The Press., 1897-03-11
A HETEROPHEMIST.
HOW HE INJURED THE FINANCIAL INa- TEREsTS OF THE coNFEDERACY.

TEREsTs OF THE coNFEDERACY. MT. Blank Was Sent to England to Solicit Aid and Failed-The Message He Sent to MT. Memminger Was the Opposite of What He Supposed.
 The Sout hern Confederacy was only few months old when 8 financial agent was sent to England on very impor- cian and a banker He was also an e1e- gant gentleman, with many influential acouaintances on both sides of the wa ter
 Before leaving Richmond he had a long talk with Memminger, the secre- tary of the treasury.
 eff find that England will aid us, he said, ''I will send you word by some reliable blockade runner. 1t will be very brief message, but you will under stand it, while it will mean nothing to the enemy if it should be intercepted. "
 The confidential agent slipped through the lines, and ill less than a month was comfortably established in London. In the metropolis he found many southern CTS and many prominent Englishmen who sympathized with the secessionists. He saw MT. Yancey, the Confederate minister, every day, and the two work ed together ill harmony. MT. Yancey was a practical man and was not long in coming to the conclusion that no aid was to be expected from the British gov ernment.
 ''The abolition sentiment controls here, 9 he said to MT. Blank. ''Some of the statesmen would like to help the south in order to break up the Union, but the people will never consent. The south will have to fight alone. v
 Blank felt pretty blue when he heard this, and that night he wrote the single word successful on a thin slip of pa- per and shllfully secreted it in an or dinary coat button. The next day he was visited by southern friend, who remained with him for an hour or more. During his stay he removed the top but ton from his coat and sewed on one given by MT. Blank.
 "'I understand it all, " he said when he left. "If I get safely to Wilmington, I will go at once to Richmond and give this button to MT. Memminger. Iprefer not to know the nature Of the message, as you say that it explains itself. "
 ''Yes," replied Blank, ''it will be understood by the secretary, and as it refers to a state secret cannot say any thing about it. "
 The two shook hands, and the gentle man with the precious button took the next train for Liverpool, where he boarded a steamer bound for Whining ton.
 The steamer was chased by Federal cruisers, but she managed to reach her destination without any serious mishap. In the course of two or three days the mysterious traveller called on MT. Mem minger in Richmond and presented him with button. The secretary cut off its covering ill a hurry and smiled when he read the word successful "
 Did Mir Blank show this message tC you?' he asked.
 No. We both thought it best that should remain in ignorance so that nc telltale expression of my face would be- tray anything if the enemy captured me. ''
 At meeting of the cabinet that aft, ernoon MT Memminger was in higE spirits. He predicted that the war would be over ill 90 days and said that England was preparing to recognize the Confed' eracy and send over her warships tC break the blockade.
 'I have this, " he said, from my con fidential agent, Mr. Blank. ;
 The name commanded respect, ana when the secretary said that under th' circumstances loan of $15, 900, 900 ne gotiated in Europe would be sufficien everybody agreed with him. The week. rolled on, and Erlanger i'll Paris adver tised for bids for $15, 900, 900 ill Confed crate bonds MT. Blank read this at hi London hotel and dropped his paper il his agitation.
 ''Well, I'll be d--d!' he remarked ''Must be mist ike. I'll run over anC see about it. ''
 The next day he was at Erlanger' office in Paris. The French banker in formed his visitor that there was nt mistake, and then Blank swore vigor ously The bids rushed in from all quar ters. If the demands of these specula tors had been met, $500, 900, 900 in Con federate bonds could have been sold When this fact became known, MT Blank again relapsed into profanity.
 He could not stand it, and, despit the danger of the trip, he made his ar rangemerts to return home. His inter view with Mem1ninger was storm, one when he arrived at Richmond
 ''I intended to write 'unsuccessfulr he said after long talk.
 Well, there is your message,' ' re piled the secretary. You wrote 'suc cessful. -
 II don't understand it, said MT Blank sadly. "Surely your advices fror Mr. Yancey should have warned yo that there was something wrong"
 ''His dispatches were intercepted, answered the other.
 "I don't understand it," repeate MT. Blank
 Perhaps 1 do," quietly remarke the secretary. ''I have carefully note your talk this morning, and l have dis covered that you are a heterophemist For instance, you say London when yo mean Richmond and Richmond whe you mean London. You similarly mis use the names of other places and per sons and are unconscious of it. Whe you sent me that message, the word 'uI successful was in your mind, but, bein heterophemist, you wrote an opposit word and ruined the Confederacy.
 ''I may have made a mistake, sir, said MT. Blank, rising from his chail ''but I am neither lunatlc nor a idiot. have the honor to bid you goo morning.
 Heterophemy is 8 fatal thing in d plomacy. Chicago Times Herald
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