Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-05

we lived. At his death, his income
being cut off. / found it necessary to
do something to add to the small in
come of my mother and was given a
clerkship in the navy department, but
| the salary was small, and 1 confess
1 looked forward to the humdrum life
before me with dislike.
Notwithstanding our limited re-
sources 1 maintained my position in
society. Washington does not suffer
socially from commercialism as other
! American cities. 1 was invited just as
often after my entrance upon my clerk
ship as before. Indeed, occupied a
better social status than fhany newly
rich people who, having suddenly ac-
quired wealth, settled in Washington
to spend 1t.
One evening during a reception at
the White House the wife of MEM
Der of the Russian diplomatic corps
sought me out and drew me away from
the throng for chat. She gradually
led the conversation upon myself and
asked me how would like to enter
the diplomatic service. Upon asking
|
diplomacy was synonymous with Chi
canery. There was a constant effort
between the diplomats Of the world to
get possession Of each others secrets
and thus forestall action. / was inter-
ested, and the lady proceeded TO tell
me that women were usually mixed
up in these affairs and were relied on
principally by their husbands to ex-
tract information from their diplo-
matte rivals. Then. after pledging me
to secrecy, she told me that the Rus
sian embassy was at chat time in want
of an attractive woman to obtain a
secret from a diplomat and that she
would be paid literally for the service
rendered.
OF course the lady was sounding me
to learn If would undertake the mat
ter. I neither accepted nor declined
leaving her, intending to think it over
/ did think it over and came to de
cision that may be considered peculiar
1 determined that would not dishon
or my fathers name by becoming q
spy; but, being infatuated with the
idea of swimming in that undercur
rent Of duplicity that had been men
toned, 1 resolved to accept the offer
but not for pay. l had an object II
view that concerned my own individ
ual self far more than Russia. WheI
had made up my mind 1 called OF
the lady who had been given the com
mission to employ me and told her
was ready to listen to proposition.
1 dare say that this may be consider
ed whipping conscience around tn
stump, but at the time l was not awae
, of doing anything dishonorable. / wa
employed by the Russian embassy-n
particular person in 1t was specified
to get a secret from the secretary o
!, legation of Great Britain. 1t was sus
7 pected by the Russians that Englan
was making a secret treaty with tn
sublime porte Russia has always bee
at issue with the other European pow
: ers as to Turkey, and ever since tn
Car Nicholas l. was outwitted by tn
British minister, just previous to tn
t Crimean war, Russia has been eager t
get even with England by some shar
diplomatic move. / was therefore en-
: ployed to draw this secret from Ed
ward Claiborne, who would surely b
cognizant of it, who had chosen diplc
macy as a profession and was expect
ing soon to be raised to the rank o
ambassador.
D At the next important social funC
ton, given by the secretary of state,
@ member of the Austrian embassy aske
m
ward Claiborne. What the Austria
had to do with the matter / did no
o. know. Evidently he was either in som
way connected with the plot or was bt
ing made n tool of That was nothin
to me- but / experienced a peculia
r sensation Of pleasure at being launch
ed in the whirlpool of diplomatic ch
canery. l graciously permitted the il
PRODUCTION and found Mr.. Cathorn
&" very agreeable. Indeed, he was of tn
q best type of English gentleman, not NJ
v bic. but well connected at home an
II in every way desirable. l refrained 6
this first meeting from anything col
nected with the work l had undertal
Z en-. l simply endeavored to make N!
self as agreeable as possible to him.
saw at once that he was an intellect
al man, and treated him accordingl
that is, l talked of anything BIT
weighty matters. Girls make a mi
take in thinking that men of dept
wish deep women for companions. On
might as well expect lawyer to tai
law for amusement. However, l pc
mitted Mr. Claiborne to do most of IL
. talking, leaving him to chat as he Ill
ed. Small talk is all that can be Il
troduced at social functions anyway.
!" Mr. Claiborne asked permission {
call upon me, which was, of cours
granted. We occupied the same hous
u as when my father lived, a two stor
u lx'ick near - circle and it had in
al the attractiveness of simplicity. NJ
visitor told me during the evening tn,
&c he would sail for England on leave
absence the next week toldelfim tn:
was about to go abroad. aud by coz
1 pairing notes IL turned out that ha
engaged my passage ON the san
steamer on which he had engaged h
g that is. I knew my friends OF Il
Russian embassy would do my biddir
in the matter. Mr.. Claiborne seem,