Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1906-04-14

N was glorious fall evening In Par
Is We were seated in the club. or
the Boulevard German, discussing The
stirring events of the day. There had
peen rumors and reports of disagree
No man could say what would han.
pen next. Both nations were on the
gui viye,, armed, modifying, ready to
nght at the drop or the hat.
BrangS.e, the sculptor, drew I'D a
small ta,ble and we prepared for a
game or the fascinating American polk
err which had just. become all the rage
cards: ,Brangere, with ouvrard, the
panker, Mongerval, former French am
m nnsSad0r TO st. Petersburg, and myself.
suddenly Latour the correspondent
or La We, burst in upon us. His 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 declaredr'
We jumped to our feet in astonish-
Mutual insults have passed. Yhe
Germans have burned the French am
bassador in effigy. The French retail
ate by hanging a dummy Kaiser. The
streets are full of mobs, all of one mind
I lin the na must back down In Ber
streets, demanding that Germany
have it,"
WlldI Ioil the war OAuce!
Latour bent over our table and fair
~ Kissed the words: THE Germans
have already invaded France. They
oh, the shame of tive are not ready.
Ihere are no troops in the field. 1t
the littleness. the selfshness, the
istersv
Latour's breath gave out. He was
m r
ten. We looked at one another in
dumb establishment. For none knew
the French. against which stood the
mighty power of the enemy, her tenn
ing population, every man of which
had been trained to carry gum. to
shoot, to obey orders. And the Ger
mans had chosen their season well. l
recalled pronouncement of the Ger
man General Staff in 1905, when they
Asaid; we shall impose on the French
II winter campaign. Our soldiers, com
Gng from the cold regions of the north,
will march toward a temperate eli
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
IT shall go to the front and gather
material for wonderful gr9up-the
throwing back his broad shoulders;
"The French will win,"'. said Ouv-
rard, smiling, land I shall loan them
funds-as much as they may need
without charge. for the , sake 20 of r my
for 1 knew that he would demand in
terest to the last sou.
"Adieu," said Mongerval. IT go to
the President; shall urge meditation.
and I, myself, shah be an ambassador
to arrange terms" He withdrew
NV" was left alone-I. James Adams,
a plain American of adventure, to per-
form n part of which I had then no
conception. -
Germany either for that matter, to be
secretive. Suspicious are sure to be
aroused If your business is not well
known and openly stated. Therefore
IL was we'll that was allied with large
American manufacturing firms, with
offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris ana
Calais. In France / was careful TO be
French in sympathy. and outspoken
too. In Germany I became Teuton
to the core In addition to this ready
Iadaptability, / was personally ac-
0uainted with the French and German
rulers, had excellent German connec'
tions, and was we'll known in Belgium
Holland and italy And inasmuch az
it often became necessary for me u