Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-11-12
An Aristocratiic
Thief
BY F. A. mitchell

My husband had been appointed
United States military attache at Der.
lin and had gone there some time be-
fore me in order to secure a place to
live against my coming. was on my
way there from Paris, travelling on a
first class railway coach. Beside me
sat man. and before him sat anoth.
err man. the two being evidently travel
ing companions, for they were talk
ing very earnestly in German, a lam
guage did not understand. Directly
before me was vacant seat, on which
l tossed my hand bag. This was very
careless of me, for it contained all the
money had with me-
had been up late nights in Paris
and was very tired and sleepy. l fell
into doze and from doze into
sound sleep. More than an hour pasg-
ed before l awoke, and when did I
found that the man who had been seat
ed beside me was the only other per-
son except myself in the compartment.
He had changed his seat to one oppo-
site me next the window and was
reading periodical Near him lay
my bag, just where had placed ID.
opened it and looked for my pocket
book.
Now, leave it to any woman if she
on awakening from slumber to find
she had been robbed of money from a
bag lying beside man would not look
up at him accusingly. The mans eyes
were upon me, and my looks told him
that suspected him Of stealing the
money had lost just as plainly as 1t
could have been expressed in words.
He looked frightened and said some
thing to me in German, but he might
as well have spoken in Sanskrit. Then
he tried me in French. can speak
a little French, but can understand it
scarcely at all. at any rate. didn't
catch what he had to say.
The man looked so cut up that /
grew suspicious of him. But why he
had not left the train with it while 1
was asleep could only conjecture.
Perhaps the train had not made stop.
He was not cool thief by any means,
for without my taking any action
whatever he took out roll of crisp
bills and said to me in French:
.Combien?" C'How much?) which
understood was asking me the
amount had been robbed Of. held
up one finger and said. Mile francs"
meaning that had had LOCO francs
in my pocketbook. My money had
been brand new, like the notes he held
in his hand. and did not doubt they
were mine. gathered that he pre-.
ferred to return my money rather than
have me call guard at the next sta
ton and have him arrested. He count
ed the roll in his hand, and 1t amount
ed to exactly 1000 francs. Then be
handed it to me. saying something ir
French which did not understand.
was very glad to get my money
back at all and especially so easily
When we reached the next station the
thief looked at me an1iously and on
seeing that made no move to call any
one to arrest him drew long sigh OF
relief. This was the only stop we
made till we reached Berlin. and wher
we rolled into the station and the
coach door was opened by the guard
the rascal jumped out and disappeared
In great hurry.
My husband had secured house iI
the capital. had engaged servants ant
had everything ready not only for oul
comfort. but to enable us to entertain
guests. OF course every one of thu
diplomatic corps must do more or les:
entertaining, and since brought N.
husband fortune and we were abun
dainty able to bear the expense w
proposed to do our full share; but. O.
course, must go through the prelim
inaries of being introduced at court.
All this had been attended to, AMI
was full fledged member Of Berlin
society. The first important function
I attended was state ball at the pal
ace. was standing talking to lad!
whose husband was member Of tn,
diplomatic corps when saw the EN-
peror coming with gentleman VIII
was bedizened with decorations. tn
emperor laughing at something the lat
ter was telling him. When they cam
near enough for me to distinguish thei
features the marrow froze in my bones
The man to whom the emperor wa
listening was the thief who had stolen
then returned. my money. shran
away, but not in time. He saw me
and the expression on his face denotes
as much surprise as mine did constel
nation. Then he said something to tn
emperor. who looked at me with an e1
preston Of amused surprise.
Calling to a lady standing near me
! the emperor and the thief talked t
her, and it was evident that they wer
talking about me. Then the tire
approached me. and the lady, afte
making the required presentation, toll
me that the thief was Count HEN
rich Schmieden, one of the emperor
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