The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-06-20
THE NEW EMPEROR.
Sketch of the Life and Character of the
New Monarch, William II.

Sketch of the Life and Character of the
New Monarch, William II.
The new occupant of the German throne
viii be closely watched Who is he? He is
more than Boulanger. soldier passionately
fond of military exploit, self-willed, forceful,
cold, in a moment he assumed power and re-
spOnSibility so vast that it can be hardly esti-
mated. Says one who knows something
about him: picture to yourself young man
in his thirtieth year, six feet in height straight
as an ash sapling with finely-formed slender
limbs, narrow hips, swelling chest and square
broad shoulders, with smallish head on a
long, full-thrOated neck, held proudly upright
and an oval lace, with an aquiline effect of
profile, clear-cut, strong chin, Bonded nose,
prominent though not high cheek bones, and
good open forehead, with clear, sharp, cold
gray-blue eyes, lght-brown hair, close cut
behind but longer on the crown, and rising
from the temples to form a sort OF ridge from
the parting across the brow, and yellOwiSh
mustaehe loosely curled up at the ends and you
have such portrait as words can paint of Will
lam, the new emperor of Germany" His full
name is Frederick William Victor Albert. His
mother was the eldest daughter of the present
queen of England He was born in Berlin
Jan. q, 1889, and upon his last birthday
anniversary, being the twenty-ninth, he re-
ceived the title OF maior-general as a birthday
present from his grandfather, the venerable
emperor. Previous to this he was ordered
about as an ordinary major, and but little at
tention paid to his royal rank. 1t is said that
he lacks the prominent rugged features of his
father and the handsome lineal features of his
grandfather. His upper lip shows sparse
blonde muStache, his nose is slightly Roman,
with a medium forehead and hair stands back
like Beethovens. But, despite the compare
lively weak chin, his cold blue eye has brave,
daring expression, which reminds one a little
of the great Frederick, whom he is fondly said
to resemble in character. He is slender in
build, and shorter in stature than his brother,
the naval HOhenzOllern." His right hand is
badly crippled and his right arm at
least two inches shorter than his left a
defect which has caused him as much
annoyance and mental pain as ever Byron's
deformity did He tries upon every occasion
to conceal 1t, but tries, of course, in vain. Yet
the skill he possesses is remarkable. lie car
ries his sword upon parade as well as any Off
Ger, and has become most excellent fencer
rides like Cossack, and shoots with unerring
aim. He has been phenOmenally popular, and
his comrades In arms are specially attached to
him With pleasant word for all, he cracks
Jokes with anyone that he chances to meet
His training has been democratic. He attended
school at Cassel, boarding with one of ne
teachers and treated exactly as one of Vie
other boys. Taking his lunch one day. he no
ticed one of his comrades eating the black
bread which the poorer classes use in Germany.
Wishing TO taste it he offered TO trade" with
the boy-the son of poor INTERCHANGEABLE, of
course was only too glad TO do so. 1t pleased
the princes palate much that he made an
agreement to exchange lunches with the boy
every day, and hencefOrward he always Toasted
upon the black bread baked in the house of the
mechanic. He was graduated after several
years at Cassel among the first in his class, TO
the great satisfaction of his parents, who at
tended the commencement. He afterward, as
is HOhenzOllen custom, attended the unver-
sity at Bonn and joined the famous Saxo-BOrus-
sen corps.
Regarding his civil training an intelligent
German of Chicago said recently to a represen-
tative of the Tribune of that city: "His mill
tary studies were occasionally interrupted to
give him an opportunity to study the civil ad-
mlnlstratl0n: This was done by attaching him
to NJ. Ackenbach, first president of the Province
of Brandenburg, and afterward by placing him
with the minister of finance and the minister
of the interior in Berlin. He has studied with
Bismarck, too. During two or three winter
seasons his carriage was regularly seen two
three times fortnight at the door of the chan
celOr's palace. What the master of statecraft
taught him you can well imagine as /. From
this date those intimate relations of William
with Bismarck which Germans as well as the
observing of other nations take so much pleasure
in contemplating" Regarding the defect in his
arm, the same authority says: Eyes. He has
but partial use of his left arm since his birth.
And / should not be surprised if the circum-
time have tremendous influence upon the his
tory of Europe. William has always keenly
felt this impairment of his physical strength,
and claims that the injury inflicted by the
unskillfulness of the English physician who
attended his mother at his birth. His en-
nifty to the English, and his distrust of
English surgeons in particular, may have had
origin in this circumstance But the lack of
full control of his left arm does not prevent
him being an exquisite swordsman. as he at
all times showed when in college and when
with the Hussars, nor does it forbid him the
pleasures of the hunt. He is good shot and
has inherited the true Hohenzollern passion for
the chase.
"William is as familiar with French and
English as with his native tongue and the
party OF Americans whO two years ago, pre-
scented Emperor William with a basket of
flowers at Innspruck, where he was resting
during the hot hours of the day, doubtless re-
member the perfect grace and cordiality with
which young William acted as interpreter in
conveying TO them the emperor's thanks for
the compliment. He has artistic tastes and
talents too. Several of his paintings mostly
marines, have been sold in Berlin at fabulous
prices for the benefit of charitable objects"
"He married in 1880 Princess Victoria Au-
gusta of Schleswig- Holstein. He has four
boys. The new crown prince is about seven
years old. Williams closest friend, should
say, is his brother Henry, who is in the navy,
and predict that the world will hear much
more of both of them"