TOTAL ANNIHILATION PREFERRED.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 7, 13 February 1892, Page 147

TOTAL ANNIHILATION PREFERRED.

When a servant girl answered a vigorous ring at a door bell on Michigan avenue she was informed by a tall man who stood on the steps that he must see the lady of the house at once. ‘She is engaged,' the girl replied. ‘lt makes no difference if she is. lam compelled to see her. Go at once and tell her that not only her future prosperity, but her life, may depend on seeing me. Go on, I say, or by the gods, I will not answer for the consequences.’ The girl was frightened. She had heard men talk that way on the stage and she knew that something dreadful always happened just afterwards ; and she hastened to her mistress and declared that there was a preacher looking man outside who must be seen. The mistress went to the door. ‘ Madam,’ said the man, bowing with the ‘ bend-over ’ of profound respect, ‘ I hope you will pardon this apparent intrusion, but I assure you that it is in the interest of this community, this community that we all love so well ’ —here he smote his breast and bowed again— ‘ this community we love so well that I have called. Madam, do you know that our relations with Chili are extremely serious?' She looked at him in a way of astonished inquiry, and remarked that she bad heard something of the sort. ‘ Of course you have—you could not have helped hearing something : but have you heard the worst ? I fear not, madam.’ He bowed again, this time with an air of distress, and then continued :—‘ That there is a worst we are assured, and that it is about to happen we know full well. Madam, a disguised Chilian war vessel, a terrible monster, steamed into the lakes a few days ago, and is now lying just one mile out from this point with her guns levelled upon the city. A flag of truce came ashore this morning, bringing the intelligence that unless we raise a contribution of five millions of dollars by sunrise to-morrow morning, these monstrous guns will be trained on the city. Oh, think of our helpless condition—think of the terrible destruction of property, and the fearful loss of life I It is appalling to contemplate so awful a scene of demolition. But what recourse have we ? Only one. We must raise the money. It is humiliating, but we must do it. A meeting has just been held at the City Hall, and committees have been appointed by the Mayor to go around to call upon our citizens and to collect every possible cent. It seems hard for Americans to pay tribute to a miserable tenth rate power, but we cannot help ourselves. Madam, need I ask von for a donation of five dollars ?’ The woman was frightened—she had almost fainted during the committeeman’s recital. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘go and see my husband ; he will give you more than five dollars ; he will give you five thousand dollars to help to save his city. Go to him at once, I beg of you.’ ‘Madam, I beg of you not to be unduly excited. We have a solemn, humiliating duty to perform and must go about it systematically. Each man is given a section of a street and is instructed not to go off his range, so to speak. Now, I should think that you would not only be willing to give five, but would gladly contribute ten ; so give me the money, please, and let me hasten to the next house.’ ‘Oh yes, I will ; but tell me, is there any danger of them shooting before sunrise to-morrow ?’ ‘None whatever, I am assured.' ‘ Well, I will get the ten dollars at once.' ‘ Madam, in the name of this community I thank you. The wretches have an especial spite at Chicago, and knowing that as the World’s Fair is to be held here, the destruction of the city would kill the fair, and ’ — ‘ Wait a moment,’said the woman. ‘lf they shell the city the fair cannot be held here, can it ?' ‘ Assuredly not, madam. ’ She suddenly became calm and a happy smile, a smile of hope, played about her lips. ‘ Mister,’ she said, in notes of sweet modulation, ‘during tne past month I have received letters from some two hundred relatives telling me that they will make my house their home during the fair, and I now welcome any relief from such a taxation. I don’t mind the ten dollars, but I am afraid that if I were to give it those Chilians might not open fire at sunrise. Good bye Chicago Paper.