The Nevada County picayune., 1915-06-25
lad bowed myself out ard left k.

T drove straight to the telegram office, whence I dispatched the folIom ing message to Lord Soames.
 "'You have been misinformed Tbo.. is no such letter.
 And I was right. For on the wav from the palace had torn up the n. per into hundred fragments. and has swallowed them every one.
 The ambassador stopped abrun,,. and made as if he would turn bis :. tention to the stage.
 Surely that is not all?" said "c.n you not tell me what occurred on tna Saturday,"
 His excellency smiled pleasantly
 T had the account some time afto. through my friend Soames, who got 1, from his colleague in Berlin. If an pears that Bismarck never once lookaa inside the envelope till he and the En.. fish ambassador met in the kaiser, presence at the time appointed.
 ''The old chancellor had not in, formed his master of the precise no. ture of the business to be transacted
 Prince Bismarck opened the intsr. view, therefore, by explaining to tba kaiser the purpose fo: which he had summoned the meeting. Then turn. ing to the British envoy, he addaa with confidence:
 Well, sir, what is your answerp Will England join us?'
 fsrThn EfpgliS h n, Iapt cool. He had, of course, been warned by Lord Soames how matters stood
 Before you have any right to de. mand my answer he said, you must fulfill your undertaking to produca some evidence that France contem. plates an attack on us'
 "Thereupon the prince tapped bis famous yellow box.
 "I have here he returned, 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. ous document he had allowed me to recover. He drew back in his chair and began to gnaw his mustache.
 But the Englishman merely smiled.
 Excuse me, prince. but I 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 it's envelope. and passed it to the other. The kaiser looked on. helpless, and divided, no doubt. between anger at the manner in which I had outwitted him, and pleasure at the modification in store for his overbearing minister.
 "The Englishman unfolded the pa- per and read aloud:
 Proposal for an Offensive Alliance Between France and Germany
 "'Ha! What did say," interrupted the chancellor.
 "'-The French government. after according due consideration to the pro posal laid before it on behalf of the German government, has decided to 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 a look of positively ludicrous consternation.
 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 I regard with friend ship?'
 The prince flung down the paper with growi like that of an infuriated mastiff.
 For the first time in my life, sire. my dispatch-box has been tempered with he rapped out i'll surly tones. At this moment 1 can only assure you and the ambassador here that the pro posal came, not from me, but from tho French government
 At this point the kaiser 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 a 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 it is only because of the years that have passed since the death of poor Soames that l am able to tell you all this.'
 T understand perfectly"
 As was helping his excellency on with his overcoat at the conclusion d the performance my eye happened to fall upon the decorated buttonhoie-