Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-04-13

n was glorious fall evening in Par
Is. We were seated in the club. on
the Boulevard German. discussing the
stirring events of the day. There had
been rumors and reports of disagree
ments between France and Germany.
No man. could say what would hap
pen next Both nations were on the
qui .vive. armed, modifying, ready to
fight at the drop Of the hat.
small table and we prepared for a
game of the fascinating American polk
err. which had just become all the rage
IN France. We had just dealt the
bankefin agervai, former French am.
bassador 10 st. Petersburg, and myself,
made up the party
Suddenly Latour. the correspondent
OF La Vie, burst in upon US. His eyes
were sparkling. Latour's eyes always
contained message of some kind.
quired.
M" mo; What has ,happenedr y
We jumped to our feet in astonish-
Mutual insults have passed. Yhe
Germans have burned the French am
ste By Hss DUNN Raae ret The
streets are full of mobs. all of one mind
Germany must back down. In Ber-
Streets str the Re snged tSs ns
s stand ~, upon her dignity, So there you
And what from the War OficeT
asked MongervaL
Latour bent over our table and fair
~ Kissed the words: THE Germans
have already invaded France They
are swarmins across the frontier. And
oh. the shame of tive are not ready.
There are no troops in the field. 1t
Is the asininity of the Government;
the iittleness. the selnshness, the
greed Of the commanders and the min
! .Latour's breath gave out He was
always tragic Our game was forgot
dumb establishment. For none knew
better that we the unpreparedness of
the French, against which stood the
mighty power OF the enemy. her teem-
- lnlaaz trained to carry q gun, to
shoot, to obey orders And thu Ger
mans had chosen their season well. /
recalled a pronouncement of the Ger
man General STAFF in 1906, when they
said. I'VE shall impose on the French
2 winter campaign. Our soldiers. com
Will march toward temperate cli-
mate. and the advantage will be alto
gether ours"
Our party was broken up. The inn
pending crisis was too much for US
Il shall go to the front and gather
material for a wonderful group-the
dying Generalissimo.' said Brangere.
throwing back his broad shoulders;
The French VIII wln, SAID Ouv-
rard. smiling. 'and I shall loan them
fuuds-as much as they may need
without charge, for the sake. of my
belEed France" And here he lied,
forSH knew that he would demand in
terESt to the last sou.
"ASieu." said Mongerval 81 go to
the President / shall urge meditation.
and I. nyself. shall be an ambassador
:: a5rs.gs terms He withdrew
was left alope-I. James Adams,
q plain American of adventure, to per-
,,,,1 part of which I had then no
a Is dangerous in France, or in
Qe1uany either. for that matter. to be
4 live. Suspicious are sure to Do
afp5eed II your business II not well
k1iWa and openly stated. Therefore
3 f@g well that was allied with large
T1ean manufacturing firms. with
d#oeF - Berlin. Hamburg. Paris ana
dfds. In France I was careful TO be
F4s3Ilch n sympathy. ana out.poken.
TED In Germany became q Teuton
teAhe eera In addition to this ready
dQaptabuity, was personally ac-
quAinteA with the French and German
rulers, had excellent German connec'
tiers. and was well known in Belgium.
Holland and Italy. And inasmuch q
It Bitten became necessary for me ia