as
serious as the Venezuela dispute He has
a way of making his ativeS respect him,
and, through all the trouble, his home has
been as peaceful as summer sky.
On the first day of Minister Bakers
arrival in Nicaragua-the mission included
Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Salvador
Minister Baker went out for walk. A
crowd soon gathered around hims follow
ing the ''MinistrO Americana This, Mr..
Baker being a modest man, did not relish,
so he stepped into a barber shop.
Inthe barber r'sehairsatamanw withlathered
face, partly shaved. AS soon s the barber
saw his visitor torheunceremoniOuSly
ordered the customer uHueT Jhe razor TO
step aside until the MiniStrU Americana was
served. Against this proceeding Mr.. Baker
protested and insisted that the barOer finish
his present Job, allowing him to wait his
attended to before all others, he insisted.
and dema nded that Mr.. Baker take the chair
which tue other man had submiSSively
vacated with a half-shaven face
The woes OF the minister abroad do not
affect Alexander Mcdonald, OF Virginia,
minister to Persia. Though upon a salary
of only $4,000 a year, he lives like q
prince and Is the bosom TIIend OF the Snah.
He is the only foreign minister who talks
over affairs with q ruler as be would with
a blood brother.
Minister McDonald's house is a beauti-
fuI Persian mansion, furnished inside with
all the exquisite brie-a-efaC OF the East
The servants in the house number 100.
Minister Mcdonald is a bachelor in fraI
health. Upon his last visit to this country,
two years ago, the shah said: Il COM
mission you to bring back wife from your
country. Yes, bring back twenty OF them.
Or one, and / will loan you the others
When Minister Mcdonald told the shah
he was unmarried ana had no children his
majesty was as open-m0uthed with as
t0niShment as a gentleman with manners SO
exquisite could well be.
The shah has his portrait upon the postage
stamps of Persia THAT is an excellent
likeness of me- he said, handing one OF
the new stamps of Persia to Minister Nc
Donald.
In time of peace the foreign representa-
tfves do not fare so badly, but when there
is war talk they pray thatit may be hushed,
for what was merely diplomatic erFand
becomes one of danger, expense, strategy,
and discomfort.