New-York tribune., 1901-04-21
THE TRICKSTER TRICKED,
WRITER WHO DECEIVED HIS FELLOWS
INTENTIONALLY WAS HIMSELF
DECEIVED INTERNATIONALLY

IL
DECEIVED UNINTENTIONALLY.
There had been a nasty row with tho Russian
students. Several OF them had been shot down by
the Cossacks and the greatest excitement pre-
vailed among them. All were peremptorily for
bidden TO oiter in the streets speak of the
of their discomfort to outsiders meet an
other in committee under any pretext whatever
They went about looking unutterable things
None of the foreign correspondents seemed to
have any accurate information as to what the
about. First thing then another
whispered as to the cause OF 1t, but as the stu
dents, even in their families, said nothing it
matter Of great difficulty to get accurate
details. Most of these foreign correspondents
looked to Miles O'Flaherty, big, rollcking Irish
American, to help them out, for he had his lodg
ings right in the centre of the student colony, IN
Vastly Ostrow.
MAN OF MANY FRIENDS.
O'Flaherty had friends everywhere. He might be
driving with one Of the grand dukes in the
afternoon the English quay tumbling home in
the wee sma' hours with group Of students. He
persona grata at all the embassies, yet he
drank tea with the moujks in the cheapest trak-
tirs. In fact, like luck, one never knew when.
where how going to meet him. He had
the true Irish versatility and the faculty for max
ing himself cordially liked dsliked as he pleased.
At the English Embassy of the friendly at
taches used to send along his stories by Queens
messengers, believing he was helping British
subject while at the American Embassy O'Flaherty
posed a citizen of the United States, which. ac
cording to his passport. he really was.
OFlaherty had the reputation of telling things
nevertheless outside of his stories, which were
ever ready and inmitable. He never told more
than he wanted and his apparent ingenuousness
was in reality Machiavellian duplicty
Some little time before the student riots O'Fla-
herty, whose purse, far it went. was ever
open to the needy had occasion to befriend a poor
student whom the death OF patron had left pen
niless. OFlaherty who did nothing by halves,
Immediately offered to share his bachelor apart
ment with the young fellow, and bade him be at
home till his studies finished and he was
ready to make living by his profession. When
the riots occurred, therefore, it was the most
natural thing for Gregorewtch to relate the de-
tails TO his new patron. OFlaherty said nothing
to any one of this. The other correspondents were
hunting around. evolving all sorts of particulars
from their inner consciousness and o Fla herty pro-
fessed himself as much at sea any OF them.
PREPARING HIS SURPRISE.
On the eve of the day on which martial law was
proclaimed for the students. and the foreign corre-
spondents were more anxious for details than
OFlaherty. all his data-the Russian names-writ-
ten out in most careful script set to work to get
his story ready that he might forward # by
Queens messenger on the following day to Berlin.
where a trusty agent would cable It to New York
OFlaherty worked with great glee we'll on toward
midnight. He had bis windows thickly covered
so that no beam of light might be IN the
street. and he was careful not 10 typewriter.
He knew the authorities would surely examine any
letters sent out-that they the watch so
intercept all accounts Of the riots. and he felt
ceedingly 'chipper" the fact OF his story go
Ing through by Queens messenger.
At last the large envelope addressed and
sealed sealed He M sat smoking his pipe smile OF salts
straight to bed fetch last b. and g. from
side door echoed through % the small al apartment
and the sound of mems voices reached him.
THE FAT IN. THE FIRE.
Servants never seem to sleep soundly in Russia
and in what seemed a few seconds the door was
opened. Immediately there the click of spurs
and O'Flaherty knew the police on him. lie
threw down the lighted pipe from his mouth with
an CATH and It only took him & moment to lock
and latch the door. The envelope which was 10 go
by Queens messenger inside the stove In less
time than 1t takes 10 relate. and second later
knew his Russia WS ao TO TAKE 0s mo risks He
aware that SCRAP of compromising paper.
send him over the frontier at five minutes notice
An the data that Gregoriewitch had given him
envelope. Al the time that he looked out l for for
should come to to no & harm through him. The knocks
servant had begun to howl SO getting Hiia up i,s as
it were. from his sofa he opened the door. saving
credit to Mansfield:
What's the matter, oficer?"
. 1T WAS A FIRE ALARM
He expected to be searched. handcuffed sub
mited to a severe examination and otherwise
Ill used. but instead the police officer said sooth-
ingly:
Now. don't be alarmed ] came to warn YOU
that the ground floor apartment is on fire and AL
though the fire department think they can manage
IT without damage to your apartment, still is as
well you informed"
~ The The captain and his men then went out. leaving
Oflaherty IN trance He rushed TO the stove
Cnders and charred paper alone met his eyes He
looked at the clock 1t marked 2:30 a. M
Before daylight Gregoriewitch had been several
times reused out of his sleep to spell Russian
name supply a detail but the Queens mes
senger took away the story, and noon
OFlaherty stood speaking with some English
respondents bemoaning the impossibility getting
news of the riots On reaching home II gave him
the utmost satisfaction learn that the contents
of the ground floor apartment were burned TO
cindeTs. -
GENERAL BROOKE TO REVIEW THE ,Tu