Amador ledger., 1910-02-18
A MENIAL DIPLOMAT
By NATHAN HARDY.
tCopyrIght. 1910. by American Press Asso-
ciation.1

uiSuDleu III SlOTm OH SOkOlTu anu
put into Alden, British port. for re-
pairs. Now, the British lion has al
ways been used to prowling about look
ing for bone with plenty Of marrow
in 1t, and If he observes another ami
NAL going in an unexplained direction
he Immediately scents feast. In 9th
er words. Englishmen have occupied
every desirable vacant point on the
face Of the earth.
Naturally when the governor at Alden
saw so formidable Il fleet he wondered
what was it's object. He asked the
French admiral. and the admiral aver
red that the ships were making an or
dinary cruise, but the Britisher knew
very we'll that vessels in those days
did not make ordinary cruises In fleets,
and his curiosity was sharpened by the
evaslve reply. Believing that some
move Of Importance politlcallyNwas on
foot, he gave orders that the repairs
on the vessels should be dragged along
as far as possible and In order to avert
any suspicion as to the cause of the
delay that might arise In the minds of
the French officers arranged for a Sc
rles Of functions for their entertain
ment.
For q couple of weeks the French
and British officers fraternized while
the work son the vessels was pursued
with a pretense of activity, but with
little accomplished During this pc
riod the Britishers made every effort
to learn the Frenchmen's secret. The
French are not secretive people, but
for once the mouths Of the French Of
fcers on the subject of their intentions
were shut like clam shells.
And so long as men alone had the
matter in hand the secret might have
been kept forever. Wheedling infor-
nation is q province especially be-
longing to women. The governor, de-
spairing of inducing the Frenchmen
to speak, asked his wife to help him.
He was met by the simple reply, "Why
didn't you ask me before?"
"Katie!" she called.
A trim serving maid whose pink and
white complexion denoted that she
hailed from Ireland came into the
room
Katie" said her mistress, what
are your intentions with reference to
that young French sailor who is at
tentive to you?"
"Please, NM, it's only sparkin'."
"Do you love him better than your
governments"
"Oi don't love him at all, MN.
Leastaways it's only French love be-
tune us, and that's no love at all, at
ALL"
"His excellency is anxious, Katie. to
learn to what point the French fleet
will sail after leaving Alden. Do you
think you could find out from the
sailor?"
"Ofll thry, m'm.'
"Wel, try, and if you succeed I'll
have something handsome for you.'
In day or two the French sailor.
who was a petty officer on board one
of the French ships, came to see Katie.
During his visits he had been used to
taking all occasional kiss. This time
he was refused.
"D'ye think" said Katie, that OPll
be givin' We kisses and ye goin' away
to Madagascar or. some other haythen
place and never see me again?"
II not go so far as Zat," the French
man protested.
"How far We goin, then"
"Oh, we go west"
Non" No Y
ITO Ameriky?"
"Non. l don't know"
"Then yen get no kiss"
"Why you wish to know|
''Oi don't let fella kiss Inc an thin
| 20 to the other side O. the wOrruld."
The banter was kept up for some
time, Katy's red lips being very near
those of the Frenchman. At last. hun
| CRY for the kiss. he gave up the secret.
AS soon as he had gone Katy sought
her mistress. The governor was pres
| ent.
HE towld me, m'm."
"Where do they go" asked the gov
ernor eagerly.
''It's a place called Parim."
| "Parim"'
''Yis. sor; Parim."
You mean Perrin"
"Yls, sOr; Parim."
The governor opened his eyes. De
Lesseps had just completed his ar
ranGements for building the Suez canal.
and when it was finished Perrin island
would be OF great Importance as com
manding the southern entrance to the
Red sea. a part of the waterway con-
Meeting two hemispheres. 1t was. OF
course, the intention Of the French ad'
miral to occupy 1t and hoist ON 1t the
tricolor OF France.
CnnnnAIsr lrix.irno, Ornnra for q PllnDOnl