The Breckenridge news., 1906-04-11

n was a glorious fan evening in Par
lS. we were seated In the club. oil
the Boulevard Germain, discussing .th'
stirring events of the day. There has
been rumors and reports of disagree
ments between France and Germany
No man could say what would hap
gui viye,, armed, modifying, ready t
fight at the drop OF the hat.
Brangere, the, sculptor, drew up .
game. of. the fascinating American pok.
er, which had just become all the rage
In France. We had Just dealt the
banker, Mongervai. former form French French am. I'M.
bassador to ST. Petersburg, and myself
made up the party.
suddenly Latour. the correspondent
of La Vie, burst in upon us. lis eyes
were sparkling. Latour's eyes always
contained a message of some kind.
Have you heard the latest?' he In
mo. What has happened?"
War is declaredw
We jumped to our feet in astonish-
Mutual insults have passed. The
Germans have burned the French am
bassSdor in efigy. The French retail
streets are full of mobs, all of one mind
Germany must back down. In Ber-
Streets n the s0Plsd are SwarmRg the
stand upon her dignity So there you
And what from the War Officer
asked Mongerval.
Latour. bent over our table and fair
~ hissed 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 littleness, the selfishness, the
greed % Of the commanders and the min
.Latour's breath gave out. He was
always tragic. Our game was forgot
dumb astonishment. For none knew
better that we the unpreparedness of
the French, against which stood the
mighty power of the enemy, her teem-
ing, population, every man of which
had been trained to carry gun, to
shoot, to obey orders. And the Ger
mans had chosen their season well; /
man General STAFF IN 1905, when they
said. we shall impose on the French
a winter campaign. Our soldiers, com
ing from the cold regions of the north.
Will march toward a temperate cli-
mate. and the advantage will be alto
gether ours"
Latour left US on his chase for news
Our party was broken up. The i'm
pending crisis was too much for US
"I shall go to the front and gather
material for wonderful group-the
dying Generalissimo," said Brangere,
throwing back his broad shoulders.
"The French VIII Wln, Sald OuV-
rard. smiling, "and shall loan them
funds-as much as they may need
beloved France" !" And here he lied.
for / knew that he would demand in
terest to the last sou.
"Adieu," said Mongerval. "I go to
the President. shall urge meditation,
and I, myself, shall be an ambassador
to arrange terms" He withdrew
grandiloquently.
/ was left alone-I, James Adams,
a plain American of adventure, to per-
form a part of which 1 had then no
conception.
II is dangerous in France. or in
Germany either, for that matter, to be
secretive. Suspicious are sure to be
aroused IL your business is not well
known and openly stated Therefore
it was well that was allied with large
American manufacturing firms. with
offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris ana
Calais. In France / was careful 10 be
French In sympathy ana outspoken,
too In Germany / became a Teuton
to the core. In addition to this ready
adaptability, l was personally ac-
uuainted with the French and German
rulers, had excellent German connec-
tions, and was we'll known in Belgium,
Holland and Italy. And inasmuch as
It often became necessary for me TO