Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-06-07
CHAPTER VIII.
Mr.. Calhoun Accepts.

woman's tongue is her sworA, that
she never let's rust-Madam Necker.
/ struggled among three courses.
The impulses of my heart, joined to
some prescience of trouble, babe me to
follow Elizabeth. My duty ordered
me to hasten to Mr.. Calhoun. My in
~terest demanded that 1 should tarry,
for | was sure that the Baroness Won
Ritz would make no merely idle re-
quest in these circumstances. Hest
tating thus, lost sight of her in the
Tthrong. So I concluded l would obey
the mandate of duty and turned to-
ward the great doors. Indeed, / was
well toward the steps which led out
into the grounds, when all at once two
elements of my problem resolved
themselves into one. 1 saw the tall
figure of Mr.. Calhoun himself coming
ap the walk toward me.
"Ah," said he briefly, then my mes
sage found your"
Il was starting for you this moment,
sir" I replied.
Wait for a moment. l counted on
finding you here. Matters have
changed"
/ turned with him and we entered
again the east room, where Mr.. Tyler
still prolonged the official greeting of
the curious, the obsequious, or the
banal persons who passed. Mr.. Cal
houn stood apart for time, watching
the progress of this purely American
function 1t was some time ere the
groups thinned. This latter fact US
ually would have ended the reception,
since it is not etiquette to suppose
that the PRESIDENT can lack an audi
erce; but to-day Mr.. Tyler fingered.
At last through the thinning throng
he caught sight of the distinctive fig
IRE of Mr.. Calhoun. For the first
time his own face assumed natural
expression. He stopped the line for
an instant, and with a raised hand
beckoned to my chief.
At this we dropped in at the tail of
the line, Mr.. Calhoun in passing grasp
ing almost as many hands as Mr..
Tyler. When at length we reached
the presidents position, the latter
greeted him and added a whispered
word. An instant later he turned
abruptly, ending the reception with O
deep bow, and retired into the loom
from which he had earlier emerged.
Mr.. Calhoun turned row to me with
a request to follow him, and we passed
through the door where the president
had vanished. Directed by attendants,
we were presently ushered into yet
another room, which at that time
served the president as his cabinet
room, a place for meeting persons OF
distinction who called upon business.
AS we entered l saw that it was al
ready occupied. Mr.. Tyler was grasp
fng the hand of portly parsonage,
whom I knew to be none other than
Mr.. Pakenham. So much might have
been expected What was not to have
been expected was the presence OF an
other-none less than the Baroness
Won Ritz!
So we were apparently to under
stand that my lady was here as open
friend of England! OF course, need
ed no word from Mr. Calhoun to re-
mind me that we must seem Ignorant
of this lady, of her character, and OF
her ,eputed relations with the British
foreign office.
~ Dray you be seated, Mr.. Paken-
ham" said Mr.. Tyler, and he gestured
also to us others to take chairs near
his table. Mr.. Pakenham, in rather
lofty fashion, it seemed to me, obeyed
the polite request, but scarcely had
seated himself ere he again rose Win
an important clearing of his throat
"Your exceTlency," said he, her mai
estv the queen OF England's wish is
somewhat anticipated by my visit here
to-6ay | hasten only to put in the
1os+ prompt and friendly form her
msiesty's desires, whicn l am sure
sar-raiIv will be expressed in the first
nooils from England. we deplore this
most unhappy accident on your war
shjn princeton. whicn has come SO
near working irremediable injury 10
this country"
"sir" said Mr.. Tyler, rising, with
xoan how. "the courtesy OF your per
~ooal presence is most gratifying. Al
1ow me TO express that more intimate
t rarmer feeling of friendship for
.Anu which comes through our long