Year: 1878

the affair would be but an aggravation
of matters, and at once decided, come
what might, would not give the police
her address. Looking at the halfoblit-
Grated stamp in the corner of the napkin
there was unmistakably the mark,
"Grand Hotel" but directly underneath
"Nice," which the police in their ardor
to find me guilty of something which /
could not find out, had undoubtedly
mistaken for Wien, the German name
for Vienna. L called their attention to
the Nice" asking what jurisdiction
the Austrian government had over mat
ters relating to hotels in Italy. They
replied by looking very closely at the
stamp, and then one of them took my
passport and the napkin and went out,
leaving the other man to guard our
apartment, and soon returned with o
new arrest for myself and my gesells-
chdfteria, Miss Barton still refusing to
give her name. The landlord had only
placed mine in the visitors book, there
by making himself liable to fine of
eight or ten dollars.


Nothing could have been more widely
different than the effect produced upon
Kate and myself. To me the whole af-
fair was inexpressibly mysterious and
ludicrous, Notwithstanding the insolence
of the police, and, as it seemed to me,
their amazing stupidity. Poor Kate was
the wrathfullest woman 1 ever saw,
while her obstinate refusal to answer
any questions about herself only increas-
ed the ferocity of the men, whose treat
ment of her was shameful in the ex-
treme. They threatened to search our
trunks, which aroused Kate's wrath the
more. observed that as they had as
sumed the right to unlock and search
mine during my absence, they were
| probably already acquainted with its
contents. They, however, abandoned
the searching scheme, and ordered us to
get ready to go to the police-court, which
was about two minutes walk distant.
Kate declared that to the police-court
she would not go, unless she were drag
| ged there by her hair, while the men de-
clared that she would then be taken by
armed force. concluded to telegraph
to the American embassy for help, but
that was denied me. Herr Schwager
had called to see us only the day pre-
vious, saying his lodgings were quite in
our neighborhood, but we had not asked
his address. There seemed nothing to
do but to go to the court and be my own
lawyer. 1t never occurred to me that
the landlord to whose courtesy had
been recommended would refuse to go
with me; but when asked him for his
protection he begged to be excused, on
the ground of being very busy and that
he could be of no service to me. L do
not wish any reader to infer from this
that he was an exceptional Viennese ho-
tel-keeper-that is, exceptionally ungen-
tlemanly; he was, on the contrary, a
fair representative both of his trade and
his country-men. Austrian military
officers and diplomatic attaches of the
government have won in fashionable
society reputation for extreme polite
ness and gallantry toward women;
which may be true, as neither under
such conditions costs any earnest sacri-
flee. But the rank and file of the mid
die class of Austrians, the class with
which travellers have naturally most to
do, are most brusque and ungracious in
manner as well as in deed, unembellish-
ed with any hint of courtesy.


enjoyed fling at the landlord by ex-
pressing surprise at his refusal to accom-
pany me to the police-court, adding ma
liciously that American gentlemen were
not famous for polished manners, but
there was not one mean enough in the
whole country to refuse his protection
to lady, guest under his own roof
and in strange land, where the help of
friends was denied her. then appealed
to Kate to go with me, as it would only
end the trouble sooner, and that would
never allow her to go TO such place
alone, but with tears streaming from
her eyes she resisted my entreaties, and
followed one of the men to the court
the other remained behind to watch
Kate.


had no more idea of police-court
than had of the reason why was be-
ing taken there. 1t was mystery and
curiosity that sustained me. Iundoubt-
edly looked like an amused interroga-
ton mark, for the moment I was intro
duced into the presence of the grand in