Show (Copyright by HE names In the follow are avow lng adventure The intedly fictitious erval which has elapsed It occurred Is so It that would no useful purpose them and "Stevens” stand however for personages In American public life for whom literally nothing Is Impossible It was about six weeks after my return from my mission to Admiral and the adventures In the North Sea which I have previously recounted when I received an urgent summons to the foreign office I found Lord Lansdowne there In the company of a young man to whom he Introduced me The gentleman was Mr Gardiner the third secretary of the American embassy "Captain Adams” said Lord Lans- downe "I think It will be best for you to hear Mr Gardiner’s report and then we will take up the matter of acting upon It” Mr Gardiner plunged Into the matter without preliminaries “I may begin by saying that my father Is a colonel in the Grand Army of the Republic” he began "which consists as you may know of the veterans of the federal forces who fought our Civil He Is In Washwar during ington at present where the veterans are holding their annual reunion and learned of the affair from an old comrade in arms the personal secretary of Steveus the millionaire senator whom he encountered for the first time since the close of the war The two old gentlemen met drank a few Juleps and then somehow Stevens’s secretary found that he had allowed the julep to play havoc with his tongue There is a plot afoot for nothing less than the establishment of a monarchy in America '“As you probably know for many months relations between the president and his congress have been very strained chiefly on account of the president’s desire to effect the passage of certain legislation He has opposed to him the entire power of the trust magnates who are predominant in both houses of the legislature Jordans the multimillionaire who is said to control the food supply of every American and Stevens his who has the millionaire senate under his thumb are thus face to face with the president In a descan be no encounter There perate It is a fight for popular compromise rights against a plutocracy “The president has the country witti him and knowing this the plutocracy is prepared to resort to a desperate device — nothing less than the overthrow of the republic Unfortunately the president by his reforms has antagonized the army and Jordans has General Bramwell over the bought Now this is the ©since scheme: "Bramwell has fifteen thousand troops camped down in Maryland just outside the capitol ostensibly for the maneuvers Tomorrow week the president entertains the National Chamber at the annual banquet of Commerce Jordans and in the White House Stevens and fifty lesser lights will be there together with the president the speaker the leaders of both parties many of the senators General Bramwell and a dozen or more army offi'all of these are cers Practically At midnight privy to the conspiracy when by arrangement the regulars will have entered the city General Bramwell will rise and announce that the republic no longer exists Jordans will be acclaimed emperor a company of soldiers will be brought Into the White House and the president will To ensure the be made prisoner loyalty of the troops I may say that enormous sums have been placed at It is General Bramwell’s disposal calculated that each of the men will receive several thousand dollars" — I exAmerica?" “This in modern claimed “That’s Just the point" Lord Lans"It is precisedowne interrupted me of the scheme that ly the incredibility Your entire will insure its success regular army” he continued addressing Mr Gardiner "amounts to less than seventy thousand men and half at least of these are cooped up in remote and inaccessible army posts on the western frontier from which they can never be transported the railroad lines being under the thumb of the conspirators Half of the remainder So you see is in the Philippines Captain Adams there is absolutely nothing to prevent the success of this Before America awakens to a coup realization of what is happening she will be in the hands of Jordans and Stevens who by their complete organization of all industry can actually starve the people into submission” “Then how can I prevent this?” I interpolated a message to “By conveying Lord Lansdowne answered “That is our only hope As you know it is a cardinal point of English policy to keep America strong Let her once weaken and the Monroe doctrine falls will overGermany into abeyance and gain a run South America W G Chapman) In strategic footing To be every sea plain the message which you will take informs Jordans that unless he abandons his intended coup he will be forbidden to carry on business in Britain or her colonies That will mean financial disaster for him and the threat is our only hope since the time is too short to permit any other form of intervention” Seven days later— on the day before that set for the fulfilment of the conspiracy — I was seated with Jordans in his private office at Broadway and Pinto streets New York And all America was hurrying to its work outside never dreaming that the morrow would unless my mission sue ceeded see events that would shake it to its foundations and undo the results of a century and more of democratic government He was a man of some seventy years obese with little shrewd eyes and thin wisps of hair plastered down over his temples The dispatch which I handed to him was nominally Ljom Lord Rothschild for of course the British government could hold no communication him in person with but it was easy for him to understand Its allusions He read it through silently while I Then' he placed it in sat near him his pocket and turned to me “Captain Adams” he said “do you know what was in this dispatch?” I admitted it I told him He smiled coldly “If I succeed” he replied "England will be glad enough of my alliance without daring to carry out this threat If I fail — well we will discuss that afterward My answer is: No” He rang a bell and his secretary entered With a curt adieu he bade him show me to the door One day only before the debacle — and in his New York office this man could sit calmly planning scheming secure of the success of his scheme One thing alone could overthrow it: the disloyalty of the army But the army were totally Ignorant of the part they had to play and who could doubt but that when brought to the White House they would follow their own general especially at the price of a fortune each? went to the White House The a political president was attending meeting in Delaware he would not be back until the following morning I made an appointment to see him the moment that he returned and with a resense of being completely baffled tired to my room in the Hotel BouleAll night I tossed upon my vard in anticipation the pillow following result of the next night’s work It was so deadly simple so impossible of failure A thought Stay! came to me What if the millions of Jordans could be offset by more mil lions? What if Bramwell and his officers could be bought over? The price Jordans had paid them must have been uncountable Where could thd president obtain a larger sum? In the national treasury! j found him quite unperturbed when fie accorded me our interview the following morning And when stuttering I began to tell him and stammering I found that the whole plot was known to him “But— but are you going to do nothing?” I burst out “What is there for me to do?” he answered "Let the glory of opening a new chapter of civil strife in this nation's history belong to my enemies I might proclaim martial law close the shops enroll volunteers secretly and so commence the struggle myself I prefer to do nothing Captain Adams the moment that Jordans is proclaimed emperor I shall Bhoot him through the head with the revolver that I carry in this pocket If I am not slain instantly my second bullet I will be for’ the traitor Bramwell can do no more” "You can do more” I cried "There is a hundred millions in the treasury Take it bribe Bramwell and the soldiery—” "It isn’t mine” the president answered “It is the credit of the nation and that I will never tamper men to obey them Little I knew I boarded a train and we went whirling out of the captal under the tunnels then through the fresh Maryland fields parallel wi the trolley cars And until we halted at Hyattsville there I saw the rows and rows of white tents of soldiers "I thought the troops were camped further out at Laurel” I hazarded to a fellow passenger He turned upon me indignantly "Mon” he said with a broad Scotch accent "do ye no ken that yon’s the of the It was the annual assemblage of veterans that I bad seen As the train there came sped past the encampment to my ears faintly yet easily distinthe fragments of one of guishable those old inspired by faith in the republic and love for her — that faith and love that hurled three men million the southward upon bayonets of their no less gallant enemies And it was the successors —in many instances descendants of these men — that were going to rob America of her birthright of liberty! A quarter of an hour later I had descended from the train ht Laurel and was entering the lines of the soldiery The maneuvers were over the rifles were stacked in front of the tents horses pulled at the picket lines ammunition and provisions forage boxes and paraphernalia of all sorts were piled by the long line of transport A drizzling rain had set in wagons and the soldiers shivered within their tents I tried to scent whether any unusual excitement r was prevalent there but there was none discernible The thought occurred to me to visit to mhke some wild General Bramwell appeal to his patriotism ‘but I learned that he was not there He had gone to Washington with several of the officers of field rank that morning After a fruitless stroll and more fruitless racking of my brains I returned to Washington by the next train At five o’clock I was back in my I would hotel packing up to leave not remain in Washington to be a witness of the ultimate disaster I was waiting in the capacious hall while the porter carried down my things when the behavior of a group of men standing at the bar straight Then corctam on h fa facet race ts— to—” I bent down and whispered— "that scheme of the White House dinner” Ills eyes fell "I will be here” he murmured I left him abruptly and hailing a hack Instructed the driver to go like the wind to the White House Arrived there I dashed past the policeman at the entrance and past the officials straight to the private room of the president His secretary caught me at his door He must have thought me mad Then he recognized me "I must see him” I cried The secretary nodded "He said you were to have admittande if you should come” he replied knocking upon the door The president was seated at a table with a document spread out before him At bis side was a man whom I at oqce as Mr Frothing-barecognized' the eminent lawyer "I am making my will" he said with a smile "My last day of public duty must include time for a personal settlement of affairs Well” he continued "what news have you? Is there anything?” “I can save you ypt" I cried "Tell me are there arms In Washington?” He considered then shook his head "There is an armory at Baltimore" he answered “But where are the men to bear the weapons?” I thought harder than I had ever thought before “If you supply the arms I will supply the nien” I replied “Is there not the museum of war relics? Does it not contain two thousand weapons of sorts — sabers and the old early of the sixties?” “Yes eaten through with rust” he answered “That is an unimportant detail Give me an order placing them at the disposal of anyone whom I may nominate That is my first pequest And my second is invite me to the banquet tonight in Jhe capacity of waiter so that I can seethe result of my plan to save the government" The president hesitated a moment wrote me the order for the Then arms “You shall be present as my guest” he said handing it to me But ' I demurred "I am known to several who will be met me at the echoed through the banqueting hall saw the and were renewed without president wishes me to re- door flung open and a company of solinvitation for you to be his diers enter and take up their posts guest" he said “But if you prefer around the walls file by file impasnot to be — ” He smiled and led me sive and silent now I saw the presiinto the kitchen He spoke a few dent look toward me and smile I hurriod words to a man in evening saw the leer of triumph on Jordans’s dress of faultless cut who stood in face freeze into stony and expressionless silence Then as though realizing military fashion against the wall then Introduced us “The head wait- the failure of his scheme he sank er” he said It was arranged that I down and buried his head in his should be on duty inside the banquet hands hall as a supernumerary For this was not the Army of Mary-I had Just time to take up my posiland still one hour's distance away tion there when the guests began to This was those veterans of the Grand arrive Jordans and Stevens were al- Army of the Republic whom Gardiner most the first They came In smiling had brought from Hyattsville to upand chatting The president received hold their country's liberties And if them and all three shook hands measthey did not know the historic part if they imagined uring one another with quiet looks that they played The president’s that they were there merely in reair bf nonchalance own invitaplainly disconcerted the visitors They sponse to the president’s knew he knew what was afoot and tion at least they would have been had expected that he would fly post- true to death against treachery on the desof their younger compeers The pone the banquet engage in any part and if their perate and ineffective measure rather republic was saved than stand there smiling at them empty rifles were rotted with the rust was Jordans to with the pleased ho look of a of a generation ' know it? host at a dinner I contrived to whisper as I brushed MANY LIBELS ON SALAMANDER past him once: "Do nothing When Jordans cheers you will be the signal for something— Myths About the Little Batrachian different from What he imagines" Long Accepted as Truths Are I saw the president smile Now Set Straight But now the room was filling up Senators About that little batrachian were there The speakthe congressmen er came in jauntily followed by the salamander there has been much heads of the great commercial institufiction written by those ancient naturtions of the nation Not one but knew alists Aristotle Thaun De Pliny Porta Marco Polo and Browne and something was afoot for that evening the first whispers had gone stirring by those of a later day the New York round Washington and each — even the Evening Post remarks The ancients master mind Jordans himself — re- all agreed that the salamander was a gretted in his own way what he be- small reptile a lover of cold a'nd wet lieved was to be the passing of reprenever venturing from its lair except sentative- Institutions from the west- in rainy weather It was believed by some that the salamander was a livern continent The climax of audacity was Ste- ing fire extinguisher just as if its vens’s He was a burly leering brute body were truly made of ice Others with an evil Bmile of power I saw asserted that it lived and thrived in him go up to the president and hand fire The fire resisting charm was him an evening paper which he had even ascribed to certain gnomes and I saw a sylphs as well as to the fair water pulled from his coat pocket And so in fable and head: nymph Undine "Army Strikes Camp at Six Marchmythology the salamander existed for ing to Salute President at Midnight” years considered both fire proof and So they were already on the way! fire extinguishing Four hours — no little more than three Pliny a scientist of a practical turn and they would be drawn round the put a salamander in a fire and conWhite Ilousd spectators of the deathsumed both salamander and myth blow of their country's liberties Had When asbestos was first discovered Gardiner time? My hopes went gal- it was thought to be salamander’s after him like swift wool and was made into cloth and loping madly horses of being capable wearing apparel Then followed the endless chain of cleansed by fire instead of water But the courses from soup to fish from Browne loosened this theorsome-wha- t fish to entrees from one entree to anin his exposure of vulgar erother then the Joints then the rors when he declared the salamanthat always graces a presi- der to be "a kind of lizard a quaddential banquet From one end of the ruped without woole furre hall to the other resounded shouts of or haire” making such wool gatherThe wine was entering ing a most hopeless undertaking It laughter was growing Stevens their heads was Marco Polo however who finally He sat two places from the demonstrated gracious that the real president’s right and I saw him bend substance was asbestos asserting at toward him and tell him an amusing the same time that the salamander sulstill sat and story Only Jordans made of this material must be a minlen his little pig's eyes squinting fureral and not a beast tively around him the thin wisps of At one time the salamander had hair plastered down firmly over his another less acceptable power that of bald forehead o’clock Eleven apwhatever it touched anipoisoning before course came last the proached mate or inanimate This tradition did up And then the speeches! not last long and today it is known an illuminating Suddenly thought that this animal is perfectly harmless came to me Why these men were all In truth this batrachian is simply a united against that one Why need small amphibian a lizard resembling wait for the troops? They could they but without scales having a soft effect theirij coup d’etat before those moist skin colored in spots or bands arrived In Its yet it was essential for the of yellow orange or brown success of my enterprise that Gardiner larval early life it has an aquatic should carry out his mission Delay stage but in later life it puts aside was imperative I hurried to the Euch childish things as gills and dechair I could not catch veloping lungs becomes president’s his eye Jordans was scowling at me and behaves like an ordinary reptile No he had For its habitat it chooses dark damp Did ho remember me? turned away carelessly I wrote a places where it leads a quiet peacehurried scrawl: ful life feeding on aquatic worms in"Hold them with your speech until sects and very small animals I drop my napkin They have planned For those interested in a study of their coup for the moment of return- the salamander Dr Leonhard ing thanks and pledging you" has written a paper on three On second thoughts I placed this from Panama and Costa boldly upon a platter and took it to Rica 1857 This paper is publication He opened it read it and put it of the proceedings him of the United Neverthein his pocket nonchalantly States National Museum and deals less when he arose I could see that with two curious tree toads from he watched me closely Panama and a new salamander from When he arose a sense of the awful Costa Rica This modern animal a of the occasion seemed to little over two and a half Inches in solemnity With unlit length has a smooth brown skin pass over the assemblage with downcast eyes they sat somewhat cigars striped in lighter shade a beneath him as he spoke of the mawide flat head and a long cylindrical jesty of the republic the duties of tail Dr Stejneger the author has those at the helm not to let the charge named the new species after the colof the nation’s welfa're fall into the lector C Ficado who discovered it hands of greed and incompetence in La Estrella southeast of Cartoga Then more sternly he rebuked those Costa Rica to obscure who had endeavored the destinies of America His scorn rose Origin of Common Sayings He lashed them with whips of epiHere are a few examples from Basil SteHe all but named them gram "Origins and Meanings of vens grew scarlet under the audacity Hargraye’s The Phrases and Names": of that denunciation Once he half Popular phrase “every man Jack of them” is rose then changed his mind and sat explained of the archaas a president's secretary door “The peat his "I will here tonight" I answered come as a waiter” I hurried away and leaped into the waiting hack which I directed back to the hotel I found old Mr Gardiner We went into a still waiting for me private room and sat down together Then I turned and faced him “You offered up your life in your youth freely in order that the republic might endure” I said “Has old age so deadened you to every generous that you can become the principle sordid tool of such men as Jordans and Stevens to overthrow your country’s liberties?” Gardiner turned pale "What do you know?” he stammered "I know that you half repent tho part assigned to you to play” I answered “I know that overcome by remorse you wrote to your son at the in London him informing embassy public” to take any steps that down him I could not repress the slightest urging again conWhere had I heard might be feasible to preyent this start Gardiner! And all the while I saw the presiwith" name and what did it portend? It templated plan from being executed” dent looking at me as I stood a napkin I could make no rejoinder to this that I said stood "Mr I Gardiner” up was on my arm listening intently against only a few seconds before rememSick and despondent I made my way "the fate of the American republic is brance came back to me the darkness outside Woui j Gardiner Why this back to my hotel I looked at my must be the father of the third secre- In your hands” never come? watch It was past one in the afterI — ” he stammered Lonof American in the tary It could not last much longer They embassy noon In less than twelve hours a “You can save her and only you" who had warned his son of the don had given tongue against him now of the hour hand single revolution “How?” he from the muttered Cries of dissent punctuated his speech bibulous old plot learned the destiny of the nation would have comrade of his boyhood who occupied As I unfolded my plan I told him I saw him cease one lie had spoken been altered And there was no hope the of secretary to the mil- a light of enthusiasm dawned in his moment and glance toward me apposition I heard a boy calling an afternoon lionaire senator Stevens He seemed to shake off the pealingly Then through the darkeyes and bought a copy and newspaper sudto of had become I a sunk low so ness which heard the age again Hope lethargy steady tramp tramp opening it read: "Maneuvers in MaryAll heard it too I land ended General Bramwell will denly flamed up within me It was youth full of noble enthusiasm and of infantry a frantic and desperate patriotic purpose When I had finished dropped my napkin The president sat lead troops past the president tomordown row” But I knew how at nightfall chance just such a chance as had he clasped my hands me often out he of Jaws Then the swear "I I rose I saw the that succeed" and will Jordans the swift and silent march cityward I crossed the room hurcried aged man stand like a rock in the would begin with its ensuing tragedy of danger I beckoned to the old gentlemidst of the assembly an evil smile riedly “Then go like the devil” I answered for American freedom Well I had done everything that I man"Mrto an alcove I Evening was drawing on apace I on his face “I ask you to give three cheers for Gardiner” began hurriedly had staked everything upon the single could do Suddenly the idea came to me to take a steam car out to Laurel "I must have a half hour with you chance: Gardiner’s ability to frustrate the president of this country” he beHe held up his hand naa matter of the most vita? "General the coup d’etat by the means that I gan half way between Washington and upon' Not now In one hour I will be had Baltimore where the troops were in ture suggested to him I ordered the Bramwell who could not be present having ably concluded the It would not avail back and meet you here” camp to see them porter to take my possessions up to tonight in Maryland has brought "But sir sir” he spluttered draw- my room again me yet there was a curious fascinahim and maneuvers followed with him two regiments of infantry to into my evening clothes tion in the idea I wondered whether ing himself up with offended dignity changed Then I descended the officers had yet been told of the "I do not know you sir” the stairs ordered salute our host I ask you to give him this opportune tribute” "I know your Bon” said I and told a hack and was driven to the White whether they would exconspiracy He led the cheering In inducing The sounds the him who be was “It is with relation House but leisurely this time The perience difficulty across from me attracted my attention One of these a old fellow was evidently under the influence of liquor and talking loudly and rather at random while another was endeavoring to quiet him and two more looked on with some concern "I tell you there’ll be something — how’s it go? — toin morrow"' said the old man hiccough"Wasser use of being Stevens’ ing if I don’t know?” "Will you keep your mouth shut?" exclaimed his companion a man evidently of his own age in exasperated tones "No now Gardiner keep replied the drunkard placing his hand “I’m upon the shoulder of the other Goo’ not — going blab ole Gardiner Goo’ ole ReGrand ic “everich” one) into corruption or (everyand then "Hobson’s choice” goes back to the seventeenth century Tobiwho kept a livery stable as Hobson who and at Cambridge England in horses “would only let out his or ‘This strict rotation saying: none’ ” “Mind your P’s and Q s” is sail to be a reference to pint3 and quarts in the old alehouse score and an admonition “not to allow the score to ran too long” “Point blank” was the white spot in the center of the target from the French blanc "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” begins when the bridegroom Mr Cheetin Stox the eminent financier interrupts with: "I don’t remember” of amazeThen seeing the looks ment on the faces of all he realizes where he is and exclaims: “I beg your pardon! For the moment I was thinking about my trial I take her!” — last week Certainly Life the minister |