The age-herald., 1898-01-29
Americas Representatives Have
 Troubles of Their Own.
FIRST RESORT WHEN IN NEED
Regarded as Fair Game by Sharpers as We'll as the Needy-The Extadting of Grim
 inaIs Part of Their Duties.
From the washington Star.

London.
 Evidently Gen. Collins regarded the woes" of which he spoke as more hu-. morous than pathetic, for he smiled as he made the observation. The writer knew that kindly smile of old. It was the same which until twelvemonth ago greeted the casual American wayfarer who chanced to stray into St. Helen's Place, city, and under the big stars and stripes which hung invitngy over the offices of Uncle Sans consulate
 "Let me begin at the beginning" con- tinued Gen. Collins, land narrate my own personal experiences. When MT. Cievtla sent me to London l was a simple, con- fiding Bostonian, with vast amount of honest belief in my fellowman. As a re- suit, I had not been in London a week before fell an easy victim to the wiles of chevaler d'industrie. It was in this wise: A card was brought to me bearing the name Qet us say) of Maj. J. H. Blank, late of the Blank regiment, and member of the G. A. R. felt proud at being enabled to greet in my official capacity veteran of the war; and Maj. Blank was ushered in. He proved to be a charming gentleman, full of anecdote and positive ly effervescing with patriotism. We smoked a couple of cigars together, and agreed the United States was the geratest coun- try on the footstool. Then--all of sud- den-my new friend sprang to his feet.
 First of the swindlers.-
 "'Oh. by the way general said he, I had almost forgotten what came about. Fact is, not knowing London very well, I fell among thieves yesterday, and they fieeced me for all my ready cash. nave but in should really like you to lend me nttie ready money. Can your
 "Could I? Of course could l felt, indeed, that it was my bounden duty to do so, and I did. He took my check and departed The check was cashed within an hour, but I never saw Maj. Blank again. When I mentioned the fact of his visit to a friend of experience, the tr1end merely laughed, and told me in brutally plain language that had been swindled. But 1t was not until I had investigated Mai. Blanks antecedants over here by means of letters of inquiry, that l knew the entire truth of this assertion. Since then many and many Maj. Blank has visited me; but very seldom have l been caught by the same dodge.
 When an American gets stranded in a foreign cline and sees no immediate means of raising money, what IS ms very first place of call? ,fhe American con- sulate, almost invariably. Uncle Sam's
 
 fond parents actual duty to ship them home from wherever they may happen to be. I believe that there exists a popu- lar superstition that a special fund has been set aside for this very purpose, and that this fund is at the disposal of con- suls, for the. use of deserving citizens who have gone 'broke.' I know a great many persons have at different times come to St. Helen's Place and claimed as their rights a portion or portions of this myth ica1 finn informed of it's istence the majority of them have not hesitated to hint that was mendacious.
 ''If had sent home all the persons who during my term of office applied for trans portation should have been the means of restoring to Uncle Sams bosom a very respectable army of errant citizens. To satisfy all the claims for relief which poured in upon me in the same time should have needed the wealth of an Astor or Rockefeller. I need not tell you that the really deserving applicants were few and far between. The great majority of those who came for aid were either rogues or spendthrifts.
 A Millionaires Son.
 "Let me give you a few instances. One day young man called, and proved to me by means of letters and references of un- questionable strength that he was the son of a well-known western millionaire. He had visited Monte Carlo, and had been, as he expressed it, cleaned out. The gam bling had been done contrary to his fath- CTS expressed commands. Consequently, he did not dare, just then, to write home; but he asked me, as one acquainted with his position and prospects, to lend him some money. The story was a perfectly straight one. I asked for a day to think the matter over. During the day inves- tigated my young friend, and, finding that everything he said was true, let him have what he wanted. The sum was to be re- turned in a week; but many weary week has gone by since then, and I have yet to look upon those departed dollars l sup pose the young man simply forgot all about the transaction. Let us at least be charitable, and hope so.
 Confidence men a-many have visited me with this same story; and while I will not positively state that they have never suc- ceeded in victimizing me, will say that pretty generally managed to see through their little schemes in time.
 Plight of Young Couple.
 "I remember an amusing and yet some- what touching case-touching in a double sense, for I will admit, in this instance, to have been touched both as regards my heart and my pocket. A newly married couple from America had been spending their honey moon in Europe. They had spent their funds lavishly, imagining that, like their love for each other, those funds were without limit. But sightseeing in Switzerland and shopping in Paris will empty a. fat pocketbook in short order, and when the young turtle doves fetched up in London they awoke to the stern fact that they were for the time being penni- less Arm in arm they f1uttered into my gloomy old office, the bride trying to look woebegone under hat which had just cost quite little fortune In the metropolis of millinery They told their story with such unconscious drollery that, upon my word, cannot tell you which felt most like doingIaughing or crying As a re- suit, cabled for them to their friends on this side of the water, and was happy in the knowledge that I had done two de- lightful innocents a good turn. I was re- paid fully for my expense and trouble; but the brides smi1e when they visited me a few days after. put d positive premium on what had done.
 "I had not been very long in office when I had to make a rule never to do monetary favors for my countrymen and country women at all. Of course this rule. like other rules, was broken in exceptional cases, but 1t was not broken often. Had I