Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-04-01
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
WITH THE VICEROl' OF The
FAR EAST


transmission) We'll, 1t was pretty
good thing for history that your Far
Eastern correspondent happened to be
In Port Arthur yesterday. There was
quite an imposing bunch of dust kick.
cd up in these parts then, as you may
have been apprived. ! said "apprised."
! remember when proposed last time
the lady said: "Oh, George. you do
talk beautiful" ! merely cite this as
an example that | am sufficiently APP.
preciated in some quarters. Only my
name isn't George. I hope | have
some delicacy.
It is lucky happened TO be In Port
Arthur, as | said, because otherwise
you wouldn't have got much besides
the bare story. AS IL is. I crawled in
side this especial news item and kick.
ed the personal particulars loose in a
way that should make the reading
public sit up. Besides, and in addi.
ton to which. I interviewed Admiral
AleXieff, when he wasn't looking. Trust
me.
was walking along the docks at
Port Arthur last evening, waiting for
the fashionable hour to call on Rus.
sian Duchess (she says she Is, and why
not "a Russian Duchess who Is
teaching me the language. There was
no moon, but the lights Of sundry war.
ships in the outer harbor were reflect.
cd in the black water. like so many
wriggling and luminous book worms
insidiously inoculating the Russian
fleet with the germ of ennui. | was
in the act of jotting down this neat
and original impression on my cuff
when ! heard some one coming up be-
hind me at very robust rate Of
speed. turned around. In the dim
light l recognized tall, stout, COM
handing figure approaching rapidly be.
hind set of imposing whiskers and a
galaxy Of jingling medals. And who
do you suppose 1t was? It was Admir-.
al Alexien.
Imagine the viceroy of the Far East
galloping through a dockyard in the
dead of night, unattended! headed
him off Just as he made q break for
the water line and cried commandingly
for boat.
| Admiral exclaimed. ut Is use.
less for you to deny 1t. There is
something doing. Has war been de.
clared? Are the japanese coming? Is
the Tsar assassinated?"
All this In the Russian language
| kg IN that npnhage IL, ~
she says).
Admiral Alexieff jerked himself
loose from my restraining hand, and
smiled cynically.
Don't be foolish" he said. 1.-THE
truth Of the matter Is that there Is a
banquet of admirals and captains up on
the hill, and the champagne has given
out. Il have sent three .orderlies dow n
to make three several raids on the ice
boxes OF the feet and none Of them has
shown up with the goods. A very
strange occurrence! ! am about to
investigate, myself. You can come
along and help, II you want to. You
can help carry up fresh case of car,
bonic. Admiral Stark set his whiskers
afire little while ago, and We used up
NIL the carbonic putting him out"
Very fortunate" | murmured
"Those were fine whiskers. too, II
remember rightly
"Oh!" remarked the Admiral cheer
fully, chats nothing. Fully covered
by insurance. The loss of the car
bonic is what worries me. Is that O
launch yonder? Come In here, you
crosseyed, oily.fngered reptile. and
take me out to the Tsarevitch."
A small asthmatic launch kicked
Its way alongside the dock, and the
admiral and myself lay aboard. We
proceeded toward the feet at once, the
engineer shivering at the honor.
How does your great responsibility
affect You this EVENING"" asked sym
pathetically, by way of silly beginnins
an interview behind the admirals bacl
as 1t were.
Tremendously" quoth the admiral
heaving a sigh. you see, I'm mainl!
responsible for the dinner, and it.,
likely to be no end of fasco owinl
to the lack, as | have said"
81 didn't mean that" interrupted
81 meant your responsibility in regart
to this war;"
my dear young man." said the ad
miral, laying stout hand on m!
knee, there's no war yet Never cross
bridge Before it's built"
Or while it's being blown up" re