The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-02

'There!' she cried. while you have
been resting i have been working. and We
are not going TO allow any time TO be lost.
/ have written with my own hand invita-
tons 10 about two dozen people TO our tea
premier Countess Stron. i expect you to
devote yourself to that lady and tell me
the result of the conversation after Ii Is
over. Have you been talking consolation
TO Gretich? / came up here half an hour
ago. and it seemed to me heard the sound
oh yes!'' said Jennie. she has been tell
ing me all her trouble. 1t seems she had a
0 0 In aceden IN be haS
What kind of an accident?''
"Gretlich said there was an explosion
there"
Dear me. hadn't heard of It. 1t is a
curious thing that one must come from
London to tell us our own news. An ex-
a soldier was killed. That arouses nv
curiosity. so shall just sit down and write
another invitation to the wife of the master
of the treasury.
AZ wish you would. because / should like
TO know something further about this my
self. Gretlich seems 10 have had but scant
information regarding the occurrence. and
/ would like TO know more about It. so that
1 might tell her."
I'VE shall learn all about it from madame.
and must write that note at once for fear
/ shall forget it,
On Thursday afternoon there was bril-
liant assemblage In the spacious salon of
tire of the ladies formed a series of vita
scopic pictures that were dazzling, for
Viennese women are adopts in the art of
dress. as are their Partisan sisters Tea was
served, not in cups and saucerS, as Jennie
had been accustomed to, but in goblets OF
clear. thin Venetian glass, each set in a
holder of incrusted filigree gold. There were
all manner of delicious cakes, for which
the city is celebrated. The tea itself had
come overland through Russia from China
and had not suffered the deterioration
which an ocean voyage produces. The decoc-
ton was served clear, with sugar, II de-
thought it the most delicious brew she had
ever tasted.
II am so sorry whispered the princess
but Countess Stron has sent
messenger to say that she cannot be present
this afternoon. 1t seems her husband. the
premier, is ill., and she, like a good wife
remains at home to nurse him. This rather
upsets our plans, doesn't it?''
"oh. l don't know" replied Jennie. 1T is
more than likely that the wife of the
premier would be exceedingly careful not to
discuss any political question in this
country. have counted more upon the wife
of a lesser official than upon Countess
You are right" said the princess "And
now come with me. l want to introduce you
to the wife of the master of the treasury,
and from her perhaps you can learn some
thing of the accident that befell the lover of
poor Gfetlich."
The wife of the master of the treasury
proved to be garrulous cid lady who evil
IDENTIFY prided herself on knowing everything
she became quite confidential over the goblet
of tea. a beverage of which the old lady
seemed inordinately fond. AS the conversa-
ton between them drifted on, Jennie saw
that there was a person that would take
a delight in telling everything she knew,
and the only question which now arose was
to learn. But before she tried her on poll
tics the girl determined to find out more
about the disaster that had made such an
abrupt ending TO Gretlich's young dream.
II have been very much interested she
said, lin one of the maids here who lost
her lover some weeks ago in an accident
doesn't seem to know very much about
what happened. and was merely told that
i her lover soldier who had been on guard
lowering her voice. What dreadful thing
nine are now in the hospital! My poor hus-
band has hardly had wink of sleep since
the event, and the premier is III in bed
Because of the loss Of life?" asked Jen-
ME- innccently.
''Oh, no, no! The loss of life wouldn't
matter. 1t is the loss of the money that
is the serious thing, and how they are
going to replace 1t or account for its dis
appearance I am sure I don't know The
forms. Was 1t not awful?'
WAS the building shattered to such an
extent?' inquired Jennie, who did not stop
any ediice in Vienna. even If it had been
wiped off the face of the earth.
but the repairs will not cost much. No, my
child, 1t IS a much more disturbing affair
than the destruction of any statehouse In In
the empire. What has made the premier Ill
and what is worrying my poor husband into
an untimely grave is nothing less than the
loss of the war chest"
is that?"
chest England has one, France, Germany
a
be, nor how difficult II is to collect the
taxes that nation must have war chest
with the most prosperous country, there
would be instant financial panic; ready
money would be difficult to obtain; loan
war calls for the very instant it begins is
money-not promises OF money, not paper
money, not silver money even. but gold:
Of war has a store Of gold coin. This store
is not composed mainly, or even largely,
store; it consists of the sovereigns of Eng
land. the louis Of France, the willems d'or
Of Holland, the eight-f1orin pieces of
Austria. the double crowns of Germany, the
half imperials of Russia, the double fred
cries Of Denmark. and on. All gold, god
gold! l believe that in the war chest of
ferent nations to the value of something like
2OoGO0,OO0 fiorins. My husband never told me
exactly how much was there. but sometimes
less money in the war chest than when
there was imminent danger of the Euro
pean outbreak which we all fear. The war
chest of Austria was in a stone vaulted
room, one of the strongest dungeons in the
treasury. The public are admitted into sew
eral rooms of the treasury, but no Strang-
er Is allowed into that portion of the build
ing which houses the war chest. This room
is kept under guard night and day. For
what happened my husband feels that he is
in no way to blame, and don't think his
superiors are inclined to charge him with
neglect of duty.
1T is singular thing that the day be-
fore the disaster took place he of his own
accord doubled the guard that watched over
the room and also the approaches to it.
The chest was at it's fullest. Never,
so he tells me, there so much money
in the war chest as at that particular time
Something had occurred that in his opin-
ion called for extra watchfulnesS and so he
doubled the guard. But about midnight
there was tremendous explosion. The
strong door communicating with the pass
age was wrenched from it's hinges and flung
outward into the hallway. 1t is said that
dynamite must have been used, and that in
a very large quantity. Not vestige of the
of iron. The four soldiers in the room were
blown literally to pieces and those in the
passageway were stunned by the shock
The fact that they were unconscious for
some minutes seems to have given the
criminal. whoever he was, his chance Of es-
cape. For, although an instant alarm was
sent out and none but those who had a
right to be en- the premises was allowed to
go out or into the treasury, yet no one was
caught. nor has any one been caught until
this day.