Evening star., 1901-07-13

the American embassy at Paris, 81 will
write TO the police to try to find it. You
would better remain at home much as
possible tomorrow and the next day; and if
an unknown person sends up his card, do
moi hesitate to receive him. 1t may be a
detective. BY the way. you have nothing
you would not want noticed, l presume? :?
No undeclared pct dog about your rooms? :?
Have you made your declaration detrarg-
ere? We may be going to antagoniZe the
hotel servants, you know; and they are al
ways ready to respond with secret de-
nunciatiOnS.
She Was Flat Broke.
Soon the sound as of some one gently
scbbng penetrated to his private room.
Presently there was a knock at the door
The first secretary went to 1t, opened
it, disappeared for moment and then
returned with what was evidently Il wo-
man in distress Far be it from the
present writer to treat that form of
human misery known as being dead
broke in Paris with levity. especially
when it clings to lovely woman. l will,
therefore. draw a veil over what followed.
1t will be sufficient to state that here was
an American woman without funds and
without friends in foreign country. Nat
uTaily she applied to her ambassador.
| say naturally. for. barring the United
States of America. every civilized govern
ment makes provision for what is called
repatriating its destitute citizens. The dip
uSes of all the other governments have
expense accounts allowed for the relief of
such of their wandering citizens as have
not eaten-for example-during twenty-four
hours past
w hat can you do for such dead broke
AmericanS?" | asked.
We can do nothing" replied Mr.. Wig
maud our government does not provide
one cent TO help Americans in distress. and
it makes no provision for getting them
back home again. Every other govern
ment does Ours alone refuses.
Has it ever been talked about?
Yes. but not officially, for Congress
never will make an appropriation for the
purpose. Fortunately. there is an Amer
lean Relief Society In Paris. composed of
wealthy Americans of the colony. When
they find deserving cases they take them
up and treat them generously
l was glad to learn this, for it came to
meas it will come to most old residents
a piece of real news. When | communi-
Gated this to Mr.. Fignaud he replied:
The society does much as it can. 1t
is in better financial condition now than it
has been for long time
As matter of fact Mr.. Vignaud" /
ventured at one time about five years
ago / had cause to investigate the means
of aiding stranded llOw-citizens existing
In Paris at the moment. and the only per-
son who would say without reserve Bring
your dead-broke American to me and /
will have him sent home second-class and
no questions asked was Father Matthew
OF the Avenue Hoche American Catholic
Church of st. Joseph's. He explained to
me that the church's St. Vincent de Paul
Society had the facilities. thanks to the
benevolence of Sir Edward Blount one of
its members. and a that time president of
the Western Railway Company. and nat
uraily In privileged relations with the
French Transatlantic Steamship Com
pany
The church has never been In direct re-
latons with the embassy, replied the first
secretary. though ! have heard of in
stances that bear out what YOU saw OF Il