Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-12
NEW YORK LETTER.
BISMARCK AND "Kx TOO; OR, GREAT
MEN oBJxcTIvsLY AND SUB.
JEcrIvgLY.
slaksiy HALLS Amusing Interview with
sismsrck-rhe Lily sobs on asbAard's
shouldor-Posr Actors In summer.
icOrrcspOndonce Of lne Richmond Dl.p.,ch.l


shoulder-Poer Actors In GUNNER.
tcorTcspondence Of The Richmond Disps,ch.l
a NEW YoRx. August IL, 1893.
IlN courtesy Of men Of actual and
weil-oaned eminenco is remarkable. IL
is the scrubs, pretenders, and parasites
who are insolent and caddish. 4 Bis
marck will step aside with bow 10 al
low you TO pass. whore the mud Drained
sOn of soap.trust king walks pompous-
" across your toeS | once saw the
heavy-broNcd and thoughtful young
Emperor Of Germany" the Lord OF
War. AS he calls himseli-wake from
his abstraction and twist about in bis
saddle with swift eagefness TO ac-
knowledge the courtesy Of ragged
old peasant woman by, tho road
side His hand flew 10 his hat, and his
Salu.ation 10 the lonely beggar Was as
profound and respectful - though she
had been duchess. I looked at Der
after the Emperor had ridden around n
bend in the road The blood flushed
her withered face for the first time per.
hAps in many years and her ewes glis-
tened brightly. She looked as though
ten years had been taken from her a.
ready liberal score. Ii had cost the
Emperor an effort, but he made II with
the cheerfuiness, alscrity, and polish Of
man to whom courtesy is inbred and
natural
Mr.. GLADSTONE
called on Mr.. Gladstone once, and
when I got up 10 leave tho room ne
etnf.r.e1 fr~erarT MI
with the manner OF a man b whom pO-
Gteness comes without thought. Men
like Balfour and Parnell-and they are
probably as busy as any two men in the
world tO-day-slways have time for the
small attentions of life / could 80 on
interminably. What calls il all to mind
was the fact that dropped in 10 see ex-
Senator Plat q day or two ago IL bis
Office on Broadway. A boy sat IN tho
outer room FASTING wrappers on lot OF
loose paper asked him II the Senator
was in. He looked at me q moment and
then said
"WhAt ?"
"ME-TOo PLATr."
els Senstor Platt IMP"
He ierked his head shortly toward the
door, and | walked ia 20 find small
man With ragged growth of beard sit.
ting at q desk and writing after "A leisure
~ fashion. He reminded me instantly
o. the "Me Too cartoons have seen
so often, but in ether respects he was
complete surprise ! asked him a per
fectly civil question and then |
stood 10y TRANQUILITY and viewed the
snappshness AID ill-breeding q the
ex-United States Senator rs he an
swered my inquiries, and reflected
that the difference between presumption
and prominence is about os great as that
between good breeding and boorislness
II is not matter of Importance beyond
this-that. as for as my experience goes,
ono may always approach a man Of absO-
lutte and recognized ability with the GER
tainty Of meeting courtesy but beware
of the man whe thinks he's great but
isn't.
BISMARCK LAUGHS.
One day IN Berlin II occurred TO me to
write q letter 10 Prince bismarck. The
fact that he WIS generally considered the
greatest man IN the world did not deter
me, for had nothing to lose and every
thing TO gain. 1 explained that there arc
two million Germans ia America who are
actively and atiectiouately watching the
progress of affairs in Berlin, and ended
10y requesting an interview. | don't mind
saving that felt violent desire TO smile
IS | read the letter over, for its presump-
hou was mOnstrOus. ! sent 1t around by
nv secretary, After a vast deal of ma
nnuyring he succeeded IN getting into
the Palace Of the Chancellor IN Wilhelm
Strasses He waited III an anteTOOm
while the secretary read the letter. That
lunctionary turned his back, shook visi-
bly,, and entered the Chancellors room
with the letter in his hand. A moment
later a hilarious TeutOnlc OUTLAW rang
through the palace. IL was the Chancel-
Tor of the empire roaring, and at my eX-
pense. For a week | felt depressed.
Then IL occurred 10 me that 1t would
have been good thing for Austria in
1860 if she could have made Bismarck
laugh. and | sat down at once and wrote
him another letter. The reply /
received was verbal one to the
effect that 1 had amused His High
ness greatly. st tins point quit
the TOie of bufToon and went 20 Paris to
see Blaine. About month later re-
turned 10 Berlin, and among my letters
OF introduction WAS one to the secretary
OF the most stalwsrt and commanding
figure in Europe. | delivered 1t TO BIS
Inarck Is chief iactotum, and was promised
an audience by the Chancellor the fol
lowing day. Meanwhile, | wrote the
Prince tho third time, embodylng some
reflections on German politics III the
sk...k e.. hat VuTfra
the only other American who had suc-
ceeded in attracting Bismarck's attention
was Yank Adams, who went to Berlin
and made Bismarck the iurld offer oil two
hundred dollars a week TO deliver lectures
at ouc-uight stands through the north
western circuit.
INTERVIEWING THE CHANCELLOR.
When I called the following. day there
were three or four Attaches OF the
Princes cabinet, including the secretary,
and they seemed rather disappointed to
End that wore conventional attire and
was without a tomabawk and buffalo
robe. They were superb-looking men.
all clad in the magnificent uniforms of
colonies or generals Of the Prussan
army. they knew every language underline
sun, and they had the usual sunylty and
pclish OF men IN the diplomatic corps Of
the foremost nation Of Europe. | had
met one Of them in New York, fortunate
lv-Baron Scerieldt-and after about
twelve or fifteen other men had been re-
ceived by the Chancellor, this gentleman
accompanied me into the presence Of the
man who has actually and unquestion-
ably held the peace of Europe in tho hol-
low of his hand for over thirty years.
When | entered the apartment Bismarck
was half-leaning, hall sitting on huge
desk, clad in the fatigue dress OF a
general, and as magnificent picture OF
sturdy manhood as it has ever been my
GOOD fortune to see. His stalwart
1bysique. broad shoulders, mighty chest,