The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-16

red sash and crowned with an opera
hat, the chamberlain appeared.
"A pause of a few minutes, then
a door creaked on it's hinges far down
the hall that stretched in gloom from
the entrance gate, there was a tramp
of numerous feet on the floor, then
faint flash of steel was visible as a
body of marching men crossed the
dim rays of light from an aperture
in the roof. The awful end of this
mad move was clear to the dragoman..
His saffron skin assumed a rich cream
shade and he half turned as though
to bolt, but, recollecting that escape
was hardly possible at this juncture,
he skunk in abject fear behind the
erect and dignifed form of the CORE
spOndent.
At the head of the men marched the
chamberlain and he salaamed pro-
foundry as he reached the gateway,
while the soldiers. dividing in two
lines, backed to the walls and present
ed arms in salute. The Sultan was
graciously pleased to receive the dis
tinguished visitor from America.
THE interview was a long and pleas
ant one. and at the end the Sultan
presented his visitor with a gold Gig
arctic case as token of esteem, while,
not to be outdone in generosity, the
correspondent bestowed on his host an
aluminium card case. All this how
ever, is not part of the story nor is
any account of the dragoman's subse-
quent Self-importance over serving a
man who could thus f1obnob with a
potentate of the highest rank. It
would be amusing to relate, but is
quite another tale.
lin St. Petersburg one winter three
travellers arrived almost on the eve
of a great court ball at the winter
palace. 1t was the talk of the town,
and naturally soon became a subject
of conversation with the travellers
which resulted in the ardent desire
springing full-fledged in their breasts
to attend the function. Two of them
were Americans and in their guileless-
ness they thought that a mere request
from them to the American ambassa-
dor would fix matters the way they
wanted. That they thought erroneous
ly however was demonstrated after a
few minutes talk with the ambassador,
who gave them what one of the in
reviewers termed the marble heart
Only the most elect members of the
highest nobility and all that sort of
thing, the ambassador explained, could
obtain admission to a court ball, and
the invitations had been out for weeks,
so that even had 1t been possible to
do so at the proper time, it was then
too late to secure card of admission.
This only whetted the appetite of the
travellers, however. and the eager
longing to be a guest at the ball -four
ished apace. Could they do anything
toward its accomplishment? 1t hard
ly seemed possible, but on the very
day the ball was to occur one OF
them had an idea born Of an ex-
perience he had had in the past L
wanted to attend certain swell we'd
ding in New York once he remark
ed, just to see what such "a thing
was like, and, not being on the
list of guests, 1 had to use my
wits.
q" L dressed myself in the usual
regalia for such things, hired a car
riage to take me to the church, and
when l entered the place as though 1
owned it l was ushered to a seat with
out any questions Why? Simply be-
cause it never entered any ones head
that wasn't an invited guest;
looked the part all right and the
nerve of it carried me through. It's
exactly what 1 think we could do at
this ball. Therell be hundreds, per-
haps thousands, in the crowd of
guests, most OF them will be strane-
ers to the attendants and none OF
these are going to ask people who walk
in as though they had a right to for
their invitations for fear of possibly
offending some one of importance. If
they do, we can make a bluff about
looking for our invitations, find we
have inadvertently left them at home.
and then, if they turn us down, we
have only to walk away. Nothing
worse could happen, and since this
candle is worth the game. why not
try it,
1T was a mooted question for an
hour, but in the end the Affirmative
won. That night, in their evening at
tire and from a swell carriage the
three young men disembarked at the
carriage entrance of the Cars palace.
Passing up a broad stairway, lined on
each side with the imperial guards
they were directed to the cloak rooms
by obsequious footmen, and the thing
was done. None asked them If they
had an invitation, for none Thought
any one would attempt to enter who
had not been invited. They mingled
with the. crowd in the cor
ridor, and stood in the thron,
in the ballroom. wedged in wiz
princes, diplomats. generals and Others |
of high rank within three feet OF the |
Car and Czarina. as they made their |
state entrance: danced with ladies' |
whom they all swore afterward were /
royal princesses, supped of the Cars |
luncheon and drank of the Cars wine /
and when they had had all they WANG |
ed Of It. left with the same assurance
that had marked their arrival.
THE third instance of this audacitv
is the only one which led TO material
and enduring success. though Il is legs
than those which have
been told before.
"A young man Of good appearance
lived In London. Not I'm poverty. but
at least not In afiience, and nursed an
intense craving to be a social leader
Or at any rate to be one Of the exciu-
5ive and rub elbows with the haute ton.
There were men and women OF bound
less wealth, Of tact and diplomacy, who
could not attain this after years 81
what chance, therefore. had
be-. well-nigh penulless stranger. 10
win in such o struggle n he entered
The llsta2 lie believed that luck some
times perched on strange banners.
.s.s..a.r unN fhaaaFram Hs.Ma I