Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-07-08
:Al1nlrA ! a !
4 MeSsenger
He Carried a Dispatch In
the European War.
z. = = - :
BY GEORGE Y. LARNED


ssss
Cyrus Delano, an American, went to
Italy when he was twenty years old
and was so delighted with the, coun-
try, the climate, the historical associ-
4 ations, that The found it hard TO get
4 away. EBinally he Settled in Home and
became a. foreign resident Of that in
teresting city. Several years passed,
during which Beiano=became intimate
with many Italian citizens Of pfeIni-
hence and was invited to social func-
tons in. the royal circle. On several
occasions he met the king, who seem
ed to take great fancy to him.. ,xE
Then like a bolt from heaven came
the great European war. Italy found
herself in a very 4equivocal position.
A member of the triple alliance with
Germany and Austria, a bitter hatred
existing on the part of Italians against
the Austrians, unprepared to enter the
fray on either side, the government
was in a quandary. Nevertheless the
sympathies of both the government
and the people were strongly in favor
Of the allies. t~zl r~.- =
One day when Cyrus Delano was
walking idly down the Via Rationale,
watching the knots of people discuss
ing the advance of the German troops
into Belgium, he felt tap on his
1 shoulder. Turning, he saw a gentle
man he did not remember to have seen
before, who said to him: -s,>f
"Signor Delano, will you please ac-
company me. The minister Of foreign
affairs wishes to speak to you" "
Wondering what in the world so dis
tinguished q functionary wished with
him, Defano accompanied the man to
the foreign office and without any de-
lay whatever was ushered into the
office of the secretary. There was an
other person present whom Delano
recognized as the French ambassador.
A The former asked the American to be
seated and then began to interrOgate
him. When he had finished the ques-
tons he said: d
@Nlf.r Delano. this is the ambassad0r
from France He desires to send "a
very important message to his govern
ment at Paris. In this I am equally
interested ON behalf of the Italian gov
eminent. We are beset by spies. II
we send AN Italian or a, Erenchman he
is liable to be way1aid by secret ennis
saries Of the members of the triple a.
4 lance. An American will have far
i better chance to get through with the
message than one of different nation
atty. Besides, you Americans are fer
tile in expedients. Indeed, you are "a
very bright people,"
Delano, though he had no preference
for eitherrside, was quite pleased with
The idea of such a service and at hay
ing been chosen for it.. He accepted
the mission and was told that the dis
! patch would be sent to him the, same
afternoon and it was desirable that he
depart at the earliest possible moment
afterwards 2 .-~-a~ = s>sA
However, said the secretary, tive
have decided tos intrust you with a
knowledge of what the message con-
tains.1 If you are waylaid and robbed
of the document you can in that case
proceed and deliver your message
orally. We shall send "a person
| known to be in our confidence to con-
4 firm what you say.-What We desire to
impart to=the=Fr ench-goEernnent is
I this: AS members of the triple alliance
we are expected to- threaten France in
the SOUTH while she is attacked in the
north. All the French troops will be
needed on the northern border. We
are sending word by you that. we have
! no intention Whatever of Eattacking
sFrance! For the present at least we
shall remain neutral" II
81 confess, your eXcellency,'I said De-
lano. that feel highly ~fattered at
having been chosen to carry a message
of such vital Importance" Il 4
Delano was then furnished with
funds for his Journey and given in
structions as to the different routes he
might pursue Then he took his de-,
parture and began preparations for his
/ Journey. - Won IrHoIO i +
The shortest route from Rome to
French territory is by way Of Genoa.
Therefore if spies were on Delano's
track they would naturally expect him
/ to- ppoceed BY this route 1t was there
fore decided that he should go by
Switzerland. passing through Lucerne,
Berne and Neuchatel. IL
/ Having The dispatc (which
was written in as small compass as
possible, Delano called a cab and was
alFfF3eRi 70 the raiilWR RtiqHi / WAX k
| ing back and forth on the platform
was lady whomHhet had met at func-
lions at the ,Quirinal palace, Nine.
Tatiani, Greek, who he had m
derstood was distantly related to The
queen of that country. The lady son
seeing Delanosmileds graciously, though
? be dfdna BEN ambeF bo- have been PIE
sentedi Roster. - h W. Vs~SA
"Oh, Sigpqr Delano! Are you going
- IL n, a. E~fi