The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

few houses for rent in the diplomatic
locality. Mr.. Phelps picked out the
building he wanted and then sent his
agents to buy out the tenants. He
ousted the storekeepers from the
ground floor. He bought up the leases
Of the fashionable people who were
living above, and then having leased
the whole building, he turned an army
OF carpenters and maSOns into it and
had it remodeled to suit himself. His
home was perhaps the finest any
American foreign minister has ever
had. It contained, among other rooms,
eight large parlors, which could be
thrown into one. and it was so large
that Minister Phelps could have en-
tertained the whole of the German
court had he wished to do so. Still his
services to the United States were such
that our government could have Wen
afforded to have allowed him enough
money for several such houses. His
entertainments brought him into the
closest relations with the Germans. He
was. popular with both Bismarck ana
the young emperor, and when he tried
to get anything done for America he
succeeded.
Another efficient minister was Oscar
Straus, who represented us at Constan-
tinople during Clevelands first admin
istration. Mr.. Straus spent at least
$4,000 a year more than his salary.
He had the closest relations with the
sultan and his court, and he was able
to settle any trouble concerning Amer
lea to our advantage in very short
order.
HOW OUR MINISTER'S LIVE.
Few people have any idea of the ex-
penSes Of our ministers. Those who
are sent to the Orient require a large
number Of servants. The minister to
Japan has cOachmen who are dressed
in Japanese livery and who wear hats
like butter bowls turned upside down
The minister to Picking has two men
who do nothing else but watch at the
gates of the legation grounds to let
the visitors in and out. His coachman
is a swell Chinaman, who wears bright
COlOred silk dresses. When the minis
ter goes out to ride on horseback, a
gorgeous groom follows behind. Will
l was in Calcutta 1 met the American
consul general. He was plain Oregon
man, who, 1 venture, had never had
more than two servants at home. In
India he had to keep twenty. When he
went out to drive there We're two
coachmen with turbans and gowns on
the front Of his carriage, and two other
turbaned HindOOs standing on the foo
board behind. In Oriental countries
our ministers usually have servants 60
ahead Of them as they walk through
stantinople and Cairo the man VIII
precedes the minister is known as the
kavass. The kavass has a sword, enor-
nous pistols and sometimes also a
staff with a silver head
He IS dressed with much gold braid
and wears a fez cap. During my stay
in Egypt L had an interview with the
khediVe. At this time a kavass went
with the consul general and myself to
the palace. When / accompanied the
American consul to cali upon the pa
triarch of Jerusalem we had two ka-
vases in front of us. Each man car
ried club as tall as himself upon
the top of which was ball of silver
as big as your fist. As we walked
through the narrow streets of Jerusa-
lem these swells dropped their 'heavy
sticks on the stone pavement as they
walked in front, and cleared the way
for US. Our minister to Corea has a
company Of soldiers from the king who
act as his special body guard They
are dressed in plum cOlOred zouave
pantaloOns, short blouses, belted in al
the waist, and hats of black horse hair.
which are tied on by ribbons fastened
under the chin. During my stay il
Seoul 1 had an interview with the