The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-12-01
STOCKHOLM INTRIGUE
Continued from page one)
gians and Hungarians and all tn

rest mingle at the table. Not that
they sit at the same table, but
their elbows sometimes literally
touch at adjoining boards.
Stockholm is easily accessible
to all the warning countries. At
the Central Railway Station every
night, on adjoining tracks are
three trains. One goes north to
Tornea the Russian frontier town;
one to Bergen whence one takes
the boat for England and France;
the third goes to Gothenburg, five
hours by boat from Denmark
whence an express whirls one to
Berlin. The Russian train leaves
first-about 9 p. M, the German
train second, at 900. So on the
platforms one sees mingling and
jostling, German and British,
French and Prussian and all the
rest.
In the hotels one has the impress
sion that each column conceals a
spy and each palm two or three.
And one is nearly right in this
impression for they are as thick
as fleas everywhere: Spys spy
ing on unsuspecting persons, spys
spying on spies and spies spying
on spies set to catch spies. 1t is a
great game. There is on record
at least one case Of one spy doing
nearly all three Of these things at
one and the same time, being 81
simultaneously in the employ Of
France, England and Germany.
There are Of course big games
being played by men not ordinar-
lily called spies: Diplomatic ag-
ents is the more dignifed term.
These are educated, cultivated men
And they do the larger finer work.
Smaller fry keep track of sh; }.
ments to Russia, of the movement
via Sweden of government age"
etc. Or in the cases of the ALI
of the shipments Of materials to
Germany by boat, etc. Of course
there are free-lances who scurry
around picking up scraps Of in
formation and selling the same for
whatever the interested parties
feel like paying. Thes are the
rag pickers Of the profession.
OF course there are women
spies, or women agents. These
are not always used as Open
helm and other rOmancers lead ont
to imagine, but there is just e
nough of truth in such stories tt
make these women interesting
Their great utility comes through
being able to mingle in high cir
cles where they can listen to tn
gossip.
"Listen, my DEAR says on
lady to another, "here is som
great scandal: I promised not t
tell but 1 must tell it to you, know
ing you II not breath it to soul.
And so it goes.
Hotels are packed. Only by re
serving a room days in advanc
can one find accommodation saw
by rare good luck. At tea tim
at dinner and again at supper, tn
splendid restaurants here are Jan
med and tables are at premium
Champagne corks are popping liz
machine guns. Everybody seen
to have plenty Of money and n
body appears to be stingy wit
it.
One sees many German office
in multi or evening clothes, al
frequently they have their wome
folk with them. These are wea
skirts quite as short as any SCI
in Paris and the cut of their gov
is proof that though Frenchm'
and Germans are killing each OF
er, Rue de Paix styles have foul
their way to Inter den Linden.
This is the great Cross Roac
the meeting place of the folks
the warning nations. Tonight,
the lovely supper-room, at adjoi
ing tables, two men, their wiz
and adughters, all faultless
dressed in evening clothes, he