The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-12
ENTERS ON HOUGH
Copyright, 1910. by Emerson Housh


 "It is 6 command, sir. Very we'll. at what time. then?"
 "If it should please you. my carriage is waiting now.''
 Josephine St. Auban did not lack de cfsion upon her own part. Something told her that no danger this time turk ed for her.
 Pardon me for just one moment. then, sir," she answered. A few mo- ments later she returned, better pre- pared for the occasion with just a touch to her toilet and with paper or two which with some instinct she has uly snatched up from her desk. These latter she hurriedly crowded into her little reticule. They took the carriage and soon were passing through the streets toward the most public portion of the city of Washington.
 They entered wide grounds and drew up before a stately building which lay well back from the street. Entering, they passed through a narrow hall thence into greater room. There was long table in this room, and about 1t, some of them not wholly visible in the rather dim light. there were several gentlemen. As her tall escort entered with a word of announcement all of these rose. grave and silent, and cour- teously bowed to her. There approach ed from the head of the room tall, handsome and urbane gentleman, who came and took her hand
 My dear lady" he began, in a voice whose low, modulated tones scarce could fail to please any ear, ''I thank you for your presence here. Will you not be seated p
 Josephine St. Auban curtsied and, re maining silent and wondering, assumed the seat assigned her.
 "We meet absolutely without formal ity, my dear madam" went on the tall and kindly man who had greeted her, "What goes on here is entirely unoff cia1 and, as I need not say, it is alto gether private, as you will remember. ?
 You, of course, are not unaware of the popular discomfort which exists on this or the other side of the great polit- ical question in America today. We are advised that you yourself have been traveller in our western districts, and 1t seemed to us likely that you might be possessed of information regarding matters there of which we get only more interested, more purely partisan reports.'
 That is not impossible" was her guarded reply. "It is true I have talk ed with some in that part of the coun- try.''
 You were witness of the anxiety of our attempt to keep war and the talk of it far in the background-our desire to preserve the present state of peace"
 'Assuredly. But, sirs, you will for give mel do not believe peace will last. I thought so until this very day. In my belief now, there will be war. It cannot be averted. To me this calm is something which cannot endure. l myself at one time thought it could en- dure, but only if all the blacks were bought, paid for and deported, to make room for those who come at no cost to us. I thought for a time it could be done I have tried to do it. I have failed. I do not think others will fol low in my attempt"
 'fWe have not undervalued, madamF either the brilliance or the profundity of your own active intellect! What you say is of interest. To be frank with you, you have, as we just have said, been much concerned of late with at tempts at the colonization and deporta- ton of negroes from this country. Precisely such was once my own plan. y your courage
 There seemed no other way" she broke in hurriedly, her convictions con- quering her timidity q wanted so much to do something-not alone for these bIacks-but something for the good of America, the good of the world. And I failed, today"
 "The work of the colonization society has gone on for many years,'' gently insisted the first speaker. raising a hand. "and made no serious complica- tions. Your own work has been much polder. and, to be frank, there have been complications. Oh, we do not criticize you. On the contrary. we have asked your presence here that we might nnde er<tandingly converse on these things to which you have given so much attention"
 eff I have erred" she ventured, ''it has been done within the limitations of human wisdom; yet my convictions were absolutely sincere-at least 1 may assure you of so muck. l have not wished to break any law. to violate convictions on either side. 1 only wanted to do some good in the world
 'We are quite sure, my dear lady. that the sentiments of your mind are precisely those of our own. But per haps you may be less aware than our selves of complications which may arise. Our friend who sits by you has found occasion to write again in un- measured terms to the representative of Austria. We are advised of your affiliations with the Hungarian move ment-in short. we are perhaps better advised of your movements than you yourself are aware. We know of these blacks which have been purchased and deported by yorr agents. but we also know that large numbers of slaves have been enticed away from their owners. that whole pIanta lions have been robbed of their labor and this