The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-25
A DIPLOr1ATlC TRICK.

Stepping to the counter. Herr Won
Bismarck asked grinnng young shop
boy, in shirt sleeves. "a blue linen apron
not of maiden freshness, and blessed
with pair OF large. red, greasy paws,
engaged in weighing some Dutch
cheese, to oblige him with a sheet Of
writing paper, some sealing wax and
pen to direct letter.
On the boy producing the needful
with the traditional What else, sir?'
Bismarck said. My hands are rather
cold: you had better do 1t for me- and
he handed the boy couple Of letters
wrapped in the sheet of blush paper
forming an envelope, for in those dsya
made-up envelopes were still unknown
in Germany. Evidently fiattered by tho
request Of such an imposing looking
client, for Herr Won Bismarck's tall
hat was almost touching the ceiling of
the squalid little shop. the greasy
handed youth took the parcel, and.
having closed II skilfuly with soma
sealing wax and Endorsed il with the
initials of the firm. he returned it to it's
owner to write the address
Sorry, my friend, TO give you more
trouble" said the future Chancellor, in
his jovial way, but / can't manage to
write with my gloves on, SO just ad-
dress IL for me-" and he handed him "a
penciled slip with the name of Herr
Fritz Piepenbrink or some such name,
oil and colonial warehouseman. No 00c
Friedrichsstrasse, Berlin.
Thank you. young man, that'll do
capitslly." and paying for the paper.
&c. with "A small tip TO the oily boy
with the stereotyped grin. he pocketed
his letter and we left the place to con-
tinue our walk.
II dare say you are wondering why
treat my CORRESPONDENTS to such greasy
evil smelling missives?" and he showed
me tho cheesy fingermarks of the boy
on both sides Of the improvised envel-
ope "Tli tell you secret. and teach
YOU a useful lesson for future times.
You may some dav thank me for the
hint" exclaimed Herr Won Bismarck.
laughing heartily. You know we are
blessed here i'm Frankfort. as through
out all South Germany. with the Thurn
and Taxis Postal administration, a
mine of wealth 10 that fortunate family
hut the most wretchedly managed con-
Germ under the sun.
AS YOU may imagine. il Is under the
thumbs of Austria hence slow, and the
triumph OF red tape. with pronounced
weakness for diving into other peoples
business and skimming. OF course. the
correspondence Of all German and for
with a preference for mine. the ever
suspected Prussian culprit and traitor
They have established regular Black
cabinet I'm the princely postofice. where
specially trained imperial and royal
wiseeacres peruse our prose with crit
ical eve. transmitting copies OF cx-
tracts of all 'treasonable' matter. or
particularly interesting reports. To tho
august Rallplatz where Gentand and
after him klindworth. have established
a lynx x-eved system OF political espion-
age (politisches Schnuffeln) extending
ali over Europe. and comprising all
German courts and chancelleries.
"Not being particularly anxious Co
gratifv the morbid curiosity OF our
Austrian ally. have thought IL adj
visabie 20 send important reports to the
Rerlin r. q. as we'll a. all my letters
10 the king. to Herr Won Manteufel
and 20 my sister and some particular
friends under cover to some mercantile
Arm in Berlin. changing frequently and
usually asking n counter jumper I'm "A
cheesemoneer's or ollman's shop To ad-
dress them FOR me-and you can easily
understand that the imperial and royal