The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-24

court, but il had been stipulated be-
tween my chief and his informers that
the documents furnished him should
be revealed to no one except the ear
of Russia and the messenger who pre-
scented them 10 him.
| had no difficulty in reaching thc
czar, for my chief had given me let
ter stating that | was a member o.
the American legation TO France AMI
bearer of secret information for his
imperial majesty the car. The words
secret information were an open
sesame" | was accorded an Interview
with the emperor the ,sly. after my
arrival ct St Petersburg. but WAS IN
formed that if the matter | had in
hand was of personal Importance 70
his majesty | would be received al
once | thought it best 10 await
formal meeting and spent the interval
in preparing myself to state my ease
to the best advantage. Ii would not
avail me 10 prepare set speech. Tor
| did not know in what mood or how
disposed toward what desired
should find his majesty. | could only
prepare myself in general way and
make my statement in accordance with
what | should meet.
At the appointed hour ! appeared ut
the palace and was conducted To- the
cZar's cabinet. lie received me with
out Formally and invited me to bc
A.. - g. lii (
the nature of my mission. the reasons
for its secrecy and then before pro
ceeding further handed him the en-
yelope containing the papers had
brought TO prove my case. As he read
one after the other | saw his browS
contract and the corners Of his mouth
drawn down. lie read every dOcu-
ment. some of them twice or thrice
over, ana when he had finished sat
thinking.
Presently lie summoned an attend
ant. to whom he gave an order that he
desired the presence of the French am
bassadur. As soon as the attendant
had Withdrawn the car said TO me:
Since you are a diplomat You UNI
derstand the necessity at times of non
commttals am obliged TO the Amer
lean minister to France for trans
hitting this Information to me-" Here
he handed me the documents. "On
| this account | owe him a reply. But
1t will be neither written nor an oral
| one, nor to you for him. nor to him
| directly"
| supposed he would tell me what
| kind OF reply It would be. but he did
! not. arose 10 go. but he stopped me.
Then be called an attendant and said
something to him that did not under
stand. The attendant motioned me to
follow him. and ] was shown into an
adjoining room. There ! waited for
further orders for nearly an hour. Al
/ the end of this time | heard door of
j the empelors cabinet open and the
announcement in loud voice, "rhe
ambassador from France
The door between the room where
was AMI the cabinet had been left open
: doubtless by the cars order-and
/
cabinet. The emperor spoke in French
He told the ambassador that he had
learned that Napoleon was about I,
intervene In American affairs and
added:
Tell your master that if he inter
feres in the struggle now going on ii
the United States will strike him"
Whether the emperor turned ava.
from the man he addressed or other
wise indicated that he wished no an
swer do not know. ! heard none, bu
few moments later a door was clos
ed, and assumed that the Ambassador
had departed. In a few minutes al
attendant appeared and led me bacl
into the cabinet The car was stand
ing alone.
Give my thanks to your chief To-
the information he has sent me-" b,
said. and with this ! retired
was IA happy man ON my return
journey TO Paris, having accomplished
without any effort that which | knew
would delight my chief, the presiden
of the United States, and the American
Unionists
l prefer TO write my own account o
what was attained by my GRANDPA
theirs mission.
One winter morning during the wa
between the states the citizens of New
York awoke to find the harbor dotte,
with Russian war vessels. For tim
no one knew what 1t meant. Thel
gradually it dawned ON the people tina
its presence denoted the friendlines
of the car of Russia for those VIII
were struggling TO perpetuate the Tn
: ion. Then arose a cry of welcome
The officers of the fleet were invite,
ashore and entertained royalty. Neve
before nor since has New York passe
/, winter of such unique gayety.
The proposed Intervention did no
: take place. England withdrew be