The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-07-28
AMAN OF BLOOD AND IRON.
PRINCE BISMARCK, GERMANY's
GREAT STATESMAN.
A Giant in Body and Mind-EarIy
Duels-His Domestic Life-His
Wonderful Mastiff.


Wonderful MastiT.
Among all the great men of Europe
none has stood out more boldly promi-
nent for many years than Prince Won Bis
marck. His has been the master-hand
which has built up the great German
Empire as it is to-day, and his is the
master-mind which, by virtue of its vast
ability, its bold daring and its supreme
skill in diplomatic intrigue, shapes the
political events of Europe to suit his own
ambitious ends.
Bismarck is of noble birth, being de-
scended from Pomeranian family Of dis
tinction. In his youth he was very wild,
and during his students career at the
university was renowned as one of the
heaviest beer drinkers and most intrepid
duellsts of the day. He is known to
have engaged in at least sixteen duels
with swords. After his career at the
university he was gazetted as Lieutenant
to a Pomeranian cuirassier regiment.
Subsequently he abandoned the army for
diplomacy, although he has never actu-
ally resigned from military service.
Bismarck was very young when he
made up his mind to marry, and he was
known to be so wild that the father of
the young lady, Herr Won Suttkammer,
only consented to the marriage with a
heavy heart and much misgiving. This
marriage, however, turned out to be a
very happy one, Bismarck proving most
afTectionate in his domestic life. His
wife is woman of simple habits and
domestic tastes, whose love and venera-
ton for her great husband are un-
bounded.
The pair have three children Marie,
married to Count Rantzau; Herbert, thir-
ty-six years old, and William, thirty-three
years old Herbert is proud, naughty,
and not over brilliant; William is affable
and of pleasant disposition, inheriting
far more of his fathers ability than his
elder brother,
BY the sternness of his character and
his inexorable methods for crushing his
opponents Bismarck has earned the title
in his official capacity of ''The Man of
Blood and Iron" Foreign statesmen
fear him. and his opponents at home have
80 far all sooner or later been made to
feel the effects of his hatred Even the
august sovereign, Emperor William,
stands in some awe of his stern Chancel-
lor, and the Empress, who for a long
time intrigued against him, has come to
regard such conduct as all too hazardous,
and now leaves him severely alone. The
Crown Prince and Crown Princess bear
him respect mingled with affection, but
ne is fairly worshipped by their son,
Prince William, an ambitious young
Prince, whose admiration for the Chancel-
lor smacks strongly of most ardent hero
worship.
In appearance Prince Bismarck is very
tall, being nearly six feet four inches in
height, with massive form and broad,
strong shoulders. His features are
strong and rugged, with deep lines en-
phasizing the natural sternness of the ex-
preston. At home ''the man of blood
and iron," is very different from the
stern Chancellor of official life. There
he unbends, gives himself over to the
enjoyment of his family life with the
keenest zest. Seated by his own fireside
smoking his long German pipe, he loves
to indulge in the kind of talk into which
travellers enter over mug of ale in some
comfortable village inn. He thinks
aloud in the midst of his family circle,
| philosophers, probes his conscience, and
sometimes utters, with a deep-drawn
| sigh, a confession Of some weakness OF
wrong-doing into which he has been
drawn.
He is trife superstitious at times. He
will never permit battle as yet unde-
cided to be spoken of as won. He dis
likes Fridays, and will not start on
! journey or undertake any important work
ly,,.
ing the Franco-German war, came to ne
gotiate with him for Bazaine he would
not give any decision one way or the
other because it was the 14th of October,
the date of the battles of Hockkirch and
Jena, which were fought with such disas-
| trous results to the German army.
He has a fine country-seat at Schoen-
hausen, but his favorite country residence
is at Varzin, where he has magnificent
park, with broad belts of woods stretch
ing down to the rivers edge. The house
itself is quite unpretentious being only
two stories high. It Is furnished entirely
with oak in the early Renaissance style.
The hall is decorated with trophies of
the chase, and to the left is the Princes
worlIroom or study. The furniture of
this room consists of large sofa, large
armchair, pictures of the Austrian G er-
man war busts of the members of the
royal family and Gobelin tapestry rep
resenting Henry ". doing penance at
Canossa. A few chairs, a cabinet and a
couple of side tables complete the furni-
ture Of the apartment.
One of the Chancellor's dearest friends
is a large mastiff, which is said to under
| stand 300 words of German His former
dog, Sultan, who was poisoned by ma.
licious tramp, still exists in all the glory
of glass case and stuffing at Varziu.
When at his country seat the Prince
rises at O'Clock, dons a broad -brimmed,
soft felt hat and green coat with horn
buttons, and calling his dog, strolls out
through the woods. Breakfast is served
to the family and visitors at 10 o'clock.
At II the Prince is to be found in his
study, the table of which is by this time