The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-04

i'm difficulties and therefore a safe SUB
ject, was disguised but thinly as Herr
Won Rausch All this may seem rather
clumsy. but it was i'm this class of
trickery, nevertheless, that the lese
majeste paragraph and other provis-
ions of this kind have been cheated
most cleverly in recent times.
One instance is worth telling in some
detail, not only because of the light IL
throws on the straits of German news
papers, but also because of the view 1t
affords Of the emperor's hrothcr-in-
law, Duke Ernst Gunther of Schleswig-
Holstein. This flamboyant gentleman
has been the subject of much anony-
NOUS and semi-anonymous literature,
for when not engaged in some aban-
doned spree he has been set up by the
emperor under the halo of divine right
to lecture the nobility on it's duties to
mankind AS a first-class capacity at
the wine that is red, at the table That
Is green, ard at the chastity that is
stained, Ernst Gunther has been
sight for kings and nODlemen during
his periodical appearances in the role
of moral preCeptor. In fact, his lee
lures on moderation and duty have
been resented by the nobility and not
a few of the newspaper attacks on hinN
have been inspired by the counts and
barOns whom he has offended. Thus it
came that when the royal rake'S he
truthal to the young Princess Doro-
thea of Coburg Cohary was announced
early last summer, the masked batter
les were opened on him.
Tie most cunning and at the same
time most daring attack came from
Berlin journal Die Welt am MOntag
Nhe World on Monday, whose name,
in view OF the proverbial blueness Of
Monday, may be intended to explain
its periodical publication of very blue
stories. The writer took ostcnsiblv as
his subject a man who was prosecuted
by the political police, told his story in
an easy. careless manner, ana brought
in. as if but incidentally, the details OF
the last disaGreeablc affair in which
the imperial brothcr-in-laW had been
involved. Ernst Cunther appears in
the narrative as Duke $ (Schles-
wiP), which would be indefinite enough
of itself were it not fer the care with
which the scene of his crime is laid in
X KoenniggraetZer) street, the
fact of his betrothal is pushed into no.
tice, and the police are led to Prcnzlau
to arrest his partner in crime. These
details and few less striking ones
give unmistakable evidence that he is
the man behind a notorious Berlin
scandal OF the previous year, although
when the scandal was in court the
name Of the principal was withheld.
Yet while pointing thus directly to the
emperor's brOther-in-la law, the writer
threw w around him hundred safe
guards, which made his impunity sure.
FICTION WITH A PURPOSE.
The story was published as pure fjc-
tiCn. Il was entitled Der SpitZel'
(I'ne spy and was signed "Simplicis-
SINUS" 1t opened with reference to
the case of Major Won PausCh, chief of
the political police, so as to attract the
attention of everybody interested in
high politics and political scandals. 1t
drifted along in a gOSsipy vein, touch
ing upon a company of good fellows
who met daily at noon in a certain res
taurant for luncheon, beer and CONVEX
sation, were drawn into daily discus
sion of Pausch's rights and wrongs
and eventually We're divided into two
hostile groups by the question Of
Pauschs guilt. The secession Of the
Pausch group is described, the migra-
tion of his friends from the old restau-
rant to a new one is related with full
circumstance and the peculiarities of
every one of the good fellows are
sketched cleverly and divertingly. All
this requires about 1900 words. Hav-
ing put up his defences and masked his
guns in this fashion, Simplicssimus
warily makes ready for the attack, 1t
is delight to observe how he works
himself uD to the critical moment of
action.
Outside wind and snow whirled
through the restaurants tiny garden.
Within, however, we sat at our spot
less white table and drank the reddish
brown punch which the doctor had
brewed according to his own secret re-
cipe. He knows how to prepare such
elixirs of life, the old fox. Outside of
our party there was not a soul in the
restaurant, and that was Just to cur
liking, as on such occasions We enjoyed
giving full rein to our mood. But no
there at little table by the pillar sat
lone mana young fellow of 80 or
thereabout, should say, whose smooth
face and long blonde hair led us to sur
mise that he was a musician or an ar
tst. He was the only other person in
the place and, remarkably enough, he
had come in at the same time with US.
But he was q harmless fellow; he sat
there with his back half turned to us
and with his face deep in the sheets of
the morning newspaper. We were not
disturbed by his presence. In fact,
when he seemed to catch our jolly
mood and turned his smiling face to-
| ward oS group. we sent him by the
landlord fun glass and ask him to
empty it to the health Of the man
whose birthday we were celebrating. OF
course one does such thing only when
he is a little eXhilarated.
We'll there was no doubt that in
Gated man. That was evident in the
manner of the young fellow as he took
| the punch, came over and bumped
| glasses with the doctor. He gave his
| name-Feldmann, or something of the
! sort-and ct our invitation lie sat down
| taking chair between two vacant ones
as if to mark politely his isolated posi-
! tiOn in our group. Then, as he listened
he laughed softly and drank his punch
| in little nippy sips. The counsellor had
| assumed the duties of master of cere-
| monies and did not weary of filling our
| guests glass again and again. Nor aid
! he fail in his efforts to eXhilarate the
young man, who in short time was In
nu mn