West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-09-06
The Prylng Bueau


prying bureau, Coz IL was composed OF
n number OF persons who woro employ
cd 10 open the letters OF prominent
people. read thom and scnd them on TO
the persons TO whom they wcro al.
dressed without exciting susp,clon that
they had bccn tnmnorVd with BUT
thero ia no game ot which ono cnu
play that may not bc played 10y two.
One morning a man whom wo shall
call Victor Gnrnicr ant m his library nc
his homo In rOrla lie was. or was
supposed 20 be- iu high favor with tho
emperor but I'm those days OF chicauory
II was impossible FOR any ono 90 feel
certain OF hia position. A servant cnmo
In nud announced that n visitor had
called who would not give any namo.
He wished 60 RCc NJ. OnrnlCr at onco.
The gentleman gave ordcrs thnt ho was
To bc admitted, ana II Young man with
n hangdog appearance cUmc into tho
room,
"wcn," said NJ Gornlcr, 'hoyo you
got nnythingy"
The man thrust hls hand Into an in.
ncr pocket and drew forth lcttcr and
handed II 20 NJ G0mjcr lt was un.
scaled, and M Gomior took n from
its envelope ana read IT, Iis faco
darkcned lie sat lu dcop thought FOR
some time. diem examined minutoly tho
envelope he held iu hls hand
81 acc" ho said. that YOU have mu-
ulntcd the envelope Was thnt noccs.
snry1'
Yes, m'DCu. Every procOutiOu was
taken by the writer 20 provide against
the lcttcr being opened. ] have had
number OF the dukes iCtters to open.
and he takes the apiuc precOutlon with
all. / first tried In This case. to roll
undor the pasted Dap "a smooth pen
handle, but, though have become very
expert at this | failed Thou / tried
stonming tho gum, but tho duke uses
gum that will not bo sottCned by
stcnminW OF course, since the GUM
wouldn't soften thcro was no use tam.
poring with the seal though / am proud
10 say that no ono can remove scal
moro cNportly than l. I tried tho proc
css OF removing the stamp and cutting
two diagonal lines whore 10 had bceD,
but when l put I'm my stool hook and
cndenvOrcd 90 wind the pupcr about It
20 draw the letter through I failed.
The paper 50 very thick ana suff, u8
you zee. I was consequently reduced
20 the necessity Of making "a slit nt tho
end OF tho envelope"
but how are you going ID clo8o thl8
slit2"
81 will draw ono edge over tho other
doftly and paste 70 with colorlcss poste
assure your eXccllency u win not bo
noticed"
Very well tako It away nnd send II
through tho mail 10 lta address By
the bye, Jules. don't know low am
60 come out Of THE and it looks na II
any ono appointed TO the postoace at
my request must soon bo discharged.
You had better take this"
He handed the man notes for 1000
francs
Your excoiloncy "a generous" said
Jules.
"II'p'hl The ecryico la Invaluable 20
mel ! may form plan TO prevent the
duke from arrcsting me- Keep sharp
lookout on the mnll, and beware that
the members of the cabinet nolr don't
get on to your truck"
The same evening another h0ng1og
looking man called on Nj. GARNER md
Informed him that the Duke dc NJ. was
at the palace Of tho Tulcrlcs engaged
ot game ~ cards Ten minutes later
NJ. GARNER entered tLe cnrd room, was
effugivcly received by tho duko and
took II hand He had played some timO
when suddenly ne rose ana threw tie
cards ia the dukes face
"Chcatr' he cried "Thcsc c1rd1 arc
markedr
Others examined Wc cords, which
were found to be marked. though there
was no evidence who had marked
them. But thls was OF minor lmpor-
tance. Tho duke must defend bio hon
or and at once challenged his accuHer
10 fight But hc turned poic. He had
intended 10 get rid OF his rival. with
the cmperors permission. on the NOR.
row and inferred that Garnlor had got
wind Of hie movo. lie must submit 90
weapons chosen BY hI9 challenger, and
he knew that GARNER waa ono OF no
most expert swor1amou l Paris
Usually in France uo one h killed ana
few arc injured iu duois Irt ln thij
case both knew DC was ono of l.fe aud
denth, and The duke knew tlat his au-
tagonlst was better auord.man than
he.
The next morning tle u1perl were
full OF nn account OF duel that had
taken place ot 2 o'clock lu ihe morning
between the Duke de ST. oud N. Cur
nier. the former having boon killed
The prominence Of tbe tr1 men. hs
fact that thcy were political rival
and nspirants for ihe rlief pIGeo iu tho
government eau uol creme rsus1tiou
But Ecngations. especially in France
all have an end. and gradually it w1H
noticed that NJ. Gorn.ar waB rapidly
gaining favor with tle Emperor. Iu
q months time 90 wos announced Tint
be was 20 receive tbe portfolio voc0ted
by tho DuEo DE- 81
On the day tho portfolio was 90 Do
transferred " Gon,el drove GO no
palace Of tho Tuioi nui wac po.
ceived boy thc emperor
There S. one condition, your maie8
~. attached TO my acceptance of thi5
portfolio"
and that lsT' asked Jla emperor
Il must have bc direction of tho
cabinet noir'
Tho emperor kuit h's Ufowa. Ile
spent nn hour trying o. change tho con-
dition, but, hnding 90 impossible, 20
last yielded
FLORENCB ETHEL CROSBY.
Oo and after sepcm. tl 1000 lH.
Morganioan 81 Eingsoai Railroad Cou