Middletown transcript., 1921-05-21

money. And money was their lie.
The count advanced first to the Am
erican.
"Mr. Hooking, l believe" he re-
marked in English, holding out his
hand 81 am glad you managed to
come"
The American shook the proffered
hand, while the two Germans looked at
him with sudden interest. AS the man
at the head of the great American cot
ton trust, worth more In millions than
he could count, he was entitled to
their respect. -.
"Thats me- Count" returned the mil
lionaire in his nasal twang. Il am in
terested to know to what l am indebt-
ed for this invitation"
"All in good time, Mr.. Hooking
smiled the host. 81 have hopes that
the dinner will fill in that time salts
factorily."
He turned to the taller of the two
Germans, who without his coat seemed
more like a Goldfish than ever.
"Herr Steincmann. is it not?" This
time he spoke in German.
The man whose interest in German
coal was hardly less we'll known than
Hocking's in cotton. bowed stiffly.
"And Herr Won Gratz?" The Count
turned to the last member of the par
ty and shook hands. Though less well
known than either Of the other two in
| of
GRATIS name in the steel trade of Cen
tral Europe was one to conjure with.
"Well, gentlemen" said the Count,
before we sit down to dinner, l may
perhaps be permitted to say few
words of Introduction. The nations
of the world have recently been EN-
gagged in q performance of unrivaled
stupidity. AS far as one can tell that
performance is now over. The last
thing l wish to do IS to discuss the
war-except in so far as it concerns
our meeting here tonight. Mr.. Hook
ing is an American, you two gentlemen
are Germans. 1.-THE Count smiled
slightly-"have no nationality. Or
|
tionality. Completely cosmopolitan. :.
. Gentlemen. the war was waged by
| idiots, and when idiots get busy on
| large scale, it is time for clever men to
step in. That is the raisOn d.
| etre for this little dinner . l
claim that we four men are sufficiently
International to be able to disregard
any stupid and petty feelings about
this country and that country, and to
regard the world outlook at the present
moment from one point of view and
one point of view only-our own
The gaunt American gave a hOarSe
chuckle.
'It will be my object after dinner
continued the Count, ''to try and prove
to YOU that we have common point
Of view. Until then-shall we merely
concentrate on a piOus hope that the
Hotel Rationale will not poison us
with their food?"
The next moment the head waiter
opened the door, and the four men sat
down to dine.
1t must he admitted that the average
hostess, desirous of making dinner
success, would have been filled with
secret diSmay at the general atmos-
phere in the room. The American, in
accumuating his millions, had also
accumulated 4 digestion of such an eN-
otic and tender character that dry
rusks and Vicly water were the limit
Of his capacity.
Herr Steinemann was of the common
order of German, to whom food is
sacred. He ate and drank enormously
and evidently considered that nothing
further was required of him.
Won Gratz did his best to keep his
end up, but as he was apparently in a
chronic condition of fear that the
gaunt American would assault him
with violence. he cannot be said to
have contributed much to the gaiety of
the meal.
And so to the host must be given
the credit that the dinner was a sue
cess. Without appearing to monopo-
liZe the conversation he talked cease
lesSly and brilliantly. But to even the
most brilliant of conversatOnaliStS the
strain of talking to a hypochondriacal
American and two GermanS-One
greedy and the other frghtened-is
considerable; and the Count heaved an
| inward sigh Of relief when the coffee
had been handed round and the doc:
closed behind the waiter. From now
on the topic was the topic of money
the common bond of his three guests.
And vet, as he carefully cut the end
of the other three were fixed on him
expcctantly. he knew that the hardest
part of the evening was in front of
him. Big financicrS, in common with
all other people, are fOnder of having
money put into their pockets than of
taking it out And that was the very
thing the Count proposed they should
do-in large quantities.
"Gentlemen," he remarked, when his
cigar was going to his satisfaction,
1--WE are all men of business. / said
before dinner that l considered we
were sufficiently big to exclude any
small arbitrary national distinctions
from our minds. AS men whose inter
eSts are international. such things are
beneath us. l wish now to slightly
qualify that remark" He turned to
the American on his right. who with
eyes half closed was thoughtfully pick
ing his teeth. "At this stage. l ad-
dress myself particularly to you."
go right ahead" drawled Mr.. Hook
ing.
Il do not wish to touch on the war
or its result; but though the Central
Powers have been beaten by America