Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-05-06


there is piece of thread on the back
of your coat
We were about to go forth for q
stroll on the boulevards-I had just
helped his excellency on with his over
coat. As bent forward to remove the
strand of white cotton which had at
tracted my attention, the ambassador
turned his head with a startled move
ment. even fancied that he gave a
slight shiver as picked of the thread
and cast it away.
"A thousand thanks" he murmured
mechanically, glancing after the thread
with strange expression. But he
realized that had observed his singu-
lar agitation, for he Immediately went
on to say:
you ask yourself. perhaps, what 1t
Is that has disturbed me so much in
this trivial circumstance? Do me the
justice to believe, notwithstanding,
that have not been agitated without
real cause.
1T was not long after the mysterious
affair, which l have related to you, in
connection with the death of Abdul
Aziz," began his excellency, and
had just been promoted to the rank of
charge daffaires. In this capacity
was entrusted with the French mission
to the court of one of those barbarous
principalities in the southeast of Eu-
rope, which have hardly yet recovered
from their centuries of vassalage to
the Turks. In these unsettled societies
acts of lawlessness and violence are
rendered possible at which more civil
lied countries would be dismayed.
AT the time of my arrival in the
been accredited, | found things in a
very disturbed condition. AS Is always
the case in these petty states in the
region of the Danube, Russia and AVS
tria were intriguing for the predomi'
nance, and the whole population was
rent into factions accordingly, which
pursued each other with the bitterest
hatred.
This rivalry between the two pow.
ers have named had even extended to
the palace. where the Austrian incli,
nations of George, the reigning prince
were counterbalanced by the Russo
phile sympathies of his consort, Cath
crime, princess Of Russian extraction
While ! was preparing to walk
warily among the pitfalls which sur
rounded me- was surprised one day
shortly after my arrival by visit from
the Russian minister, Baron Douren
ski
81 have come he said. as soon al
he had taken seat and exchanged the
usual compliments, to inform you tina,
am obliged to leave for Russia in two
DAYS time The business which re
auires my presence is important, and
will, perhaps, detain me four or five
weeks.
Il bowed. and murmured polite ex
pression of regret at the idea of losing
the society of the minister for so long
a period
THAT is not all, however ne pro
ceeded tossay. 4 have at the Legation
no one whom | can trust to take my
place properly while am away. Shal
I be trespassing too much on your gooc
nature if | ask you to take charge o.
the interests of Russia for these few
weeks?
81 am too much honored by TIT
confidence you place in me- l SAID
but recollect, if you please, my oea'
Dourenski, that | have only recent!
arrived in this country, and know
nothing of the political situation. Hn'
YOU not better apply to some colleague
of older standing-to Sir Graham, 10
instance, the British charge d'affaires
He made an emphatic gesture 0
disapproval as pronounced this name
Mot for worlds, my dear fellow
That man is a mere tool of the Aus
trian minister's. No, I must have some
one whom can trust someone OF rea
;rdererdence and Judgment. Besides
orr two countries are frlencly;
should leave the affairs of my Legation
in YOUR hands with the same conn
f,rce as in those Of a felloW-couhtrs
man.
Thus pressed, could find no ea
cps4 for declining the honor WhlcI
Dourenski proposed to confer on me
He went on to add:
There is one thing about which
must ask YOU to preserve the strictes
secrecy. In the mailbag OF the iegs
tion YOU will from time to time I'M
LETTERS addressed to NJ. starovitet
which Won viii without doubt nm
means to transmit to him in a privat
manner If the packages are some
.jnns heavy. that is merely becaus
thav contain a little gold which it
necessary to distribute among GU
friends.
Used as / was to the tangled pam
- no)itical intrigue, could not ait
Gather conceal my astonishment
hearing him pronounce the name
N starovitch. This was the prime mil
;ster the head of the princes govern
nant and although had nearo
whispered that he was less 1aVoraoi
to vienna than his master ! was &c
tainly not prepared to find him III r