Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-19


Breslau. For a week we had been
staying at great, high-up prisonlike
schlOss, the ancestral home of Prince
Ludwig Ltchtenau, In the Wolfels-
grund.
The emperor and his suite had
left, and our host had been suddenly
called to Berlin by telegram, his
daughter having been Ill. Therefore,
the crown prince and we OF the suite
had remained for some further sport.
On the day after the emperor's de-
parture I had spent the afternoon In
a small paneled room which over
looked a deep mountain gorge aHd
which had been given up to me for
work. | was busy with correspond
ence when the courier from Potsdam
entered and gave me the battered
leather pouch containing the crown
princes letters. Having unlocked it
with my key, found among the cor
respondence a small square packet adj
dressed to MS imperial highness, and
marked ''private."
'Now, fearing bombs or attempts by
other means upon his sons life. the
emperor had commanded me always to
open packets addressed to him. This
one, however, being marked "private,"
and, moreover, the inscription being
in feminine hand, decided to await
his highness' return.
When at last he came In, wet and
muddy after a long days sport, I
showed him the packet. With a care
less air he said: "Oh, open it, Helt-
zendorf. Open all packets, whether
marked private or not"
81 obeyed, and to my surprise found
within the paper a small leather-cov-
cred jewel case, In which, reposing
upon a bed Of dark blue velvet, was
the beautiful ornament which I had
admired at the throat of the fair
haired British girl-the golden butter
fly.
I handed 1t to his highness just as
he was taking cigarette from the box
on a side table.
The sight Of It electrified him. He
held his breath, standing for a few
seconds staring at 1t as though he
were gazing upon some specter. His
cOuntenance was as white as paper.
"When did that arrive?" he man
aged to ask, In a hoarse voice, which
showed how completely sight of it had
upset him.
"This afternoon. It was in the cou-
rier's pouch from Potsdam."
"If the Truth Came Out"
He seemed highly nervous, and at
the same time extremely puzzled. Re-
ceipt Of that unique and beautiful
brooch was, I saw, some sign, but of
it's real significance I remained in en-
tire ignorance.
That it had a serious meaning /
quickly realized, for within half an
hour the crown prince and myself were
In the train on our 200-mile journey
back to Berlin.
On arrival his imperial highness
drove straight to the Berlin Schloss,
and there had a long interview with
the emperor. At last was called into
the familiar pale-green room, the kali
ser's private cabinet, and at once saw
that something untoward had oc-
Cured.
The emperor's face was dark and
thoughtful. The crown prince, in his
badly creased uniform betraying q
long journey-so unlike his usual
spick-and-span appearance, stood ner-
vOusly by as the kaiser threw him.
self into his writing chair with deep
grunt and distinctly evil grace.
ST suppose it must be DONE" he
growled to his son. did I not fore
see that the girl would constitute a Sc
rious menace? When she was in Ger
many she might easily have been ar
rested upon some charge and her
mouth closed. Bah! our political po-
lice service grows worse and worse
We will have it entirely recognized.
The director, Laubach, is far too SEN
tfmental, far too chfcken-hearted."
AS he spoke he took up his pen and
commenced to write rapidly, drawing a
deep breath as his quill scratched
upon the paper.
"you realize" he exclaimed angrily
to his son, taking no notice Of my
presence there, because was part and
parcel Of the great machinery Of the
court, you realize what this order
means? It Is a blow struck against our
cause-struck by a mere slip of a girl
Think, If the truth came out! Why,
all our propaganda In the United
States and Britain would be nullifed
In a single day, and the good rela-
tons we are now extending on every
hand throughout the world in order to
mislead our enemies would be exposed
in all their true meaning. We cannot
afford that. It would be far cheaper
to pay twenty million marks-the an
nual cost Of the whole propaganda in
Amertca-than to allow the truth to be
known
Suddenly the crown princes face
frightened, as though he had had
some inspiration.
1.-THE truth will not be known,
promise you" he said, with a strange
grin. I knew that expression. Il
meant that he had devised some fresh
plan. ''The girl is defiant today, but
she will not remain so long. l will
take your order, but I may not have
occasion to put it In force"
Remove the lars; tighten covers