Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-18

supple hands of the chancellor, NJ. Selpdorf,
| while the duke, with those who surrounded
him, plunged into the newest excitement OF
the hour, for who knew what a day might
bring forth? The court was like stage lit
by lurid light, on which the actors laughed
and loved, danced and fought to the music
OF wild finale, that whirled and maddened
before the crash OF the coming end
Once ugon time Nassau was accounted
of no particular Importance or value among
its bigger neighbors; but of late, for vari
Gus reasons, it's fortunes had become the
subject OF attention and discussion in at
least three foreign chancelleres, whore old
maps were being looked up and new ones
bought and painted in different colors, ac-
cording as seemed most desirable by the
bearded men, who sat in council to appor-
tion the marsh, rock, dune and forest OF
which the now absorbingly interesting pigmy
state was composed.
In fact, Maasau, with its twenty miles or
so of seaboard containing one excellent
port in esse and two others in posse, had
become a Naboths vineyard to a country
almost land-bound and yet dreaming of the
/, supremacy of the four seas. On this am
bition and its possible consequences the
other great powers looked to speak diplo-
matcally, with coldness.
1t was generally understood that the En-
glish foreign office desired the maintenance
| of the status quo; France was supposed to
| be ready to clap young republic on the
| back and to accord 1t her protection, while
| Russia played her own dumb and binding
| game, of which none could definitely pro-
nounce the issue. The political world thus
| stood at gaze, watching every change and
| prepared to take advantage of every chance
that offered. The honors of the game so
far had lain with NJ. Selpdorf, who scored
| each trick with the same bland smile
Whenever the treasury of Maasau was at
| low ebb Selpdorf usually had thirteenth
| card to lay upon the table, and as the ma
| tions cautiously proceeded to Illustrate each
others purposes royal remittances from
heaven knows where flowed in abundantly
| to replenish the bankrupt eXchequer OF the
state.
| When Major Counsellor expressed his en-
phatic disapproval of the intended resigna-
| tion OF Ralywood a new development was
| in the air Hitherto the lead had mos-y
devolved upon Selpdorf; on this occasion he
was known to be hanging back, and the
question OF who would take the Initiative
was the question of the day. The fac,
| that Germany had lately accredited new
representative, a certain Baron Won Elmur
| to the court OF Maasau, an able man whose
reputation rested mainly on the successful
performance of missions of delicate ma
| ture. added to the tension of the moment.
80 you say they are getting steam up in
Maasau?" said Rallywood again. 81 have
| been ont in the wilds for the last six months
| and don't know so much about events as l
might
Steam up?" growled Counsellor. steam
enough to wreck Europe! / almost wish I'd
never godfathered you into this blessed little
| stoke hole Why the deuce didn't you enlist
at home instead of coming here?"
THAT was out of the question, of course"
"Why? Isn't our army good enough for
you to fight n?'
"If it was only that!-I could fight in the
| ranks God knows, but I couldn't parade in
them! Besides, the life here suited me
| then
| What's gone wrong with 1t now? !
should have thought you would have got
used to it by this time" observed Coun
sellor with the air OF the older man. 1t was
not the first occasion on which he had
| played the part of elderly relative toward
Rallywood during the course Of their queer,
rough grained friendship-a friendship of a
| type which exists only between man and
man, and even then is sufficiently rare.
| Precisely, I'm too Internally used to 1t!
1t was not half bad as long as the newness
lasted, but 1 can't stand it any longer! I'm
sick of the monotony. Do you know old
| Fitzadams' criticism on the service here?
| Dust and drill, drill and dust, and fill in
the chinks with homcidal maneuvers."
! "Maaeau only apes it's betters. These
| Continental armies devote themselves very
| assduously to rehearsals, and there Is no
end of waste about the process remarked
| the chancellor. "They rehearse in summer
| and get sunstroke; then they rehearse in
| winter with rheumatisms and lung troubles
| uSh ba Gov IL
| cartridges alone Is enormous! And all be-
| cause they have no India and no Africa, as
we have, where can give our fellows
| taste OF the real thing any day in the week
We carry on small war with a regiment
! or dispatch youngster with half company
| to teach manners and honesty to 20. 900 mig
gers. The popularity of our army is that it
| is always at war. In this way we escape the
| dangers of theory and get practice with
| something for our money into the bargain"
"Our plan has its advantages" agreed
Rallywood lazily. 81 saw in South Africa
what a little active service does for a man.
| The first time he ia under fire he Is per-
suaded that he is going to be killed, and that
every shot must hit him. But after trial
or two he begins to think that the odds are
in his favor and he becomes a much more
effective fighting machine"
Necessarily he does. We don't half
| ltdllEt lnb value Ol our cOlOnleS yet-aS n
training ground for our soldiers The
British army Is the smallest in Europe, but
1t remains to be seen what account it will
give of itself II 1t is ever brought into con-
tact with these huge, peace-tra conscript
| monsters"
When the duke dies" began Rallywood
barking back to the former topic OF con-
versation.
The door was softly opened and waiter
! advanced into the room, bearing a letter for
Rallywood, who took 1t and laid it down on
the table beside him, then looked at Coun-
! sellor for an answer to his half spoken
question Counsellor shrugged his shoulders
who can tell?" he replied. Meanwhile
take the gifts the gods have sent you to-
| day" and he pointed to the long, heavily
sealed envelope that lay at Rallywood's
elbow. "selpdorf see, already has his
| fingers upon you"
Rallywood broke the great seals, and, hav-
ing read, he tossed the paper into the others
hands.