Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-05-11
PRINCE WILLIAM.

lt1NOII 7
PEN PICTURE OF OLD KAISER Will.
HELMS GRANDSON.
Despotic Character of the Young Man
Germany-His Dislike of His English
Mother-Anecdote.
Picture to yourself young man in his
Both 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 long, full throated neck, held proudly
upright, and an oval face, with an aquiline
effect of profile, clear cut, strong chin, Bonded
nose prominent though not high cheek bones,
and good open forehead-all as regular in
ensemble as Greek triumphal arch, with
clear, sharp, cold gray blue eyes, light 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 mustache loosely
curled up at the ends-and you have such a
portrait as words can paint of William, crown
prince of Prussia and coming German en-
peror.
This young man suggests the notion of a
perfectly bred sleuth hound, under whose
smooth delicately soft coat lie muscles of
steel, and in whose NORTHEASTERN legacy of
of nature-is the inherent taste of human
blood. Not that his face is sullen or savage
in it's expression. Its habitual cast in repose
is calm, self-possessed, somewhat meditative,
without wrinkles either ON the brow or at
the ends of the mouth. The eyes, too, are
grave, intent, without being severe. And
saw this face light up the other night when
William, after bidding the English princes
good-by at the station, turned and walked
down the space cleared through the cheering
crowds to his carriage-with a very sweet
and winning smile. Nothing could have
been more gracious or kindly than his blonde
countenance, as William glanced along the
rows of faces as he walked and lifted his
finger to his cap, in easy, pleased recognition
of the cheers.
One shudders as one pats the mild, contem-
plative head of the bloodhound solely because
of the stories that have been told of the terri
bic ferocity which Turks under this sleek and
gentle exterior. In the same way you look
into the face of this young heir of the Hohen-
zollerns, and remember with wondering res
ervations the malignant tales which have been
told of his inner nature by those who know
it best. I think I have related before in
these columns a remark which heard made
here in Berlin two years ago, during the
Congo conference. 1t was at a state func-
tion, and stood beside an elderly lady who
had been in position to know the younger
members Of the imperial family as well and
closely as she could have known her own
nephews and nieces. In the course of talk
asked her:
"What kind of man is the young Prince
William"
81 don't call him man at ALL" she re-
piled quickly and with emphasis. "Hes |
brute"
Apparently all the women-at least all the |
English women-who have had to do with |
the bringing up of Prince William hold him |
in horror and detestation. have had nu-
merous proofs of this, although I have never
been able to fasten upon any specific reasons
for it. Their dislike for him is based on a |
general conception Of his character This |
view is that he is utterly cold, entirely self .
ish, wantonly cruel; young man without |
conscience OF compassion or any softening
virtues whatever That he has great abili-
ties they all admit, but they stop there. |
Heart he has none, upon their reckoning. |
And am bound to say that if you look into |
his face with this preconceived notion of the |
young mans character, you can find plenty |
OF signs which seem to substantiate it,
William is very deeply and thoroughly |
Prussian. He is living, breathing embodi- |
ment of all the qualities and lack of qualities |
which, through precisely two centuries, have |
brought the little mark of Brandenburg up |
from puny fef, with poor, scattered popu-
lation of million and half, to the state of |
great kingdom, ruling nearly $4,000, 900 of |
people and giving the law to all Europe He
is saturated with all the instincts and ideas
which have raised this parvenu Prussia to |
her present eminence, and his character is |
the crown and flower of these two centuries |
of might and ruthlessness and spoliation |
exalted into creed. On the other hand, his |
mother is the best royal product of totally |
and fundamentally different civilization
Prince William habitually speaks of his |
mother to his associates and familiars as
"the English woman" He ostentatiously i,
addresses her in German, although he knows |
English perfectly, and she has always made |
point of having her children speak English |
in the family circle An old acquaintance l
of mine here who was at San Reno fort I
night ago. told me something which he saw /
with his own eyes. 1t was on Sunday morn |
ing, and the imperial family were starting
from the front door of the little English Villa |
Zirio to go to the chapel on the esplanade to
attend Anglican service. Prince William |
and his mother came out of the door to-
gether ahead of the others. AS they stepped |
outside she made movement as to take his |
arm. He drew away, said something to her |
in a low tone of voice, and walked down the |
broad graveled path alone in front of her
and the rest. 1t TRANSFERRED later in the day /
that what he said to her was in substance |
this: ~ am here as the personal representa-.
tive of my grandfather, the German kaiser
That being the case, it is fitting that should |
take precedence There is nobody who could
properly walk beside me except my grand
mother, the Kaiserin Augusta.
This anecdote does not reveal a nice boy.
But, after all, when young man stands
upon the very threshold of an imperial
career, and we all know that it is a mere
matter of months before he will be auto
cratic master of 1900, 900 armed men, it isn't
of SO much Importance whether he is nice or
not The real question is, What will he do?-
Berlin Cor New York Times.