The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-02-22


the paper back.
II am not very good French schol-
ar. and the French are tiresome.''
"1'hey would not have been II they
had had general who thought more
Of fighting than OF wearing pretty
clothes"
"Oh. it would not have mattered,"
confidently.
Prussia was once humbled by
Frcnchman." was irritating him
with purpose in view.
"Bahr
"The only reason the French were
beaten was because they did not think
the German race worth troubling
about"
He laughed pleasantly. "You Amer
leans have strange idea of the differ
ence between the German and the
Frenchman."
This was just what wanted.
"And who informed you that I was
an Americana"
He was disconnected. why" he
said lamely. lit is easily apparent. the
difference between the American and
the Englishman." Then, as though a
bright idea had come to him: 1.-THE Eng
lish never engage in conversation with
strangers while travelling. Americans
are more sociable."
"They are? Then I advise them to
follow the example set by the English
man-never try to get up CONVERSE
ton while travelling with n German.
1t is a disagreeable task" And l set
tied back behind my paper.
How had he found out that was an
American? Was | known? And for
what reason was l known? To my
knowledge ] had never committed any
offense to the extent that ! must be
watched like n suspect. What his
object was and how he came to know
that | was an American were mystic
ries to me. l was glad that the journey
would last but an hour or so longer.
The train arrived at the capital late
at night AS l went to inquire about
my luggage l saw my late fellow pas
senger joined by another officer. The
two began talking earnestly, giving
me occasional sidelong glances. The
mystery was deepening. In passing
them l caught words which sounded
like under another name" and posi-
tive it Is he" This was anything but
reassuring to me- AT length they dis
appeared, only to meet me outside the
station. 1t got into my head that
was a marked man. A feeling of dis
comfort took possession of me. Ger
mans are troublesome when they get
an idea. | was glad to get into the
carriage which was to take me to my
hotel The driver seemed to have
some difficulty in starting the horse,
but / gave this no attention. When
the vehicle did start, it was with a
rapidity which alarmed me. Corner
after corner was turned, and the lights
went by in flashes. 1t was taking a
long time to reach my hotel, thought.
Suddenly it dawned upon me that the
direction we were going was contrary
to my instructions. l tried to open the
window, but it refused to move. Then
/ hammered on the pane, but the driver
was deaf or purposely so.
Hi. there!' | thoughtlessly yelled in
|
ingY'
No one paid any attention to my
cries. 1t was becoming serious mat
ter.
The fights grew fewer and fewer.
and presently there were no lights at
all. We were. l judged, somewhere
IN the suburbs. became desperate
and smashed window. The carriage
stopped so abruptly that l went
sprawling to the bottom. ! was in
anything but peaceful frame of mind,
as they say. when the door swung
open and beheld standing at the side
Of it the officer who had accompanied
me from the frontier.
what tomfoolery is this?' l de-
manded. l was thoroughly incensed.
at means that herr will act peace
fully or be in danger of a broken
head was the mind easing reply Of
my quondam fellow passenger. The
driver then came down from the box,
and saw that he was the officer who
had joined us at the station.
IF it is a frolic," | said, zone of
your beer hall frolics. the sooner it Is
ended the better for YOU"
The two laughed as IL what l had
said was one Of the funniest things
imaginable.
"Get outv'
with pleasurer' said 1.
Directly one of them lay with his
back to the ground and the other was
locked in my embrace. l had not spent
four years on the college campus for
intellectual benefits only. And indig-
nation lent me additional strength. My
opponent was a powerful man, but |
held him in 4 grip of rage. Truthfully
began to enjoy the situation. There
is something exhilarating in the fight
ing blood which rises in us DOW and
then. This exclamation, however,
brought about my fall. In the struggle
l forgot the other, who meantime had
recovered his star gemmed senses. A
crack from the butt of his pistol rem
dered me remarkably quiet and docile.
In fact, all became vacancy till the