Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1920-12-24

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
,FaIuvu, NJ. IAmDassa0eur, but
there is piece Of thread on the back
of your coat"
| We were about to go forth for a
stroll on the boulevards-I had just
helped his excellency on with his over
coat. AS bent forward to remove the
strand Of. white cotton which had at
ltracted my attention, the ambassador
turned his head with a startled move.
ment. I even fancied that he gave a
slight shiver as picked of the thread
and cast it away.
"a thousand thanks" he murmured
mechanically, glancing after the thread
with a strange expression. But he
realized that I had observed his singu.
Lar agitation, for he Immediately went
on to say:
''You ask yourself. perhaps. what 1t
10 that has disturbed me 50 much in
this trivial circumstance? Do me the
Justice to believe, notwithstanding.
that have not been agitated without
10 real cause.
1T was not long after the mysterious
affair, which l have related to you. in
connection with the death of Abdul
Aziz," began his excellency. and l
had Just been promoted to the rank Of
charge d'affaires. In this capacity
was entrusted, with the French mission
to the court of one of those barbarous
municipalities in the southeast OF Eu-
rope, which have hardly yet recovered
from their centuries of vassalage to
the Turks. In these unsettled societies
|acts OF lawlessness and violence are
rendered possible at which more civil
lied countries would be dismayed.
AT the time of my arrival in the
principality to the court of which had
been accredited, l found things in a
very disturbed condition. AS is always
the case in these petty states in the
region of the Danube, Russia and Aus
tria were intriguing for the predomi-
nance, and the whole population was
rent into factions accordingly, which
pursued each other with the bitterest
hatred.
This rivalry between the two pow
ers have named had even extended to
the palace, where the Austrian incli-
nations of George, the reigning prince,
were counterbalanced by the Russo
phile sympathies of his consort, Cath
crime, princess of Russian extraction.
While was preparing to walk
warily among the pitfalls which sur
me, was surprised one day
shortly after my arrival by visit from
the Russian minister, Baron Douren
ski.
81 nave come, he said, as soon as
he had taken a seat and exchanged the
usual compliments, to inform you that
/ am obliged to leave for Russia in two
days time. The business which re-
Quires my presence is important, and
will, perhaps, detain me four or five
weeks
II bowed, and murmured q polite ex-
preston Of regret at the idea Of losing
the society of the minister for 80 long
d period.
"'That is not all, however, he pro-
(ceeded toosay. I have at the legation
mo one whom I can trust to take my
place properly while am away. Shall
= be trespassing too much on your good
nature II I ask you to take charge Of
the interests of Russia for these few
weeks ?
81 am too much honored by the
confidence you place In me- l said.
but recollect, II you please, my dear
lDourenski, that have only recently
arrived in this country, and know
nothing Of the political situation. Had
you not better apply to some colleague
|of older standing-to Sir Graham, for
instance. the British charge d'affaires?'
He made IN emphatic gesture of
ldisapproval as pronounced this name.
"'Not for worlds. my dear fellow!
That man is q mere tool Of the Aus
trian ministers. No, must have some
one whom can trust, someone Of real
independence and judgment. Besides.
our two countries are friendly; I
should leave the affairs Of my legation
IN your hands with the same conf
dence ~ In those of q fellow-country.
man.
Thus pressed, I could ind no ex-
fuse for declining the honor which
Qourensh proposed to confer on me.
He went on to add:
There is one thing about which l
must ask you to preserve the strictest
secrecy. In the mailbag Of the lega-
ton you will from time to time ind
letters addressed to M. Starovitch,
which you will without doubt ind
means to transmit to him In . private
panner. II the packages are some
times heavy, that is merely because
they contain . little gold which it 10
pec1esary to distribute among our
ffiGnds.'
URsd a. was to the tangled paths
Of POLITICAL intrigue, could not alto
getAlr conceal my establishment Ut
bea99Ag him pronounce tho name of
u. etafovitch. This was the prime min
lster: the head Of the princes govern
|heat, and although l had heard it
81 <hn% ho -