The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-15
RUINED BY A LAUGH.

II was awkward OF the Cars coniden-
tial adviser, Baron Enidoff. a month ago
that he had not quicker control Of his
features. for a laugh at the wrong mo-
ment lost him his high position and al2.-
900 a year.
While the royal suite was at Compiegne.
soon after the arrival, the Car was tired.
and little irritable from the effects Of
the long journey. While going through
the big library that was part OF the great
apartments prepared for him. he slipped
on a wolfskin mat that lay on the high
ly polished floor, made a wild attempt to
save himself. and clutched at one of his
attendants.
He nearly brought himself and his
standby to the ground. but he just man
rather ludicrous. especially in such a
stately parsonage. and when the rather
irritated monarch turned around he found
his favorite. Enidoff. indulging in a grin
of amusement. which he could not sup
press.
The Car, who detests levity on state
occasions, spoke very sharply In an un-
dertone to the culprit who next day was
dismissed from his position and relegated
to an assistant secretaryship. with plenty
Of hard work to do. and wherein he new
| er sees the Gzar at all. Although wealthy
and OF the oldest nobility. the baron dar-
ed not refuse the minor service. His for
mer stipend was indeed much greater.
But the Kaiser on the whole, Is the
most dangerous person TO laugh at, or
before. and more than one person has
done for" himself in this way. So did
| the unfortunate Mr.. Cough Mlibanke find
! 1.-THE clever but bluff Scottish colonial
I administrator. II was he who used tc
command the Sultan Abou Din's troops
| and manage the Arabian finances.
The Kaiser took him up four years ago
as a guest, with view TO making use Of
| him in the new expansion policy of the
German Empire. and had decided to give
him fine position In the East, to guard
German interests In China, at prince
ly remuneration. of course. The Kaiser
sees to these things himself. and any
body who become one OF his right-hand
men is pretty well set up for life.
At one of the audiences given him at
Potsdsm. Milbanke was giving the emper-
or the benefit OF his experience, and re-
ceiving his orders. when the Kaiser made
a rather absurd suggestion as to eastern
diplomacy. proposing to win the conf
dence of the Japanese and Kurile ISL
anders.
Milbanke burst into gufYaw. The Kaiser
froze at once, wished Milbanke good
night. and never reopened relations with
him.
The moral is, when you are chatting
with a King. don't forget he Is a King
| and dig him In the ribs. A still more
| amusing case of this kind was the mis-
| take of another Scottish administrator.
| Duncan McVea. who was, next to Nc
Leavy Brown. of Cores. the most famous
! Of wandering governors. Scotland, by
| the way, supplies eighty per cent Of the
worlds pioneer administrators, as well
as It's engineers).
Mcvea was dealing with that pleasant
| but touchy monarch the King OF Portu-
| gal, who had proposed TO put the rather
| shaky government OF the Cape Verde ISL
ands into his hands, TO set things going.
and pull the finances together. This would
| have been a big step, and meant some
| f50O0 a year to the famous adventurer;
but he had too much of what Scotsmen
are supposed to lack-sense of humor. AT
any rate II was the ruin OF the finest
prospect he ever had.
The King became little excited and ir-
ritable at the various common-sense OBJ
| jections that McVea, knowing what he
| was talking about, opposed TO some OF
| the monarch's plans. and though the
King speaks admirable English as a rule,
when excited II becomes a very odd mix
| ture indeed. This, finally. 80 worked on
| McVeas feelings that he smiled audibly,
| with the result that he was promptly or
| dered away. and not appointed govern
| or.-Philadelphia Inquirer.