Evening journal., 1899-04-03
tbs GUATEMGLGS MIglST, R
SOME DRAMATIC HAPPENINGS IN
THE HISTORY OF THAT DIPLO.
nrarr


ings in the history OF diplomacy at
Washington occurred last week, the
scene Of the incident being the
Cairo" a great apartment house on Q
street, which is run on the pan Of
family hotel The hero OF the episode
was Senior Don Antonio Lazo Arraga,
Envcy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary from Guatemala.
The senior gets up rather late every
morning. and he shaves himself; for
The latttr purIcse a small pitcher Of
hot water is regularly placed outside
OF the door CT his fiat at a certain
hour On the occasion referred to the
colored servitor, whose duty il was
TO purvey the toilet requisite
in question, was so careless as to place
the receptacle some feet away from
,he entrance The distinguished dip
lomat, accordingly, found himself
obliged to step forth after Il, and this
feat he attempted in a somewhat gin
ged'ly fashion, being cad at the time
in his underclOt'hes and nothing else.
The Move was Success, so far as
reaching the pitcher unobserved was
concerned; but what was the horror Of
The Senior when a little breeze. caused
by the opening OF the portal. blew the
door to with a sam, leaving him on
the outside. IL was a spring lock-
Alas, and likewise woe is me, These,
Il may be supposed were, when prop
eriy translated into Spanish, the ejac-
urations Of the Minister P.enipotenti-
AIRY from Guatemala. All was not yet
| 4n, & q,
effec- a dlgnlfied escape from the en-
baTpsslng situation. He pushed the
button Of the electric bell repeatedly,
and pounded violently upon the door.
II he had ccntentad himself with
touching the electric button all would
protalfy have teen well, but the noisy
pounding brought to the door Of the
adjoining fiat, in some alarm, a lady.
SHE stepped forth and gazed with hor-
ror ana amaZement upon the strange
ard even grewsome figure Of the
lGuatema.an Minister standing in his
emlnrra ssnrent FIRST on one foot and
then On the other and exhibiting none
of that calmmess and dignlfed equi-
poise which are supposed to mark the
professional and experienced diplomat
list
All the same time it would be a grave
mistake 10 imagine that Senior Arri-
aga was deserted altogether by his
presence Of mind AS he afterward
confessed, the Thought did strike him
that his appearance in such an unIdip-
s0matlc costume, or lack Of the same,
might possibly be made a subject of
International correspondence and in
volve him in serious controversy; but
TO do him Justice, his first feeling was
one of modest shock--a sentiment dl-
vded between shame on his own ac-
count and sympathy with the situation
Of the lady, who appeared TO be I'M
able to move through sheer asbonish-
ment.
AN Of this, IL should be realized, oc-
cupied orry a few seconds Of time but
when an eminent diplomat finds him
SELF in his underShirt and drawers on
The outside Of his habitatlon. under The
gaze of a lady not belonging to his
household, even 50 brief a time may
seem like a year. The situation cOu,d
not last, and the senior, recognizing
hls fact, took advantage OF an inspira.
ton which might not have come to a
man less resourceful and acquainted
with the various aspects OF life. With
cne BLOW he slammed the pitcher oi
hot water. which he still held in his
hand, Through the glass Of the locked
door, and then, thr'usuing his arm In.
, side, he turned the knob and disap
peared within He says now that q
did occur to him 10 dive through th'
glass head foremost. like Harlequin
but such move would certainly hav,
been less dignifed.
II is undertake. that foreign diplO
mats in Washington frequently hnt
themselves at a loss owing 70 the nov
5.des presented TO them by American
customs. Even the language oher
ldfiicuAies. Only the other day tn
Guatemalan Minister was speaking q
some Washington ladies Of what h'
regarded as a remarkable social exper
ience met with here at the capital HI
had been invited 10 an afternoon re
ceptlon.
And, do you know, he said "th'
hostess received the guests in a nigh
gowml'
Good heavens!" replied the ladies
to whom this information was address
ed. surely, YOU are joking Mr.. Min
/, isterl"
Not at all, assure you,' reiterate,
the diplomat. 1T was in her nigh
dress that we were received. Low necl
and bare arms"
"Oh, you mean evening dress, d,
you not MIR. Minister" suggested on
, Cf the ladies.
Yes. that is what / mean, admdtte,
! SenOr Arriaga. Low neck and bar
, arms, just like the costumes for Oh,
opera OF bail"
AS may be imagined. the laugh wa
al, the Ministers expense. In Wash
, ington ladies quite commonly wea
! evening dress when giving Afternoon
lrecUtons
The occurrence above described nc
minds one OF arosher incident in whic
! an Oriental diplomat managed to max
J. l!himsdf misunderstood. IL was at
/ big evening reception. and he wa
). talking to Mrs MaclIay- Smith, nea
relative Of the Nanderbi.ts, and tn
T, wife Of a distinguished Episcopal clel
e gyman. The conversation feil upO
j. the contrast between Eastern and Og
n