Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-04-23

had bowed myself out and left the
palace.
II drove straight to the telegraph
office. whence dispatched the follow
ing message to Lord Soames:
You have been misinformed. There
is no such letter.
And was right. FOR on the way
from the palace had torn up the M
per into hundred fragments and had
swallowed them every one.
The ambassador stopped abruptly
and made as II he would turn his a1-
tention to the stage.
Surely that is not all?"l SAID Can
you not tell me what occurred on the
Saturday."
His excellency smiled pleasantly
Il had the account some time after
through my friend Soames, who got it
from his colleague in Berlin. II ap-
pears that Bismarck never once looked
inside the envelope till he and the Eng
llsh ambassador met in the kaisers
presence at the time appointed.
The old chancellor had not in.
formed his master of the precise na-
ture OF the business to be transacted.
Prince Bismarck opened the inter-
view. therefore. by explaining to tho
kaiser the purpose for which he had
summoned the meeting. Then turn
ing to the British envoy, he ADDED
with confidence:
WELL sir. what is your answe.?
Will England join us?'
The Englishman kept perfectly
cool. He had. Of course, been varied
by Lord Soames how matters stood.
"'Before you have any right to DE-
mand my answer he said, you must
fulfill your undertaking to produce
some evidence that France contem-
plates an attack on u.s.
"Thereupon the prince tapped bis
famous yellow box.
81 have here he returned. "a writ
ten proposal from the French govern
ment for an offensive alliance against
you'
This was the first hint to the kaiser
OF the real Significance of the mysteri-
Gus document he had allowed me 10
recover. He drew back in his chair
and began to gnaw his mustache.
But the Englishman merely smiled.
EXCUSE me, prince. but really
think you have been imposed upon
he replied quietly. I cannot believe
that the government Of the republic
would be guilty of such folly
Bismarck now smiled in his turn,
and with an air of triumph took out
the paper from its envelope, and
passed 1t to the other. The kaiser
looked on, helpless. and divided, 10
doubt. between anger at the NAME
in which ! had outwitted him, ava
pleasure at the modification in stos.,
for his overbearing minister.
"The Englishman unfolded the p;.-
per and read aloud:
Proposal for an Offensive Alliance
Between France and Germany
"'Ha! What did say!" interrupted
the chancellor.
1.-The French government, after
according due consideration to the pro-
posal laid before it on behalf of the
German government, has decided 10
absolutely decline entering into any
such alliance as
He had got to there when the over.
whelmed chancellor, uttering cry Of
rage, snatched the paper from his
hand and fastened upon it's contents,
with his eyes starting from his head.
and his features wrinkled up in look
Of positively ludicrous CONSERVATION.
"Then Wilhelm II saw his chance.
Herr Prince he said sternly,
what Is the meaning of this comedy?
What are these proposals which you
have made without my authority, for
an alliance against the government OF
a country which regard with friend.
ship?'
The prince flung down the paper
with a growl like that of an Infatuated
mastiff.
For the first time in my life, sire,
my dispatch-box has been tempered
WITH. he raped out in surly tones.
AT this moment can only assure you
and the ambassador here that the pro-
posal came, not from me, but from the
French government
AZ Su45 punt tho HdIecT turned
away and ceased to listen. The Eng
lishman shrugged his shoulders with
an incredulous air, and rose to go.
"The audience broke up. England
remained outside the triple alliance,
and before month was over all Eu.
rope was astonished to hear that
Prince Bismarck was no longer chan.
cellor Of the German empire.
you understand" added my friend.
after a minute, that 1t is only because
of the years that have passed since
the death Of poor Soames that l am
able to tell you all this
Il understand perfectly"
AS l was helping his excellency on
with his overcoat at the conclusion of
the performance my eye happened to
fall upon the decorated buttonhule.
"By-the.by, NJ. TAmbassadeur, did
Tot R,,1a =, t.