The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-06-25
Jennie Baxter: JOURNALIST
BY ROBERT BARR.
1.-The Prime Minister'S |DdIScTeN0n
copyright, 1900, by Robert Bar.l
(Csutinusd.)

IuOT0 dLDut IL, 10 tHdt HlBHC teli uci.
eve shall learn all about it from
madame, and must write that note at
once for fear I shall forget it. .
On Thursday afternoon there was q
brilliant assemblage in the spacious sa-
lon of the Princess Won Steinheimer.
The rich attire of the ladies formed a
series Of vitascopic pictures that We're
| dazzling, for Viennese women are
adopts in the art of dress, as are their
Partisan sisters. Tea was served, not in
| cups and saucers, as Jennie had been
accustomed to, but in goblets of clear,
thin Venetian glass, each set in holder
Of incrusted filigree gold. There were
all manner Of delicious cakes, for which
the city is celebrated. The tea itself
had come overland through Russia from
China and had not suffered the deterio-
ration which an ocean voyage produces.
The decoction was served clear, with
sugar, if desired, and a slice of lemon,
and Jennie thought it the most delicious
brew she had ever tasted.
II am so sorry" whispered the prin
cess to Jennie when an opportunity
occurred, "but Countess Stron has sent
messenger to say that she cannot be
| present this afternoon. 1t seems her
husband, the premier, is i'll, and she,
| like a good wife. remains at home to
nurse him. This rather upsets our plans,
doesn't it p
ooh, don't know" replied Jennie.
at is more than likely that the wife of
the premier would be exceedingly care
full not to discuss any political question
| in this company. have counted more
upon the wife of a lesser official than
upon Countess Stron.
"You are right" said the princess.
"And now come with me. / want tC
introduce you to the wife of the master
of the treasury, and from her perhaps
you can learn something Of the accident
that befell the lover of poor Gretlich. .
The wife Of the master of the treasury
proved to be garrulous old lady, who
evidently prided herself on knowing
everything that was taking place about
her. Jennie and she became quite con-
fidential over their goblets of tea, a
beverage of which the old lady seemed
Unfortunately fond. As the conversation
between them drifted on, Jennie saw
that here was person that would take
delight in telling everything she
knew, and the only question which now
arose was whether she knew anything
Jennie wished to learn. But before she
tried her on high politics the girl de-
termined to find ont more about the
disaster that had made such an abrupt
ending to Gretlich's young dream.
~ have been very much interested, y
she said, Sin one of the maids here who
lost her lover some weeks ago in an ac-
cident that occurred in the treasury.
The maid doesn't seem to know very
much about what happened, and was
merely told that her lover, q soldier
who had been on guard there that
| night, was dead"
"Oh, dear, yesI' whispered the old
lady. lowering her voice. "What a
dreadful thing that was -Four men
killed and eight or nine are now in the
hospitall My poor husband has hardly
had wink of sleep since the event,
and the premier is i'll in bed through
the worry"
because Of the loss Of Gfe9" asked
Jennie innocently.
"Oh, no, mol The loss Of life wouldn't
| matter. 1t is the loss of the money that
| is the serious thing, and how they are
| going to replace 1t or account for its
disappearance am sure l don't know,
The deficiency is something over 200,
900, 900 forms. Was it not awful?"
"Was the building shattered to such
an extent9" inquired Jennie, who did
not stop to think that such sum would
replace any edifice in Vienna, even if
1t had been wiped off the face Of the
earth.
"The treasury was damaged, of
course, but the repairs will not COST
much. No, my child, it is much more
disturbing affair than the destruction
of any statehouse in the empire. What
has made the premier i'll and what is
worrying my poor husband into an I'M
timely grave is nothing less than the
loss of the war chest |"
"The war chestl" echoed Jennie
"What is thatP"
''My dear, every great nation has a
war chest England has one, France
Germany, Russia-nO matter how poor
q nation may be, nor how difficult it is
to collect the taxes, that nation must
have war chest. If war were to break
out suddenly, even with the most pros
porous country, there would be instant
financial panic; ready money would be
difficult to obtain; loan would be
practically impossible, and what war
calls for the very instant 1t begins is
money-not promises OF money, not pa
per money, not silver money even, but
gold; therefore, every nation which is
in danger Of war has store of gold
coin. This store is not composed main
ly, or even largely, of the coins Of the
nation which owns the store it consists
Of the sovereigns of England, the louis
Of France, the willems d or of Holland,
the eight form pieces Of Austria, the
double crowns Of Germany, the half i'm
perials OF Russia, the double frederics