Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-11-20
CoopyrIgh.. lsla, b De wheeler syaa.ea.s, Ine.I

trusted man Of the kaiser; Tirpitz and
Won Heeringen, chiefs Of the German
navy and army STATS, the latter sec
ond Moltke. When came to Won Auf-
fenberg's name whistled. Won Auf-
fenberg was minister of war and. the
right-hand man of the chancellor OF
the Austrian empire. Thus three
great powers were represented.
Six men Of this eminence, the brains
and force Of three nations, to meet
In secret In a little obscure hunting
lodge In the forest. 1t portended
darkly for France; but how darkly I
could not then conjecture. 1t inter
ested me tremendously, but con-
soled myself that / would probably
know all when the party gathered in
that secluded hunting lodge.
According to instructions, present
ed myself early next morning at the
residence OF Herr Won Kiderlen-Waech-
ter. 1t was in the Thiergartenetrasse
Without delay l was shown into his
excellency's room. He was seated at
his desk, and while we exchanged a
few perfunctory words permitted my
self moments brief conjecture.
Statesman and HIs Waistcoats.
Judging from appearances, you
would never have taken this portly.
rubicund, iron-gray, bushy-browed gem
tleman for statesman. But states
man he was for all that, and the en-
peror and Germany miss him sorely.
would have taken him for q Boer
Dopper or an English yeoman. This
suggestion was supported by his afro
cious taste in fancy waistcoats. The
one he had on still sticks in my mem
DRY. It was lurid peach-blossom Gre
alton, spotted with green. But once
his steel-gray, deerhound eyes looked
you up and down you forgot all about
the fancy waistcoat and got right down
to business. told his excellency l
had come for his personal instructions.
His first remark was like a dash Of
cold water in the face.
Hum" he grunted, you are rather
young, but ! suppose they (meaning
the emperor and Won Wedel) know
what they are doing"
Besides telling me to halt my maui
Ia German military expression liter
ally meaning keep your mouth shut,
but implying the need for utmost Sc
Gregg he gave me certain general in
structions. But from them could gain
no idea Of just what was going to hap
pen. How big was the gathering storm
he never even limited.
Remembering Won wedell's sugges-
ton about the hunting party, pro-
cured some guns and reached the sta
ton in time to catch the 1890 express
for schlangenbad.
It was early in October when went
to the Kur hotel and registered as
Herr Bamberger from Berlin. II you
ever go to Schlangenbad look up the
register. Schlangenbad Is a mineral
watering place in Prussia, near the
Black Forest. and within easy distance
of our ultimate meeting place, the
hunting lodge that Won Wedell had
mentioned.
The Secret ENJOYS Gather.
| was alone at the hotel for several
days. Then. travelling incognito, the
dignitaries began to drift in. First
came the Austrian, Gen. Moritz Ritter
Won Auffenberg. A distinguished, quiet
unassuming gentleman, he is known
to be high In the confidence of Fran
els Joseph. / found the war minister
very fond of salmon fishing, and got
quite into his good graces by enthu
siastic tales of fly fishing in New Zea
land.
Admiral Won Tirpitz and Genera
Won Heeringen came next. The ad
miral is typical Of the German sailor
a big man, six feet. wide Of shoulder
blue-eyed and full bearded. His man
ner found genial and courteous. Hi
exact opposite was Won Heeringen
thin, almost crooked of body, stoop
shouldered, unusually taciturn, anC
possessing deep-sunken, smolderinl
black eyes. He struck me as an ami
mated mummy of the Rameses dynasty
come to think Of 1t, he much re
sembles Rameses II.
The exact date OF the meeting, as
recall it. was October IL, and the plac'
|
On the morning of the twelfth hires
vehicle and, loading provisions, win,
and other necessaries aboard. drove Il
the lodge. sixteen miles into the forest
No farmhouse or other human habl
tation was within a radius Of severa
miles. 1t was a large stone and brio
building. somewhat similar to you
. colonial style. 1t had FIVE or six CUES
rooms. large general meeting hal
and a morning room. 1t being tn
! property Of the royal family, foun
two old pensioners OF the imperial fol
) est service in charge. They had
! good Are going IN the CRATE, which wa
) welcome. for Il was still little dam
: and chilly. especially In this wet mouI
: tain forest
) Patrolling both ends of the road wer
, a number OF gendarmes. They wer
scattered through the woods, too, form
!. ing a Gordon through which no on
! could come. Indeed, they had cha
. lenged me. About three O'Clock In tn
afternoon the German and Austria
E envoys came out from the hotel. an
I at quarter to four q remembe
Z Waechter remsrking, They're thre,
: quarters of an hour iatel"9 the ehu
!. Of motor announced the others, Lor
Haldane and Winston Churchill.
a Group Of History Makers.
l had never happened to meet Ha
J. dane before, and found him the En-
3 lish gentleman personified- polishe