The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-11 00:00:00


THE SOLDIER-EMPEROR'S DAILY

LIFE.

A friend (says The Age) thus describes to me the
daily life of the aged Emperor of Germany. As my
informant happens to be a near kinsman of an im-
portant personage in the German Empire, his interest-
ing sketch may be entirely relied upon: "At nine in
the morning the Emperor rises—you must know that his
sleeping apartment is very simply furnished. The bed is
a small one, without curtains ; the only picture in the
chamber is the portrait of Queen Louisa, his Majesty's
mother, who, asyou remember,implored the clemency
of the Victor cf Jena. His Majesty's favourite valet
helps him to dress, and his servant, named Engel, is
nearly as old as his illustrious master. He often wishes
to retire from service, but the Emperor will not hear
of it, saying, whenever the matter is mentioned:
Engel, you and I have neither the time to rest or be
ill; we' must work together to the end.' The
Emperor always prefers old clothes to new ones, and
in the morning wears a wretched old uniform and
patched boots. If the Imperial bedchamber is
simplicity itself, the private drawing-room is
sumptuous in the extreme—adorned with countless
works of art and antiquity, and hung with beautiful
tapestry, not a little of which was worked by the
ladies of the Imperial family. The Emperor's desk
is a mighty construction, and always covered with
papers and writing materials. He never signs a
paper without reading it through. He writes
with difficulty, for one of his fingers is broken-
His Majesty receives his ministers in a small room
off his drawing-room or studio. The furniture
of the apartment is covered with embroidery,
amongst which figures the cornflower—the Emperor's
favourite flower. His Imperial Majesty never smokes,
nor does he take snuff. He is very near-sighted,
although he never allows anyone to notice it with
impunity. This defect, really his only physical
ailment, obliges him to use a magnifying glass when-
ever he reads or writes. Curious to relate, how-
ever, he sees objects at a great distance very well
indeed. The Emperor is fond of having his doctors
round, and once said to me that he would like "to
be opened once a year, so that he might be made
sure he was all right inside," having a morbid
fear of internal and mysterious diseases. He
dresses for the day at one o'clock, and is then
very particular about his clothes. His uniform is
epic-and-span, and his boots faultlessly bright
and neat. He goes out in all weathers. In
winter he wears a grey cloak, with a fox-fur collar.
In summer he fears the heat, and dresses lightly.
Although it would be impolite to hint even at certain
well-known on dits, the Emperor is exceedingly fond
of his wife. He calls her "Gus," instead of Augusta,
and always kisses her familiarly whenever they meet.
The Empress is older than the Emperor, but he treats
her with all the politeness and chivalry of a young
lover. His Majesty usually goes to the opera every
evening for an hour, but returns to take tea in the
private rooms of the Empress. They usually dine
together, and the meal, I can assure you, is almost
too simple for your humble servant, who has on more
than one occasion joined it. For the Crown
Princess the Emperor entertains an affection
bordering on idolatry. He considers her to
be the most perfect and most learned of
women. The Empress is not so blindly attached
to her daughter-in-law, being slightly jealous of her
ascendancy over both her husband and the Emperor.
His Imperial Majesty is also exceedingly fond of
children and young men. Like most foreigners, he
kisses, not only his son, but also several of his
favourite officers, in nublic, whenever they go upon or
return from some journey, or upon their birthday.
A very handsome young Englishman, who, somehow
or other, was taken into favour by the Emperor, got
married recently; when he presented his bride to his
Majesty, the kind old gentleman opened both his big
arms and clasped the young people to his heart,
kissing each with wonderful fervour to the unutter-
able astonishment of the bride, a pretty English girl.
The Emperor goes to bed at eleven punctually.
He says his prayers, and spends a good deal of time
reading pious works. He entertains a profound
respect for Pope Leo XIII., and an equal dislike to
President Grevy. If you can engage his attention on
any important topic of conversation—political or
religious—he will amaze you by his extended know-
ledge of the subject, and his profound observations.
I need not add that this great monarch is adored by
his servants, to whom he is unfailingly kind aria
generous. He has his defects: he is inclined to be
mean, and to spend as little as he can, and his temper
is uncertain, and his mirth boisterous and unseemly.
For all this, he is so kind, so thoughtful for others,
and, above all, so very full of life, that one is obliged
co love him bon gre mal gre.