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nygSZa' AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 1
"Vol. "V. 1V3AV 33 loom field, rXVlti,y, 3Xixy O, 1871. TNo. lO.
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At New IJloomfleld, Tcnn'a.
11Y
FRANK MORTIMER.
' BCBSCIlirTION TEKM8.
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Parker's Private Secretary.
TIllIK story I am about to tell relates to
J nn incident in tlio hisioiy of England
which in but little known, and which you
will not find in books, but one which never
theless had a great effect on her destinies.
About tho beginning of this century,
whilo tho Revolutionary wars void raging,
communication in cipher was naturally
very prevalent ; and ingenuity was taxed to
the utmost on ono hand to invent, and on
tho other to detect tho medium used in
secret correspondence As a rule, tho de
cipher had beaten the cipher, and no known
method was sccuro of detection. If con
ventional signs merely wero used, the re
currence of tho different symbols gavo a
key easily followed out. Somo ingenious
spirits correspond by reference to tho pages
and lines of particular editions of books
methods, although they might preserve the
socret,disclosed what was often quite as dan
gerous, that there was a secret. I am about
to tell you of a plan which lor a long time
was not only undetected but unsuspected.
It was at that tirao when the first Na
poleon had assembled his fleet and trans
ports at Brest, with tho ostensible and is
generally believed the rail view, of making
a descent on England. Tho greatest pre
cautions wero observed by tho English
government in regard to correspondence
from France, and an amount of espoinago
was practiced at tho post ofltco, which left
Sir James Graham's subsequent perfor
mances iu that line fur behind. Tho
national excitement was intense, and tho
political departments of tho government
wero administered with an iron sway.
My uncle, Sir Georgo Trevor, was, as tho
world then knew, high in tho Admiralty
and as it was from him that I heard this
anecdote, Its veracity may be depended on.
The despatches to and from the Admiralty
were the subject of the gravest vigilance,
and tho most stringent regulations. Tho
clerks wero not permitted to send or receive
letters which were not first submitted to
the chief clerk ; and it was believed that
letters addressed even to private residences
were frequently opened at the post office.
At the time I speak of, the chief clerk
was an elderly man of the name of Parker
a wizened, wiry, dapper individual, so Im
bued with the official tincture of Whitehall
that it had become socond nature to him.
lie lived and breathed and thought and
slept solely for tho Admiralty, and knew no
other pleasure or care.' IIo was withal a
genial and kindly soul, keen and energetic
in the affairs of his office, and in all others
a mere child.
IIo bad assumed as his private seoretary
a young fellow by tho name of Beaumont,
who was one of the most promising subor
dinates in the establishment. He was
modest and unassuming, very good-looking,
with a countenance and an air' suggestive
of depression and melancholy. He was
evidently of good education, and probably
well born also,. for his manners were easy
and indicatud good breeding. Ho was a
native of Jersey, and had been intioduced
to tho notice of the Admiralty authorities
by some uuiuentiai member or rarllament.
He was much liked In the office and dis
charged his duties to perfection.
One morning Parker presented himself
before my uncle with a visago pale with
woe and trembling with excitement.
" Why, what is the matter, Parker? Has
Bonaparte come ?"
"He may have, for aught I know," said
Parker. "Tilings are all wrong, Bir
George 1"
"What is wrong?"
" The letters are wrong. Thore is a spy
among us. I havo known it for a long time,
now I am quite sure ; but I cannot find him
out."
Parker went on to explain that he hud
for some time suspected that some one In
the office communicatsd their private in
formation and despatches outside. Ho
had redoubled his precautions ; but more
than ever confirmed in his suspicions ; was
entirely baffled in his endeavors to deteot
the oulprit.
"But P;uker," said my uncle, J'liow do
you como to bo so sure that your secrets
have transpired?"
" By the funds, Bir Georgo. They an
swer to tho news as surely as the bell down
stairs answers to tho bell-ropo. I find them
going up and down as if thoy wero silting
in the oflioe," said Parker, personifying
tho stock exchange for a moment.
Havo all tho letters to tho clerks been
examined strictly."
' Yes ; I read them all myself-"
"Find nothing in them?"
"Mighty little. Bomo nro from homo
and some from friends ; but most of them
from sweethearts," said Parker, twisting
his faco into a grim smile, and funny things
they say in them.
"And tho young men's letters. Aro thoy
funny, too?"
"They aro moro careful liko, ns they
know I am to see them ; but Lord save you,
sir, they aro all stuff; not a ha'porth of
harm in them."
"This matter must he seen to," said
my uncle ; I havo had my own misgivings
on tho samo subject. Bring mo all the
letters which come to and aro sent by the
clerks for tho next week. Thcro is no
reason why you should havo all tho funny
things to yourself."
So my undo had tho letters for a week,
and found them very much such as Parker
had described thorn. Tho suspicious sym
toms increased ; tho slock exchange re
sponded more sensitively than ever ; but not
tho slightest ground for suspecting any ono
transpired. My uuelo was bewildered, and
Parker was rapidly verging to insanity.
" It is certainly not tho clerks," said my
uncle. "Thcro is no reason thcro," said
he, pushing hack tho letters of tho day.
" By tho way, how does young Bennot get
on ? Sho seems a nico creature, thut siater
of his, to judgo by hor letters."
" Ho is tho best haud in the office, by a
long sight, and his sister is a very lady-liko
creature Thoy are orphans, poor things,
and he supports her out of his aslary. Sho
called at the ollico two months ago, and I
gavo him leave to see hor for. a few mo
ments in my room. But ho knew it was
against tho rules, and has not seen her hero
again."
"isut what aro wo to do' said my
uncle. " I think I will speak to the First
Lord."
Bo ho spoke to tho First Lord, who
thought the affair serious enough.
" It must be in tho letters," said he.
" It cannot be in the letters," said my
undo.
" As you ploase," said tho chief; "but,
although you cannot And it thoro perhaps
another can. I would try an export."
My uncle had no faith in exports or Bow
street runners, and mistrusted them. But
he could not refuse to try the cxporimeut.
So tho most experienced decipherer in
Loudon was summoned into council, and to
him the letters of tho day were secretly
submitted.
Ho read them all very carefully, looked at
them in the light and looked at the light
through them. At last he threw them all
aside, excepting one from Elinor Beaumont
" Who is the lady that writes this?" said
the taciturn man of skill at last.
"A very sweet young woman," said
Parker smartly; "sister of my prviate
secretary,"
" Docs sho writo often?"
" Yes ; sho is his only correspondent, and
writes about twice a week."
" Whore does she live?"
"She lives In Jersey, Beaumont told mo.
Their father was in business there."
"And does she always write about the
samo sort of things aunt's rheumatism,
picnics, squire's tea parties, and the like ?"
"Much tho same, excepting when sho
speaks of Beaumont himself." 1
"Hum !" said the expert.
"Well, sir," said my uncle who was
rather impatient of the njan of skill's pom,
posity, "and what may Mium' mean?
Have the young woman and her aunt's
lheumatism done the mischief?"
"Hum ! She dates from Fleet street?"
" And why should should sho not ditto
from Fleet street?"
" I should bo sorry to prevent hor," said
the unmoved philosopher. " Has this cor
respondence continued long ?"
" Oh, yes a couple of years or so, but not
nearly so regularly as lately."
" For how long regularly ?" '
" About two mouths."
" That Is, about the time wheu you Mint
suspected the betrayal of confidence?"
" Iteally, my friend, if you can't soo
further into a millstone than that, you may
give up the profession," said my undo.
" Take my word for it, the Beaumonts have
nothing to do with it. Rubbish I"
" Hum !" And with that the man of
skill took his hat and departed, saying ho
would return in two days, howovor, it was
flvo beforo ho camo back, and was closeted
with my uncle and Parker, with whom he
had fallen in great disfavor. ,
"Wonts to mako a job," said tho latter
is a regular humbug."
" Sir George," said the regular humbug,
" has Beaumont a locked dosk in his room?,,
" Yes, sir," said Parker, " ho has."
" Have you a key which will open it?"
" I havo and what of that?"
"I wish to havo that desk opened with
out his knowledge, and the contents
brought tome."
" And on what pretense," said my uncle,"
do you propose to put this insult on a man
against whom therois no reasonable ground
of suspicion, and who has not been nllow
cd to speak for himself?"
"Tliero need bo no insult for he will
know nothing of it ; neither will any ono
else."
" I will not permit it, sir."
" Hum ! Then I can do no moro in the
business.
"But," said Parker, whoso official notion
mado him unwilling to break off tho nego
tiations in this manner, "what pretence
havo you for doing this to Beaumont a ml
not to the other clerks 1'
"Shall I tell you? Tliero is no such per
sons as Elinor Beaumont, and tho address
in Fleet street is a notorious haunt of shs
pected foreigners."
" Good gracious !" said my uncle, chang
ing color, "you don't say that?"
"It is tho fact ; but you will seo tho ne
cessity of being cautious and silent in tho
matter. Dotcclion hangs on a thread, as
it stands, and a whisper Mill break it."
" What do you mean," said Parker,
"about Elinor Beaumont? I havo seen
her."
" Thcro is no Elinor Beaumont in Jersey.
I sont nnd have ascertained tho fact."
"I am sure there is soma mistako about
nil this, which Beaumont can clear up. Lot
us sond for him."
"If you do tho gamo is up. I trust, in
fact, ho doos not know of my visits. Wo
cannot be too cautious in this matter I"
"Pedantio ass, " muttcrod my undo;
but I supposo we had better givo him his
own way. it you moot i'arkcr and mo
here at sevon to-night, we shall have this
wonderful desk opened, and your great dis
coveries shall be mado."
They met again that evening. Tho
desk was opened by Parker, and a bundlo
of letters, carefully packed up, all from
Elinor Beaumont, and a quantity of circu
lars, playbills, and shop receipts were hand
ed to the expert. '
That gentleman read through the letters,
and seemed much struck by the last.
"Bead that," said he, handing it to my
uncle. As the letter is important, I give it
entire :
120 Fleet Street, Sept. 24, 1803.
My Dear Chahi.es Although we had
an adverse wind au trie way, we made
without difficulty the port wo were
bound for. My aunt, iu spite of the weight
of her fifty years, enjoyed the trip much
and is ready to sail again. I hope you will
think of Bending the line you promised on
the 25th, and come yourself, as our party
is now much smaller, and we should enjoy
the visit. When I was In London lost
week I saw your cousin Harry, fresh from
Windsor. There is but little change to be
observed in him, not bb much as you would
expect. Come to us on Friday.
' Yours very affectionately,
Elinor B. .
My undo read this out loud, from begin
ning to end, and then ho said s "Do you
see anything suspicious in that ? It seems
to be very innocent."
"Humph I It maybe' Was there any
thing else in the desk ?" said he, address
ing Parker. '
"You may go and look," growled that
potentate ; and he led the way, the export
following. ' "
The desk was quite empty, with the ex
ception of two or three scraps of paper.
On one of these the expert pounced, and
returned with an air of elation to tho other
room. He then unfolded this scrap of pa
per, disclosed a half shoot exactly the size
of the paper on which Elinor Beaumont's
letters were written, in which oblong boles
at intervals had been cut
Ho then placed this half-sheet over tho
letter, and handed both, thus placed, to my
undo, whose astonished eyes read the fol
lowing words, which the holos left visible.
"Fleet wind-bound. Fifty sail of the line.
Twunty-flve smaller. Should the wind
change, expect us on Friday." ' 1
"The dovll I" said my uncle ; "and Nel
son ordered off to the West Indies."
Then was thore, as you may suppose,
hurrying and scurrying, and running and
cunning, and despatching of government
couriers, and semaphore telegraphs, ond
carrier pigeons and all the old world moans
of communication then In fashion. Tho
key thus obtained disclosed tho wholo cor
respondence, which turned out to bo a con
nected scries of letters from the French
government, smuggled into Jersey. Tho
rest history knows ; the .intended invasion
was abandoned and Napoleon went else
where. "But what put you on tho scent?" asked
my undo afterwards, with many apologies
to tho expert.
" I suspected tho trick from tho first, al
though it was a very good specimen of it.
Tho letters wero too innocent and had too
littlo point in thorn. But they wero dono
with admirablo skill. Tho grammar was
complete ; and tho littlo dots or marks
which bunglers use to guido them in wri
ting tho words which are to be read were
entirely absent. Tho way in which tho de
ception is effected is this : Tho correspon
dence, beforo commencing, take a sheet of
paper nnd cut holes iu it, which, of com so,
in tho two half sheets exactly correspond.
They each tako ono half sheet, and when
tho letter is to bo written, tho writer so ar
ranges tho words that thoso intended to bo
read shall appear in tho holes when tho
half sheet is placed over the paper, which
is of tho samo size When his correspond
ent receives his letter, ho places his half
sheet over it and reads tho words ns you
did. The difficnlty, which was well con
quered in this case, is to mako the senso
ran fluently and to prevent any visihlo
break in tho writing. Without tho half
sheet with tho holes in it, no ono can havo
tho slightest clew to tho real meaning.
" My suspicions, once aroused, were con
firmed by the- inquiries which I made.
Tho wholo story about tho sister was a
fabrication. ,t Tho letters did come from
Jersey, tho answers went to Fleet street, to
the chargo of very notorious foreign agents.
But if our friend had not been fool enough
to leave his half sheet iu his dosk, wo
might have groped in vain for tho mystery.
Beaumont disappeared that night, and
was never heard of again at tho Admiralty.
It transpired afterward that somo accom
plice had warned him of tho export's visit
to tho Admiralty, and hid enquirios iu Jer
sey. He had made au attempt to got ad
mittance to his room, but was scared by
the sounds he hoard, and contrived to so
escape to France. The lady who acted
the sister, and who visited tho Admiralty,
partly to put tho authorities off their guard
and probably also to interchange tho key
to tho cipher, was a Parisian celebrity who
both before and afterward was renowned
for daring in political intrigue.
THE MERBYsifcl?iOK BLITZ.
QIGXOn BLITZ, tho eminent magician
KJ whose fame is national, has just pub
lished a book entitled " Fifty years iu tho
Magio Circlo;" containing an account
of his curious career. , Wo quote tho fol
lowing anecdote :
Whilo chatting with a few friends, one
Saturday afternoon in tho M. S, Hotel at
Hartford, a clerical gentleman of mild de
meanor entered and examined the register,
for he was expecting, as he observed, a
brother minister, to officiate in his pulpit
the following morning. One of the gontle-
men present, of a humorous disposition, re
marked to mo that it was the Itev. Mr.,
of a neighboring village, to whom he was
desirous I should be introduced. I en
deavored pleasantly to decline the honor, as
I concluded the introduction would not be
profitable or agreeable to either of ns, ' ou
account of the dooided impression I enter
tained in regard to his physiolgical devel
opments, which ultimately proved my sa
gacity ; but my friond B., one of the old
Knickerbockers of Hartford, was irresistible,
and I was formally presented, and at tho
same time requested to perform for his
gratification, a particular feat to prove by
my skill how the mind and vision could bo
deluded in the open daylight, independent
of all preparations and fixtures. I consented,
and succeeded admirably; put the effect
upon him was such that without the least
hesitation, and In the most abrupt manner,
he commenced declaiming against my pur
suit, and expressed his opposition to all
amusements, considering them frivolous
and dungorous to the welfare of mankind.
His words were so unwelcome aud un
generous that I endeavored to oonvinoe him
to the contrary ; aud while engaged in this
objootmy attention was directed by a slight
pressure upon my back, and placing my
hand there, a pack of cards was dropped
into It. This was ammunition I little ex
pected, and I determined to use it to the
best advantage.
"Why, sir," I said to tho douiUiio, you
nro tho last person to tako exceptions, or
sjicak unfavorably of innocent recreation,
when you, a minister of the Gospel carry
cards about with you, to play your games in
somo sly corner, perhaps for drinks nnd
money !"
" AVhat's that you say, sir ? I havo cards '.
You aro insano !" ho spiritedly exclaimed.
"Oh, yes you aro entirely mistaken,
Signor," cried tho wag, my confederate ;
" for Mr. is a strict, unwavering or
thodox preacher."
"That may bo.V I answorcd ; "but he
plays cards nevertheless ; he has them iu
his pocket now," and to prove my asser
tion, I drew a quantity from tho shawl
round his neck, and with great rapidity de
posited tho balunco in his pocket.
Tho reverend gentleman lookod confus
ed and serious ; my droll assistant, Mr. C ,
declared I was in error, and at tho same
time put mo in posession ef tho backgam
mon box and dice.
" Will you satisfy all present, and my
self, that you have-no cards in your pock
et?" I resolutely demanded.
"Oh, yes ! with pleasure ; because I de
spise such articles," ho reiterated, as he
thrust his hands into his pockets, from
which ho drew tho cards, tho appearance
of which covorcd him with confusion, ,
I immediately exclaimed, " I knew I was
right ! and that is not all. You aro an ex
port gambler, for look here." I continued,
taking the hat from his head, out of which
tumbled tho box and dice
" This so completely nonplussed him
that for a few moments ho was powerless of
speech. Recovering himself, liowover, he
moved towards the door, and speaking in a
severe tone, said :
" You'll do, sir ! you'll do 1" and quickly
left for tho streot.
The effect upon all was intensely rich
and memorable, and no ono bettor appreci
ated the incident than myself ; but without
tho involuntary aid of my mischioveous
friond, I could not havo triumphed so suc
cessfully. The story spread far and near,
and gavo rise to great mirth ; and an editor
of ono of the city papers, tho Timet, pub
lished in his daily issue that the clergyman
would not havo boon more surprisd if he
had found a sheep in the pocket.
Killing a Staffed Coon.
IN a thriving littlo villago in ono of tho
wide valleys of Pennsylvania, an old
coon hunter has lived sovoral years. On a
beautiful moonlight night after some of the
friends of this affablo gentloman had loft
his house, they roBolved to have a littlo fun
at tho hunters expense. After discussing
for some time as to the best way of doing
it they at last hit upon tho following plan.
A coon skin was procured and so stuffed
that its shape would resemble in every .re
spect the living animal.'
This was placed upon the limb of a tree,
and when all things were ready one of the
party informed the hunter that a coon could
be seen on the limb of a tree about one
fourth of a mile from his residence. He at
onoe came to the place, and hoard a noise
near the spot mentioned by his friend, and
was fully convinced that precious game was
near at hand. Without making any ex
citement, and taking things coolly, as all
good sportsmen do, he quietly shouldered
tho gun and took with him Jack, his favor
ite dog, and proceeded with all spood to
the tree upon which tho animal was to be
found. One of the party prepared to shake
the coon down. "No," said the hunter,
" get out of tho way and let me have tho
pleasure of shooting it He took aim and
fired, and down it came, jack gavo it a
shake and walked away, when the old hun
ter stepped up and gave it a kick, aud
said, "Doadt dead I" He gave it second
punch and a brick-bat fell out . IIo then
discovered the sell and left for his home,
being fully) determined to retaliate at some
future time. 1 , , ,
IW A peculiar trce.callod tho tallow-treci
grows in China, the fruit of which coutulns
a seed covered with a white, solid, fatty
matter, which the natives convert into can
dles, t It Is proposod to introduce this tree
Into South Carolina, the south of France,
and Algeria, where thore is every prospect
of its being successfully cultivated. In
China, it forms vast forests, and gives rise
to a considerable branch of local commeroe.
The Government of British India has in
troduced it throughout the difforent regions
of the Peninsula, it now being ascertained
that it grows equally as well in the Pun
jaub and northwest provinces as in China.
The fatty matter produced by the tree fa
vorably compares witli the finest tullow,
aud when manufactured into candles, hums
with a clear white flame of groat brilliancy,
and emits no smoke or disagreablo odor.