The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-14
Won MOLTKE.
An Entertaining Story of the Great strate-
gist's Simplicity.


An Entertaining Story of the Great Strate-
gist's Simplicity.
From Dir. Ruggles's Germany Seen Without Spec
tacleg''
Most every day, however, Won Moltke can
be seen on the Inter den Linden, in his mill
tary cap and half military dress, walking
oack and forth on : sidewalks, his hands
clasped behind him, and busy staring into
the shop windows or returning the salutes OF
army officers. He has got to be an old man
In appearance, though not as old as the EN-
peror by many years. He is clean-shaved
ana does not even wear a mustache. When
ne is travelling or away from home on a
pleasure trip he wears nothing in his dress
10 distinguish him as military man. Last
summer he took run down to Switzerland,
and at some of the hotels he revealed his
identity and at Others he was incognito. His
travelling experiences, as related by his
friends and his want of pride in his personal
appearance, remind one of sthe stories that
used to be told of Horace Greedy.
During his Swiss tour he arrived one after
noon at Ragatz in the Engadine As the
motel at which he was to stop was but
short distance from the office where he was
lett by the diligence, he started off with his
travelling bag in his hand, instead of waiting
to be transported in a carriage.
When he appeared before the landlord
and asked for a room he looked fatigued,
dusty and decidedly travel-worn, and the
landlord was on the point of telling him that
ne had no room to spare. He finally told
the waiter to show 1.-THE old man" to a small
room in the upper story of the house, and
after Joiling up several flights of stairs and
through several long, narrow halls, the great
General was ushered into a room which look
ed as II 1t belonged to a hospital ward. The
waiter left him there, and, after a short alb
sence, made his appearance again with lit
tie book and asked the new arrival to in
scribe his name.
1t was quickly done, and the waiter made
his exit again. What was the landlords
establishment on taking the book and read
ing the name, Field Marshal Won Moltke
Berlin" There was a commotion in the no.
tel at once My God!'' said the landlord
wringing his hands, what have 1 done? I
have put the great general in one of the serv-
ants bedrooms; my hotel will be ruined"
And he flew about as if he was half-crazy.
All the walters in the hotel were summoned,
the handsomeSt suite of rooms in the house
was ordered to be put in immediate readi-
ness, and the conscence-stri landlord
departed for the upper regions to make his
apologies to the seedy-looking ''old man."
and to transfer him to more elegant quar-
tiers betting his rank in the lower part of
the hotel.
II beg, your Excellency, ten thousand par
dons. would not have done it for the
world, but did not know that it was your
the quaking landloard, half out of breath
But what have you done that you should
need to be pardoned?'' asked the general
This room-it is not the room for your
Excellency. 1t was a mistake l did not
know it was General Won Moltke. l have
rooms for you below-an elegant suite of
rooms-may l beg you to have your bag
gage removed to them at once?'
May l ask what is the matter with this
room?' inquired the general, who had
stripped off his coat and vest and rolled up
his shirt-sleeves preparatory to taking a
wash after his dusty journey 81 have slept
for years in quarters not so good or comfort
able as this
ut is too small for your Excelency and
the furniture is too ordinary The rooms
which l have for you below are those which
| reserve for for princes and distinguished
guests"
What is the price of them?" inquired the
General.
only one hundred francs day." your
Excellency.
"And the price of this room is how
much2"
"a bagatelle, your Excelency-but three
francs"
well, as my stay in Ragatz is short, you
must excuse me if l do not change my quar-
tiers. 1 think / shall sleep as sound on that
bed as on any bed in your house." And the
great military strateeist whose military
genius had more to do in bringing about the
great victories in the Franco Prussian war
than anyone else, was allowed to remain I'M
disturbed. much to the annoyance and cha
grin of the landlard.