The Washington herald., 1907-09-22

Z
thank YOU.
Mr.. Dreher went 20 Germany In 1893.
as a consular agent near Berlin. having
been active in promoting the election OF
Cleveland in 1892 a South Carolinian by
BIRTH Dreher did most of his campaign
work in the North, and hoped his party
would continue in power, 50 that he could
make life career in the consular ser
vice, but II didn't. and. one fine day, his
work was turned over to some one Of a
different political faith Naturally he
hadn't accumulated sufficient fortune TO
return TO America with and cut an eX-
travagant dash, and, on thinking it over.
he decided 10 stay where he was He had
learned the language. he had been a
newspaper writer at home. he had a nose
for news. and he decided 20 Try news
gathering for the German and American
press.
No one who is unfamiliar with the
German news field can understand what
d really desperate chance he took But,
thanks TO his good Judgment and the
connections he had made while a con-
sulaT agent. he was able TO best the
German news gathererS in their own
field more than once in the frst few
weeks Of his experiment. It wasn't long
before the experiment proved a success
and he was taken on by the Associated
Press.
To-day he is a fixture there. if he
chooses 10 be. and a well-known figure
in that busy part Of the American colony
that neither has time nor inclination for
the spectacular. He is a close observer
of European politics and economic ques-
tions. and has written d number of inn
portant articles for the Atlantic Monthly
and the North American Review which
have clarified certain European subjects
for many American readers He is as
good an American to-day as ever, but
he is not sorry he remained where he
was and fought his battle there after
turning over his consular agency TO some
one else
Paying His own Way in Munich.
There isn't a plucl1ier chap from the
States in any of the American colonies
abroad" than Louis T. Mueller. born
Of German parents in Indianapolis
Before he was a dozen years old he
had an overwhelming desire TO be an
artist He isn't much over twenty to-
day. and no one knows better than he
that he has a long road 20 travel before
he can reach the goal he is striving for.
but he has made plenty Of headway al
ready, thanks TO his nerve, his faith in
himself and the future, and his willing
ness to work. Some day he will be
heard from, unless I am mistaken.
His father died when the boy was IN
his teens. His mother carried on the
family business like the thrifty German
American frau that she is In time the
youngster got a small situation in the
bank, but all the while he was drawing
pictures in odd moments and at night
and all the while his mother was in
fear that some day he would follow his
own bent and study art" as he told
her often that he meant TO do.
Being thrifty like his mother. he saved
part Of HIS wages every week. One
day some two or three years ago he
counted up and found that he had enough
TO leave his mother part Of his hoard
pay his way across the seas. and have
little left to start his career as an art
student in Munich. where the travelling
American mentioned above met him on
the way south from Berlin.
Young Mueller reached Munich with
almost no money in his pocket He ap-
piled for a place as kitchen boy or any
thing else an unframed hand who spoke
German-American could do at sew
eraI Of the Munich hotels. but
without success. and then he went to the
American consul, as so many others
have gone before and since Not 10 bor-
TOW money. though. not he He asked
for help 10 get a job, no matter how
small the pay, If only 1t were big
enough 10 buy food with for a while.
since his clothes would last long time.
Il so happened that just then the con
sui was short OF clerical help, and. as
young Mueller's bank training had made
him an excellent penman, he went 10
work in the consuls office without much
delay
Then he applied for a place as a stu
dent in the Government Art School. His
application received scant courtesy at
first. it was not possible for him 10 quail
ify. the authorities said, having had such
scant advantages as his had been. But
they sang another song when they saw
him draw. and since then he has more
than justified the admission, for he has
won more than one prize and is looked
upon as bound to be one Of themselves
eventually by more than one Of the
Munich artists who have already ar
rived"
What Mueller considers his greatest
piece Of luck arrived in Munich one day
along with an editor--Eho was looking
both for Illustrations by Munich artists
and some one TO represent his pubIica-
tion after he had gone back TO the
States. Naturally, like most Of us In a
foreign land, he, too, went to the con
sul's Office, and naturally the consul
young Mueller. This gave
Mueller a second income. modest. of
course. but. his expenses being light.
enough to make him feel almost rich.
and since It began he has had nothing
to worry him at all, as he ingeniously
phrases IL.
"Gay Paree's" American Colony.
Numerically the American colony in
Paris leads all the others in Continental
European cities. as matter Of course.
500 at least, most of whom will return
70 America some time, especially if sue
Of them won't be. by the
way-from 5000 to 5000 Americans Of
nearly all grades are practically perma-
nent Partisan residents to-day. They
are earning various incomes, varying
from $4,000 a year down to g or 20
francs a week, which is the same as s.
or $S-or less than $500 a year. But. Of
course, the $4,000 chaps are mighty
scarce and very far apart They are the
heads Of firms and companies heavily
capitalized with American, British, or
French money, some of them with all
three.
In more ways than one Lawrence V.
Benet, president OF the American Cham
Der of Commerce, stands very well with
the hustling gang of Americans who are
using New World methods carrying on
their business in this big. tradictnru