The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-17 00:00:00

AN INTERVIEW WITH BISMARCK.
From the Standard )

Ritelais (the King's Ilead.quarters:, Sept. C.
I had the luck yesterday morning to fall In with the Royal
corte,e just as It was quitting Rand, and I came on with it
here. A short way out if the town three or four more car-
riage' drove to the front. In one was the Kb g's secretary,
and by hie side Count Litssuruck. I noticed that the carriage
pulled up, and immeniately Herr Abrken descended, came
hack to whero I was, and said that Count IlUmarck would
he obliged if I would ride up to the carriage and be presented
to Lim. It was the first time I had seen the distinguished
statesman, BO much the sulject of curiosity. Ile was profitme
in his apologies for what he described, with much humour,
as the stupid redtapeism of the War )lice, which had kept
me ea long from the scene of action, in spite of the
permLssion he had obtained forms from the King. and.
Escellency Is perfectly aware why I sleight that perm',
mien, and in what capecity I am here, you may e..11.11er •
good part o( the polite regrets as addressed to your: elf.
'At any rate." he aildvd, with sly satire, "3 ou shali go fast
enough now." The cortege was in full motion ; and with the
expression of toy thanks, I turned toy horse's haad. lie
drained me. momect to ark for something I hiel writen
concerning this war, nod which wee published In • Berlin
paper. I banded It to blot. "I know it already,' Tie said,
'but I want it for General Von Glen, to ahow him how
wrong he was not to send you to the front at once." This
man knows everything, even to the veriest trifle', end talks
with amens), bonhonimic very remarkable.
•

The journey proved to be a terribly dusty one, so I ex-
changed the saddle for the Frenchman's doe-cart. My friend
proved to be as affable as most people of histrace, and we dis-
coursed uncesaingly nutil an reached this venerable city. It
had been entered by the Prins!an cavalry only the praviouß
day. I happened to hear all the particuLus from the lips of
the officer. Some thank fellow, It seems, fired at his men,
who at once returned the compliment, killing one individuel
iu on adjoining cafe. It so quite clear that the oricinal shot
w. against the wishes of the authentic s. On the wallet the
city may be read • short proclamation from the maker, im-
Pis'hiuß the People not to oil or a useless resistance, but to
abide for the present by the fortune of war, socepthig "la
mart donate resew," the "inatheur terrible" which hag over-
taken their country. My dashing cfllcer of Masan, however,
would not have it that no reeiatal.ce sus Intended, and—
hoisting on speaking French, which, under the Mr-
cumetances, wee quite unnthersary—gave his version of the
story in a style very wounding to the poor hairdresser and
his wife. I interfered on then behalf, but unavallhighy. Tne
cruel hurtur rattled on regardleu of their feelings, though I
begged him to hold ids peace, or to change the language. I
am sorry to say this Is WO common • German fault. Many
of the officers are stupidly arrogant, and pay no regard to
the melancholy feelings of the conquered. Three regiments
of Hussars, the 10th, 11th, and 17iii, each about GOO strong,
are employed on the particular service to which the subject
of consertation referred, and there can be no doubt that
they do their work splendidly. At the lad moment, said
the poor han.dresser, arm. were given them; but the thing
was • Lures, since not one lu ten knew how to use thew. 01
comae all the weapons that remateed in the city have Leen
given sip; • proclamation from General Yon TUrnpllng
threatening with death any citizen who secreted or remained
thorn after the expiration of twenty-four hours. Toe city
and its neighborphood are full of troops, wLo gave
the King a magnificent reception as he arrived. And
now he is in the sacred city of Rheims, associated
with so many of the past glories of this nahappy
France ; lathe city of the Saute Ampoule, of the oil brought
from heaven by a winged dove that St. Remy might admit
King Clovis with special rites to baptism and the fWith of
Chriet ; of the city consecrated by one of the great acta of the
Weld of °fleanv when her country had to he saved from
the stranger. Kroriare alivets, ,ho., may Frenchmen now
well exclaim. I am lodged in the very house where th
parents of Joan of Arc were hoarded at the public expeuse
when Charles VII was at length crowned ie the muisificriit
cathedral, whose towers soar above me as I wets. The
Ring, his Miniatert, and principal Kate are hi the arch-
bishop', palace. We are enjoying the Inliu7 of a halt; and
words cannot say how welcome it is after continuous days of
movement, during which one really began to believe that
life le nothing but • battle and a march. It is highly pro-
bable that we shall spend to-morrow hire likewise. The
army, naturally, cannot move as fast as We can: and more-
over Its converging lines, between %bleb we tonally are-1
columnsmile n
aethesal
of rnuoco—izan t ulways have their elvauced
hone, however. only ninety-nine
English miles separate us from Paris—" beautiful Fans,
tickle, hearted Paris "—the weuld.he capital of the world.
I have had another and a longer interview with Count
! Illsantrck ; not quite across the walnuts and the wine, bet
! over, at least, that chumpagne. In the heart of whose native
soil we are, and which is now !Lubin so freely down German
' throats. Ile was full of talk, tad all of the Ilvellesi kind.
We shall stay here to-morrow, I think," he said. "and per-
haps the day at ter. Ire uttist give the Pari,iaoe time to cook
in their own juice." Ile made very merry over the new
French Ministry, of whose compotition I now heard for the
first time hist he had also his j duss mildest his own country-
men, lie had Inat fettled it letter from home. "My wife
write'," he said," that I complain of our German bands and
their bad mule, tont adds that they are jest RA badly off in
that respect at Frankfort." I ingeirsd about his bull,
who, I had heard, had lost bith legs at Mare la
Tour. lie answered merrily that he wee hit only
in one, and that one he should lave, though the ball went Is
at the thigh and came out hear the lime. Ile and his hone
and the saddle bad five wounda among them, the horse two,
the 'addle one, and the rider two. "It is well," ho Mk),
"the French fire so hurriedly and at such a dietetics, for
their weapons are magnificent. But every sportsman knows
what in the effect of aiming at an entire covey of partridges,
Instead of covering • shigle bird. You hit none. That la
Moir on, luckily for us," Ho wont on tO dellerthethe tors