The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-23


The new Emperor, Frederick William Vic
tor Albert, eldest son Of Frederick LII, is il
his thirtieth year, having been born in Berlir
on the 9th Of January, 1859. While his ia
Their and grandfather were in no hurry to ge
married, he took the Princess Augusta Vic
toria, daughter of the late Duke Frederick o.
Schleswig- Holstein, for wife on February
81, 1881, when he had just completed hi!
twenty second year. His first child, Prince
William, was born on May 6, 1882. As {
true Hohenzollern, the new Emperor ha.
been educated more with reference to the
duties of soldier than to the demands which
may be made upon him as statesman. He
is above all things soldier, and makes The
army the subject of serious and enthusiastic
study.
The Prince speaks English as well as an
Englishman-more than that, as well as an
American-for he speaks it with distinctness
1t is possible that the reason may lie in the
fact that his fathers English tutor was ar
American, the present Professor Thatcher, Of
Yale College. He believes in Bismarck, and
considers that he has the true theory of hu.
man government. While he is usually grave
and gentle, his manner has occasionally been
changed recently under adverse criticism, land
one day when the Iron Chancellor heard him
rating. one of his servants in the harsh and
rough style which his grandfather knew SO
well how to assume, he applauded him, and
said he liked man who had spirit of his
own.
Two years ago he ranked only as a major,
the people in general spoke with surprise at
the slowness with which he advanced, yet all
encouraged the thoroughness of his military
education. He was compelled to work like
the rest of his comrades, equally subject to
military discipline. Early and late he was
with his regiment, ordered about as an ordi-
nary major, saluting his superiors, with little
or no attention-in military way-paid to
his royal rank. William has the appearan ce
of young man of twenty-five. His upper lip
shows a sparse blonde moustache, his nose is
slightly Roman, with a medium forehead, and
his hair stands back like Beethoven's. But
despite the comparatively weak chin, his cold
blue eye has brave, daring expression,
which reminds one little of the great Fred
erick, whom he is said to resemble in charac-
ter. He is slender in build and shorter in
stature than his brother, the naval Hohen-
zollern.n His right hand is badly crippled,
and his right arm at least two inches shorter
much annoyance and mental pain as ever
Byron's deformity did.
There is declared to be a dark shadow hang
ing over the life of the new Emperor, which
threatens to be even more serious than the
malady which afflicted his father. He is suf-
fering, namely, in a severe degree from the
same peculiar disease which carried off King
William VI of Prussia, brother of the old
Emperor, after rendering him completely in
sane during the last few years of his reign.
The trouble manifests itself in ver-ending
succession of abcesses in that part of the ear
situated between the tympanum and the base
of the brain. The technical name is otis
media, and the danger is ever present of men
nights and inflammation of the brain setting in.
The Princes ears, especially the right one,
are in constant state of suppuration, which
it would be fatal to attempt to check, and
stuffed as they are with large masses of dis
colored cotton WOOL his aspect is hardly an
inviting one. Every kind of remedy, both in
the shape of indictments and medicinal
baths, has been tried in vain by his thorough
ly alarmed physicians. The disease is said to
be making rapid progress, and there seems to
be no means available of preventingit from
affecting the brain at a time which may pos
sibly be somewhat remote, but which may also
be near at hand.
The new Emperor is declared to be young
man of great mental ability and strongly
marked individuality.