The Springdale news., 1909-01-22
A COUP BY A TELEPHONE GIRL.
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YOU will land in lunatic asylum. But to think of Heinrich being put to tleath and he innocent of the crime! How can throw that of my mind We must find way to get thls ne" evidence before the court.
 That is impossible, sweetheart We have had the last rehearing Of the case and 1t is closed. Do try to make up your mind to bear it. You will not only lose your reason, but make me lose mine. No judge or court can now help us to save your brother. Could not the emperor
 The emperor cannot interfere Tn law cases. Besides, it would be impossible | to get an audience with him. Not on a matter of life and death: "Unauestionably Suppose every con- yicted prisoner or his friends could ih' 1 terview the emperor about his case l He would have no time for his ieglu- mate duties. Besides, the courts have exclusive control of such matters. He talked with her long while, but 1 failed to produce any effect. Who sui l fers most, one whom the law punishes l or those who love the offender! Proba- 1 bly the latter. At last the lover went away. and Gretchen walked the floor 1 in agony Presently Marie froibel, 1 friend of Gretehen's, came in. Marie l was employed in the central office or l the Berlin Telephone. She not only l knew of Gretchen's trouble, but suf- itf l demned. and Marie had been school l children together and, although they had not spoken of love and no one l suspected them of being lovers, still Marie hid a secret in her heart. She 1 alone knew that she loved Carl. But she must not display her feelings as | her sister did.
 Marie" said Gretchen, T must see l the emperor Carl says his majesty l cannot help us if he would. don't believe it. He has the power to do al. most anything am sure he has a kind heart.'
 Marie pondered. Ut seems to me, she said presently, that woman's heart is more susceptible To pity and would be easier influenced especially when what is asked conflicts with duty"
 But the emperor is not woman."
 "The empress is.
 But has she the power
 'Yes. to influence the emperor.
 Well, but we cannot get an inter view with her any more than with the emperor
 T think possibly may manage that"
 You. poor girl working for your l living get me an interview with the greatest lady in the fatherlandn' l Sometimes l have great power to secure the attention of great people" l What do you mean? Tell me quick" l "I have given you hope. Live on that for the present If l perfect plan | will call you upon the telephone and l give it to you. Stay at home. never go | ing even for a minute where I can't reach you
 l Marie kissed her friend and went away. She had caught an idea. The | question remained. Would she get an |
 might be penalty attached to what she proposed to do, but what was that compared with chance to save the life of the man she loved
 In few days. when Gretchen was endeavoring to get her mind of the tragedy by doing some house work, there was a ring at the telephone. Tax. ing up the receiver. she heard wom- ans voice ask:
 "Is that you, baroness -
 You are'- began Gretchen.
 "The empress
 Gretchen trembled.
 "No. your majesty am not the | baroness l am only poor girl whose | brother has been sentenced to death | for a crime he did not commit God
 has given me this opportunity to ask you to help to save him. beg that your majesty will implore the emperor to use his influence to give me an op.
 portunity to get the new proof that he is innocent. Think. your majesty. how you would feel if one dear to you were about to be killed"
 This is singular" said the voice of the empress as if to herself Then: Give me your brothers name, my poor girl. and will see if I can do anything for you. though you must know that the courts are an entirely different part of the government from that which the emperor administers
 But am sorry for you and will help you if I can"
 Gretchen gave her brothers name, then thanked the empress, hung up the receiver and danced all around the room. But soon she began to be de. spondent again. though now that she had the empress promise to try to help her she did not despair. The next day the judge before whom the case had been tried received a summons to the palace. There an in terview occurred between him and the emperor, which resulted in a reopen ing of the case in question, and in the | end tho condemned man wac ocpuitta1