Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1888 — Page 6

THE QUIET FEAST. A little dingy restaurant, a lounge, some creaking 1 chairs, A (a led painting on the wall of “Ix>ve in Early Sp.iug;" Tet in this musty, ancient den I've oft entombed my cards. And now its grim interior some pleasant inusings bring. This carved initial on the door was sculptured years ago, By one who long has worn the mation’s wedd ng ring; I close my eyes, her features on my musing fancy grow. Again 1 hear her liquid laugh, again I hear her sing. I moat her walking with her brood, tall son^and daughters lair, • A plump and portly maiden (she always loved to dinei. Ar.d when I raise my hat she bows with quto a friendly air— I cen’t believe those haughty lips were ever pressed to mine. And 3'et I cannot help but think, when falls the noisy rain (Our prowlings and our feastings were dons in wintry weathori. This staid and wealthy lady's mind may travel lmck again To that dingy little restaurant where we’ve been blest together. Alas for love platonic, for such a love was ours ; Its motto is inconstancy, ’tiseveron the wing, And the only compensation in pondering on those hours Is, though its life was fitful, it left behind no sting.

A PIECE OF PUMPKIN PIE.

A Thanksgiving Story.

BY SIDNEY KNOX.

In a down-town restaurant in Chicago John Gilmore sat at dinner. With a very discontented expression of countenance he was “jabbing” with his fork a piece of pumpkin pie which he had just ordered, seemingly determined that that particular piece should never know another victim. His thoughts ran somewhat on this wise: “Call that pumpkin pie! A yel- ! low skin over a piece of soggy dough!” Then, Ihrough the association of ideas, JiisAfercmghts turned to that home in Omo where his mother, at this season of the year, always served daily the luscious pie, rich as new milk, fresh eggs and golden pumpkin could make it. But that home was broken up, and all its inmates scattered; none of the numerous kinfolk near the old place but Aunt Sally Penrose, while he, after Jen years of struggle in this modern Babylon—Chicago—at the age of thirty, was only just beginning to catch a ,glimpse of the way to fortune; famelie never expected, Then his mind rejverted to the stabbed pie, and he said .to himself, for he never condescended !to scold waiters about things for which Ithey were not responsible, being a gentleman: “I can’t eat this; it’s more |than human stomach can endure. I believe I will go back to Brookville and Isee the old place and dear old Aunt Hally. Next week is Thanksgiving, land I can manage to get oft' two or .three days,/ I’ll never marry until I ' >citn find a woman who can make pumpr Skin pies as my mother could.” With a final critical glance at the offending food, he took his hat and departed. That evening he wrote to his iaunt telling her of his intended visit, ;and in due time received a reply so [kind and cordial that it warmed his irather lonely heart and touched his for not having gone before. * * * * *

v Thanksgiving morning John Gilmore !waa wakened by the unwonted sound of crowing cocks and lowing cows. For a few moments he was dazed, then he remembered that the night before he had reached Brookville, had been met at the station uncle James and taken to the, farm on the edge of the little village, had sat late talking to his aunt, and Anally, when suugly onseonsed between the white sheets, had fallen into such a dreamless sleep as he had not known in years. After breakfast Aunt Sally said: "John, it’s union service to-day, and will be held in the Methodist Church. Our preacher will preach— the Presbyterian. You’ll go, won’t you?” John hesitated, and then said, “Yes.” He had some thought of taking a long walk through the leafless wood, where in boyhood he had known every nook and corner. The day was so bright, the air so crisp, that it was a great piece of self-denial to give it up. But, as he had to stay till the fast express Sunday night, he concluded to spend an orthodox Thanksgiving preaching, dinner, and all. He hadn't heard any old-fashione'd preaching lately. To be sure, he had every Sunday heard Pi'olessor Rope discuss ilia questions, political and secular, which had interested the public during the preceding week, but, barring the text, it bora very little relation to its antiquated relative, the “gospal sermon.” Arrived at the church, he found himself seated well up in front. His aunt bowed and smiled to many; he saw no familiar face. His manhood had been employed in the great struggle for foothold, so that his old friends had been dropped, and he had not formed many new acquaintances. In this atmosphere of homely, cheery friendliness lie lelt like an intruder. Just back of the preacher was seated the choir, coml>osed of the members of all the different churches in the village, He was pleased with the sensation of interest the pretty, fresh faces of the girls gave him. He joined in the singing of “Coronation” and other old hymns, and listened to the sermon, apparently as interested as any one there. It was a simple effort, suited to the occasion and the hearers, but, by its absence of 'pretension, it refreshed”him. At tlje close a, general hand-shaking was indulged in ; and he was introduced to many persons Who had known, his father and mother. “John,” said Aunt Sallyq “it’s our turn this year to go to, Mrs. Grav’s to lujiya-. Jf f take year about”’ the

Grays, Steels, and our folks: so, if you will, you may just walk over with the other young folks through the meadow and we will take Uncle Billy Gregg home in your place. I was so flurried last night I forgot to tell you.” John, when he found it was an established custom, made no demur, but said: “Certainly, aunt. I would be delighted to walk through the meadow, but you must introduce me to my companions. I don't know them, even by sight.” “To be sure yon don't!” exclaimed Aunt Sally. “Ruth, lluth,” she called, and a nice, quiet-looking girl stepped forward and said, holding oat her hand: “How do you do, Aunt Sally? You are going over to dinner, aren't you? Mother is expecting you.” “Oh, yes; but here, I want to introduce you to my nephew, John Gilmore. John, this is llulh Gray. It is to her house we are going,” she explained to him; “she will take care of you, and make you acquainted with the other young folks.” John, who was unaccustomed to the society of young ladies, instead of m iking complimentary speeches about her guardianship, bowed gravely, and walked by her side across the road to the big gate which led into the meadow. He opened it and let her through, and found himself, with her, following a small procession, which proved to he the “other young folks.” lluth at first felt sliy of him, as he was a city man, hut soon concluded he was bashful; and then, being naturally kind-hearted, set herself to entertaining him by talking of the sermon, the weather, and other commonplace topics, until they reached the old-fashioned farm-house. The dinner was a brave affair. The guests, some twen'y or thirty, sat at one long table, graced with turkey, of course, cranberry sauce, potatoes, white and light as a snow-mound, half a dozen kin Is of vegetables, stands of plumy celery, luscious jelly, preserves of every kind, and cakes; in fact, all the prodigal, profusion of a country Thanksgiving dinner. To John the crowning glory was a goodly array of pumpkin pies which graced the sideboard. Ruth, with two of her young friends, waited on them all, handing the coffee, heaping the plates, and cutting the pie. This last operation John watched with interest, for pumpkin pie cannot be out properly by a careless hand. Ruth cut it with two quick strokes, leaving a clean edge of delicious custard and an unbroken crust. After the repast John, \yhose reserve had thawed under the influence of flip good things of which he had partaken, said to Mrs. Gray: “You must let me thank you for that delicious pumpkin pie. It was as good as my mother’s, and that is the highest praise I could bestow.”

.. Mrs. Gray looked pleased and said : ‘*l’m glad you liked it. Ruth made it; she was up at five o’clock so as to have them fresh. She says if there is anything detestable it is a pumpkin pie with crust soaked till it is soggy.” The older folks had assembled in the parlor, but the younger people who had eaten remained in the dining-room for the fun of waiting on the “waiters,” which John soon discovered, and thought he would like to try. He found his wav back, and was soon busy filling the plate of Ruth, whom he had elected to serve, so full that she laughed and said: “Mr. Gilmore, you must have a great opinion of my powers of digestion.” He looked a little teased as he contemplated the pyramid lie had just constructed, took the vacant seat at her side and said to her: “I thought you might have an appetite; making pies at six o’clock in the morning is hungry work.” “Did mother tell you that?” she asked:

“No; I asked her, in a manner.” “I had my breakfast afterwards,” said Ruth, “but you may bring me a piece o: pie now, if you please.” He went to the sideboard to do her bidding. As ill luck would have it, there was none cut, so he took the knife in liis unskillful hand and held fast to the plate, but not to the pie, which went slipping to the fiorr spattering him well in its descent. Ruth, who had been watching him, saw the mishap, which none of the others had noticed, came quickly to the rescue, and soon had the pie deftly cleaned up and in the kitchen, where she indulged in the laugh, which her po iteness and sympathy for his discomfiture forbade, and no one the wiser.

“You miv be a good lawyer, but you are a poor butler,” remarked Rutli. * The rest of the afternoon was spent in walking about the fields, eat ng nuts and drinking cider around the fire. But the best part of the day was the evening, for it was the custom of these good people to stay till ten o’clock. The long kitchen was cleared, and every one, old and young, played games—“ Puss in the Corner,” “Blind Man’s Butt',” and such like. Ruth was blindfolded. Such scampering and giggling, as she dashed wildly around the room! With arms uplifted, she brought them down on the shoulders of John, who, to tell the truth, made no great effort to escape. With on 9 hand she clasped his heck affectionately, while the other slid down his nose till it struck his mustache. This sbttled thd question of his identity, as he was the only person present so adorned. With her hand still unconsciously about his neck, she took the* bandage off her while he, with an audacity new to him, said, softly, “A delightful situation, if it could only last longer.” Ruth, becoming conscious of it, blushed brightly and withdrew her hand. ,“Tu?udaround; you are caught; have to be ‘it,’ ” quoth Ruth.

“Yes, and by you,” he softly answered, as he tuned to have the handkerchief b mnd over his eyes, enjoying the sensation of making a pretty girl blush, and his own uewly acquired boldness. The nex( day, as in duty bound, John called on his lata hostess, found Ruth at home, and persuaded her to walk with him through the leafless woods, which, to a true lover of nature, are almost as pleasurable as in their early loafing. He showed her where he had played in his boyhood, told her oj liis childish pranks, and something of his present mode of life. In the inter change of confidences she told him that she taught in the little white school lious' at the forks of the Madisonvill * road: of her experiences at Norm il School, and of her home life. In tiiat one short afternoon they learned more of each other’s tastes and habits thai; they could have done in a dozen casual meetings. On their return John had obtained Ruth’s premise to go with him to the old red bridge, the scene of many p former fishing bout. On Sunday John dutifully went to. church, where he saw Ruth in the choir and, as it sat just back of the preacher, he got great credit for paying strict attention to the sermon. At the close he walked again with heo through the meadow, and, c*n parting at her own door, thus addressed her: “Who would think we met for the first time only three days ago? It seems to me I’ve known you a year.” “And I you,” rejoined Ruth, holding out her hand in parting. “As you’ll not come in—good-by.” If kissing hands had not been so long obsolete that hand would have received a goodly number, but John contented himself with a squeeze, painful to Ruth,, hut borne heroically. That night, aa the midnight train whistled at the station, one sweet country maiden said to herself: “I wonder if I will ever see him again. ” And then, having formed this good habit, fell soundly asleep among her pillows. And John, the long night through, made plans to see her again, till the train drew into the station at Chicago, and business replaced sentiment.

A few days later Ruth received by mail a letter and small package. The package proved to be a book; the letter, an apology for sending the former. John wrote: “I saw r this little look, and the poem where the leaf is turned dowii reminded me so strongly of our delightful walks together that I ventured to send it. Will you assure me of your forgiveness by one line, telling me you received it ?” The poem was Lucy Larcom’s “ November.” The first verse of it brought smilqip and blushes to Ruth's face:

"Who said Novemhar’s face was grim? Who said her voice was h ivdh and sad ? 1 heard her sing iii wood-paths dim, I mot hor on the shore, so glad, so smiling, I could kiss her feet! There never was a uicnth so sweet.” The letter of |j)rgiveness was duly sent, daintily seated with wax showing the “Forget me not,” above the initials “R. G.” This injunction John followed sc faithfully that the mail at Brookville increased to such an extent that it has hopes of becoming a fourtli-class office. Before the “frost was on the punkin” the next year Ruth was mistress of a cozy flat in Chicago, and John the head of that same establishment.

David Barker in School.

A writ3r in the Portland Transerlp] tells of a visit by the late David Barker to the public school in Exeter, Me. The poet-lawyer was ona of the “School Committee,” an institution well known in New England. He did not manifest much interest until the class in mental arithmetic was called. Then, says the narrative, his eye 3 kindled, his interest was aroused; and when the grammar class recited, lie said, “I want to be a school-boy again.” He took a seat with us, and parsed with us, declining the verbs and so forth. Wc all enjoyed it very much. When all was through, and Mr. Barker arose to make some remarks, he took up the little Mental Arithmetic, held it in his extend ed hand, and these were the words he said:

“I liave lived over this aflernoon some of the hapj iest remembrances ot my school-days. When a boy my father was very poor, and had a large family. We lived in a log house. The ownership of books was quite out of the question: so one of a kind answered for all, and our whole soul yearned for learning. This particular time < f which I speak, at the commencement of the term, the teacher held up in his hand, as I do this, a Mental Arithmetic. ‘ Whoever bears the best examination in this study at the close of the term,’ baid he, ‘shall have this book.’ Such a prize, to me, was never offered before nor since. A rivalry at once sprung up. Our whole school worked hard for it, but it was soon to be seen it stood between my brother Lewis and myself. The day came at last; brother Lewis drew the prize; he was quicker in figures than I, while I took more to grammar. Bitter tears I shed.” While He pathetically related this little incident of his early life, the unbidden tears coursed their way down his cheeks. The same brother LeAvis has been prominent as a lawyer aud a politician in Maine.

Chauncey Depew says: “Evaids once sent a donkey up to his Windsor farm in Vermont. A week afterward he received the following letter from his little grandchild: ‘Deab Gkandpa— The little donkey is very gentle, but he makes a big noise nights. He is very lonesome. I guess he misses you. I hope you will come up soon; then he won’t bo i lonesome. Minnie.’ VJEIi Parkins’ letter.

BEAUTIFUL AND DARING

DASHING FEMALE HORSE-THIEVES IN KANSAS—ELECTION NE rt S. Two Handsome Blondes Successfully Operate as Queens of the Road Election News—A Gigantic Plan to Recover Missouri River Lands. Two female horse-thieves, Ida Weston and Emma Mentry, incarcerated in jail at Hutchinson, Kansas, have made their escape. The Sheriff of Hamilton County was in Newton, Kansas, on other business at the time, and had left the keys to the jail in the Opera Hotel. Some one who must havo been perfectly familiar with the hotel got the keys, let the female thieves out, and then returned the keys to the diawer in which they had been locked up. It is several weeks since these daring queens of the road earned extended notoriety by their bold attempt to steal a vehicle and team of horses. They had been stealing horses for a year, having run off thirteen horses, including two splendid animals from Hntchinson. Large rewards had been offered, but until this attempt to steal a carriage with the horses they had successfully eluded the officers. The girls are of a dashing type, both blondes and handsome. Ida is the daughter of a Philadelphia minister, and Emma claims to be the daughter of a wholesale clothing dealer in Boston. They stood confinement in the jail with an assumption of “don’t care” which would have done honor to the mo.st hardened frontier horse-thief.

HOW THEY VOTED.

Official Returns from Connectlcnt and Other States. The official canvass of the vote of Connecticut gives Cleveland (Dem.), 74,920; Harrison (Rep.), 74,584; Fisk (Pro.), 4,234; Streeter (Labor), 240; Cleveland’s plurality, 336. The vote for Governor: Morris (Dem.), 75,074; Bulkeley (Rep.), 73,659; Camp (Pro.) 4,631; Andrews (Labor) 263; scattering, 21; Morris’ plurality, 1,415. No one has a majority of the total vote, as required by law, and the Legislature will elect Bulkeley and the other candidates on the Republican State ticket. The Congressional delegation: Simmonds (Bep.), Russel and Miles (Rep.), Wilcox (Dem.). Miles’ plurality is 26. The entire returns from all the counties in Pennsylvania give almost 1,000,000 votes as follows: Hurrison, 526,091; Cleveland, 446,200; Fisk, 20,748; Streeter (Labor), 3,865. Total (including scattering votes), 997,224. plurality is 79,571; Harrison’s majority over all is 54,958. The official count makes the vote of Kansas for President: Harrison, 182,502; Cleveland, 102,541; Streeter, 36,236; Fißk, 6,452; plurality for Harrison, 79,961. For Governor Humphrey received 179.968 votes; Martin, 106,959; Humphrey’s plurality. 73,009. Following are the official returns of the vote of Virginia: Cleveland, 151,977; Harrison, 150,442; Cleveland’s majority, 1,535.

BERENICE CHOUTEAU DEAD.

The First White Woman of Kansas City Passes Away. Mrs. Berenice Chouteau died at the residence of her daughter-in-law in Kansas City, Mo. She was 87 years of age and thf'first white woman that ever lived in Kansas City. Her death was the result of the infirmities of old age. Mrs. Chouteau was, perhaps, the most noted historical character of Kansas City. She was the link connecting the past with the present. Mrs. Chouteau was the daughter of Co). Peter Menard, first Territoriil Governor of Illinois. Her father was unusually wealthy, and pave her every advantage that could be" had in their heme at Kaskaskia. In 1819, at the early age ot 18, she was married to Francis C. Chouteau. Their bridal trip consisted of a journey up the Missouri River to the Black Snake Hills, where St. Joseph was afterward founded. Twoyerrs later Mr. Chouteau again i scended the river >in company with his wife, this time to establish a tr> ding post of the American Fur Company. The post was established at Randolph, on the south bank of the river. In the flood of 1826 the log houses were washed away, and new stores were afterward built at the foot of Troost avenue and two miles above Argentine, on the bank of the Kaw. Mr. Chouteau made a Govemmeit entry of 1,20) acres of land in the East Bottoms, where be built the only steamboat landing at that point. This was washed away in 1841. As the years passed, Mr. Chouteau proved himself a successful man of business and amassed a fortune. He died about two ye»rs ago. Bix children have preceded her to the grave, and no survivor of her family remains. After the death of her husband Mrs. Chouteau, at the earnest so icitatiou of friendß, instituted numerous lawsuits to recover a dower light in valuable real estate in the West Bottoms of Kansas City. A few weeks since it was discovered by Judge Phillips that the widow had forfeited her righsc because of the statute of limitations.

M’COOK’S GIGANTIC PLAN.

A Scheme to Divert tlio Missouri’s Course and Reclaim Valuable Bands. General McCook, of Foit' Leavenworth, Kan., is engineering a gigantic scheme for the improvement of £he Missouri River at the fort, and fbo consequent salvage of thousands of acres of bottom land lyiug opposite Leavenworth. Just above ” the fort the river makes a straight eastern bend of over a mile and a quarter, and, turning south and west again, makes a gigantic turn like a capital U. The Missouri side of this bend has been badly cut for years, aud the Rock Island Railway has moved its road a mile inland to avoid the wrter. Acre after acre of valuable land has fallen into the river. Gen. McCook will soon ask permission of the Secretary of War to use the prison labor to cut a canal at the base of the bend. He estimates that with the use of the military convicts he can, in two months, open up this canal to a depth of feet the entire length of its baso, and Avili, Avith the aid of the spring floods, straighten out the course of the river. The Avork will be of incalculable benefit to Leavemvorth.

Important Railroad Decision.

The Indiana Supreme Court has affirmed the decision of the Porter County Circuit Court in a case appealed by the Chicago and Atlantic Railroad. Judge Elliot ruled: Where a railroad company obtains a, right of way through a farm, and in consideration of the grant agrees to erect and maintain a secure fence, it is bound to pay for ani uals killed by its trains in cases where the animals enter npon the track through the fault of the company in failing to fence the crossing in accordance with the terms of tbe contract. It is not necessary to a recovery that the plaintiff shall prove that gate at the crossing was not left open by him or by a wrong-doer. This is a matter of defense. The plaintiff need only prove the contract, the breach, and the resulting loss.

THE PUBLIC FINANCES.

UNITED STATES TREASURER JAMES XV. HYATTS ANNUAL REPORT. Exciting Times in West Virginia Over the Late Election Both Parties Allege I'raurl The German Reichstag Opened Minor News. [Washington (D. C.) special ] United States Treasurer James W. Hyatt, in his annual report says: The net revenues of the Government for the fiscal year ended June 20. 18t8. were $379,266,074, and the net expenditures $267.924,801; the surplus receipts avail vble for the reduction of the public debt being slll.341.273. an increase of $7,870,176 over the year before. As compared with 1887 the revenues were $7,862,797 greater, and the expenditures $7,378 less. The Treasury balance increased during the vear from $69,224,379 to $129,804,242, und total assets, including certificates of deposit, from $622,304,284 to $764,729,535. The net change of $60,579,863 in the balance was produced by an increase of $37,526,468 in assets and a decrease 6f $23,053,394 in liabilities. The silver balance fell off more than $27,000,010. The principal increase of assets was in United States notes and deposits iu national banks, and the principal decrease of liabilities in the public debt and the funds for the redemption of national bank notes. There was a net decrease of $74,788,920 in the principal of the interest-bearing debt. The total purchases of bonds lor the sinking fund and out of surplus revenues were $51,464,300, the net premium paid, exclusive of accrued interest, being $8,270,842. Under the circular of Aug. 3, 1887,interest, amounting to $2,136,839 on 4 and 4% per cent, bonds was prepaid with a rebate 'at the rate of 2 per cent, per annum. The amount of the rebate was $9,259. Taking into account the decrease of the amount in the Treasury, the total increase of the circulation was $29,901,143. There were issued $105,896,000 of silver certificates, and $21,947,378 were redeemed. The amount outstanding increased from $145,543,150 to $229,491,772. The increase in the actual circulation was $58,431,707. The net proceeds of the national bank notes redeemed during the year were $98,246,723. The redemptions were $11,000,000 greater than those of the preceding year, in the face of a reduction of $56,500,000 in the two years in the amount outstanding, and greater in proportion to the circulation than those of every year save two since 1879. The redemptions from 5 per cent, funds were $43,379,185, and those from the funds for the retirement of circulatfon $50,163,957. The latter fund excited much concern early in the year. On July 8, 1888, it stood at $107,827,754, the 'highost point it has over reached. From that time it declined to $91,952,843 by the end of the fiscal year. The net deposits during the year were $44,123,883 v of which $766,585 was for the retirement of the circulation of banks in liquidation or in the hands of receivers, $24,543,501 for the reduction of the circulation of banks in active existence, and $lB,813,797 for the retirement of old notes, to be replaced by new issues of the same amount. It is expected that the balance in this fund will continue to decrease. The expense of bank-note redemption was $141,141. and the rate of cost $1.52 297-1,000 per SI,OOO redeemed.

TURBULENT WEST VIRGINIA.

Great Excitement Over the Recent Election—Both Parties Crying Fraud. [Wheeling dispatch.l There is much excitement in West Virginia caused by the closeness ’of the election. Both Democratic and ♦’Republican papers cry fraud. Tlio Intelligencer, the Republican organ of the State, of aims that most outrageous frauds were committed in the recount of the First Congressional Disgressiongl District, where Atkinson’s (Rep.) apparent majority of nearly 100 has been cut down to 9. The Register (Don.) defends the commissioners in their actions and charges the most barefaced frauds in the back counties. All sides acknowledge that Goff (Rep.) is elected Governor on the face of the returns, but the Democrats insist that they will contest every inch of the ground and will investigate the charges made against the Republicans in the baek counties. . * One thing is sure. The vote in the State from one end to the other has increased in the past year much more rapidly than the population. In Wheeling there was an increase in the vote of over 1,000, while the school census taken a few months since shows a very small increase in population. In 1884 the Republican vote in McDowell County was 193 and this fall it is returned at 522. In Mercer County the face of the returns shows an increase of over 900 since 1884. Very few people believe this increase legitimate. It is claimed that the Democratic managers in that part of the State have the names of seventy-six negroes who are registered voters at Pocahontas. Va., who voted at Elkliorn, in McDowell County, and subsequently atrßramwell. in Mercer County. It is also claimed that hundreds of negroes who were brought into the State from Old Virginia within the last four months to work on the Norfolk and Western Railroad were taken to the polls and voted. The campaign excitement has not died out here in the slightest degree, and people hurrah for their favorites day and night. On the street ears, the ferryboats, and at the theaters the chief subject of conversation is the state of affairs in West Virginia.

THE EMPEROR CHEERED.

The German Emperor Opens the lioichstag; and Makes a Favorably Iteceived Speech. [Berlin telegram.] The Gorman Reichstag has reassembled, and Emperor William opened the session in person. In relation to East African affairs, lie said: "The settlements in Africa are a matter of interest to Germany, In tile task of winning Africa to Christian morality fricndlyEugland and its Parliament had recognized a century ago that they must begin by repressing the trade in negroes and slave-hunting, I therefore first arrived at an entente with England and began negotiations with other friendly powers. Measures in the Reichstag will follow.” With reference to foreign relations he said: “Our relations with all foreign powers are peaceful. My efforts have been unceasing to strengthen this peace. The finance with Austria and Italy lias no other object. To brine, without necessity, the miseries even of a victorious war upon Germany would be incompatible with my Christian faith and my duties toward the German peoole. Acting thus I considered it my duty shortly after my accession to the throne to personally greet not only my allies but also, and in the first place, the friendly neighboring monarchs in order to seek an understanding with a view to the fulfillment of the task that God has 63t before me in securing to our people the blessings of peace and prosperity as far as lies in our power. The confidence extended to me and my policy at all the courts which I have visited justifies the hope that I and my allies and friends, with God’s help, will be able to preserve the peace of Europe.” The Emperor was frequently interrupted by Varm applause while he was reading his speech. The passages referring to the peaceful situation, the improvement in trade, and social legislation were especially applauded