. An
American Ambassador from the continent came to London. London yielded
Petherick for his guidance and his wants. Petherick became omni-present,
universally useful--an American institution in fact. A naval officer who
had been in Asiatic waters was steaming westward to the Mediterranean.
His wife and three babies came to London, where she was to meet her
husband, who was to spend several weeks here. A telegram to Petherick:
they needed to do nothing else. When the lady arrived a furnished flat,
a maid and a nurse and a cook and toys awaited her. When her husband
arrived, a pair of boots awaited him from the same last that his last
pair had been made on, in London, five years before. At some thoughtful
moment $1,000 was added to Petherick's salary by the Navy Department;
and a few years ago a handsome present was made to Petherick by the
United States Naval Officers all over the world.

But Petherick, with all his virtues, is merely an Englishman, and it is
not usual for an Englishman to hold a $3,000 office under appointment
from the United States Government. The office of despatch agent,
therefore, has been nominally held by an American citizen in London.
This American citizen for a good many years has been Mr. Crane, a
barrister, who simply turns over the salary to Petherick; and all the
world, except the Secretary of State, knows that Petherick is Petherick
and there is none other but him.

Now comes the story: Mr. Bryan, looking around the world for offices for
his henchmen, finds that one Crane has been despatch agent in London for
many years, and he writes me a personal and confidential letter, asking
if this be not a good office for some Democrat!

I tell the story to the Naval Attache! He becomes riotous. He'll have
to employ half a dozen clerks to do for the Navy ill what Petherick does
well with ease, if he's removed. Life would not be worth living anyhow.
I uncover Petherick to the Secretary and show him in his glory. It must
be said to the Secretary's credit that he has said nothing more about
it. Petherick, let us hope, will live forever. The Secretary's
petty-spoils mind now works on grand plans for Peace, holy Peace, having
unsuccessfully attacked poor Petherick. And Petherick knows nothing
about it and never dreams of an enemy in all the world, and in all naval
and diplomatic life he has only fast friends. If Mr. Bryan had removed
him, he might have made a temporary friend of one Democrat from
Okla