The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-28

t -f ]. /
 'sYou may have your choice, QrA- cious Countess: you may travel by neutral ship, as the wife of a neutral to whom will be given a passport You may, on the other hand, elect the more adventurous Journey by subma- rine," said von Holstein, the Chief of four. intelligence Bureau at Ber- lin, to me in the presence of Baron Steinhauer, the Chief of the Foreign Secret Service Department and Herr Zimmerman our former Foreign Min ister,
 She Choses the submarine
 had no need to hesitate even second I elected the more adven- turous journey by submarine. I knew when Joined the service that 1t meant my life for the fatherland' and would serve my country in any way But to what country was assigned! That of course, I could not ask my superiors, but only wonder to myself Tn the service one must not ask ques- tions. One must be ready to obey ( srs True, it Ia, often tempting to ask questions, make inquiries and so on, but the person who reveals any inclination to be inquisitive is at once set aside.
 It Is for the Bureau Chiefs to in struct us. These chiefs will plan and mark out a campaign and trust Us faithful execution to one of the sol- diers of the service It is also plan ned and willed that the person to whom the execution of a certain scheme is entrusted should know so much and mo more Therefore, before starting on an important mission the servant of the service is taken through a thorough course and told what is expected of him.
 Alter a short interview with our Service Chiefs was ordered to report again on the following day and re- ceiYe a lengthy and systematic course on what it is expected that I should do on reaching my assigned destina- ton
 On the following day, about nine in the morning, visited the Foreign of- flee as was instructed by von Hol- stein was ushered to the inner of flee of our Foreign Minister where found hirn with von Holstein. Baron Steinhauer. and vcn Papen, who was formerly our attache at the American capital.
 had never lslxed von Papen as had always considered him a verf un- gentlemanly man. who had no grace QLL pO85888EQ Cn6 Hldun6I8 OI one who had prematurely risen to a re- sponsSbie position Besides these there were four others in the room As I entered all the gentlemen rose and bowed to me, including the four who were not introduced to me. During the whole three hours of conversation which constituted my course, of fn- struction as to what was to do, these four men never once spoke so that could hear their voices. Often they suggested something or other to. Herr Zimmerman, or one of the other of our. Foreign Bureau, but they did this by passing them a note, or by whispering in their ears. Even tor day I do not know who they were.
 After was given seat Herr Zim- n1ermann spoke first He said, -The Gracious Countess must be anxious to know to what country she is as- signed this time. With the consent of our Kaiser you are delegated to carry out a very serious and import ant mission, the successful execution of which will benefit the Fatherland immeasuraably The Gracious Cour- tess Is assigned to carry out a cer- tain mission in Mexico.
 gasped with surprise. My feeling must have been noticed by Herr zirn- mermann and the other men In the room because von Holstein said ~fo me. ''The Countess Is the best fitted person in the Fatherland to carry out this mission. She knows Spanish, and she has the graces and tact that are necessary to bring such a mission to a successful termination" could not help blushing at hearing such profuse compliments
 My whole life Is .consecrated to, our FatherIand; shall attempt to carry out any mission that Is en- trusted to my care.'' I said humbly.
 Then started the real lecture course. Zimmerman and von Papen did most of the instrucfing In fact, Zinmer- casionally won sPapen would, however, interrupt the Foreign Minister and put in a few sentences to which every one of those present agreed.
 Mexico has been an unfortunate place for our cause Won Papen and Boy-Ed as we'll as Admiral won Ecg- hardt were not instructed properly as to what they should do in that ccun- try. The representatives of our Fath- eriansd in the North American contin- ent were compelled to fall back upon / their own resources, and, of course, without proper communications be- tWC~ti bhC E OIGl6A NrAI<[c AIiu tH0 OuI- side world, 1t was humanly impos- sible for them to do much on their own initiative.
 Won Papen and Boy-Ed, however, had already too much to do in our cause in the United States. Natural ly they could not undertake anything in Mexico. And, besides, the Mexi- cans did not like us Our former Foreign Minister had made several tactically wrong moves. He had sup ported the Huerta element against both Carranza and Villa, (these two chiefs were in those days fighting together.) So, notwithstanding the fact that they were now fighting each other. the two mutually dfs- trusted us. Won Papen had made several secret visits to Mexico dur 3 ing his attac11e days in the Arncri- can capital; he had interviewed many Mexican leaders but he, was told that the Mexicans had not yet forgotten the Dresden affair.
 This affair that they speak of SO bftterly happened when the comn1an der of our crsMser Dresden, then sta.- tioned in the Mexican waters, offered the hospitality of his ship to Prest- dent Huerta, who was driven out of his country by the combined forces of Caxrauxa and Villa. Mexicans every whsro were saying that they would nev~rs forx1ve Germany for that in- Bu1t4to sthS Constttut1onalistA.