The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-31

silver inkstand 1t was in 1870. when King
William, in defiance of popular opinion in
the Netherlands, which favored neutrali-
ty, was about to accept Napoleon the
lids invitation to join the French in their
war against Germany. He had insisted on
his minister telling him exactly what the
people were saying about his decision 10
join the French, and at length extracted
from the reluctant Premier ThorbeCke the
admissions: THE Haguers declare that
your majesty has become stark staring
mad as Before he could utter another
word William had jumped up his face
purple with fury and raised the heavy
silver inkstand from the table with the
intention of throwing II at the head of
the old statesman. Fortunately a project
ing angle of the inkstand caught in the
tablecloth, and. while dragging every
thing off the table, arrested the fight of
the missile. Sire" exclaimed Thorbecke
quietly, stepping close up to the King but
without betraying the slightest trace of
emotion either in his speech or attitude
If your majesty does hurl that beautiful
inkstand al my head I fear that the Hag-
uers will have been correct in their as
sertions." For a second the fat little King
gazed in silence at the lean, lank, phleg-
matte old DutChman before him. Neither
uttered a word. Then gradually William
lowered his raised arm and replaced the
inkstand on the table after which he talk
ed to one of the windows, whence he look
ed for about five minutes. Returning to
the table he resumed his seat, motioned
Thorbecke to another one and then said
Just as If nothing had happened: And
now tell me quietly what you We got to
say" An hour later when the statesman
left he carried with him the monarch's
promise to issue within twenty-four hours
a proclamation declaring the neutrality of
the Netherlands. Had this step not been
taken at that particular iuncture il is
well-nigh sure that Holland would have
been Incorporated along with AIsace and
Lorraine in the German Empire.
Queen Victoria is VIGOROUSLY short-tem-
pered and impatient of contradiction, a
fact due perhaps to her having welded the
sceptre of the greatest Empire in the
world for more than half a century. While
in serious matters she displays the great
est calmness. forbearance and considera-
ton, she is apt to permit herself to become
irritated to an altogether unreasonable eX-
tent by mere trifies, and it then requires a
considerable length of time and all kinds
of maneuvres on the part of her entour-
age to restore her to a pleasant frame of
mind. She does not use strong language
when she is angry, differing therein from
her father and immediate predecessors on
the throne, who were renowned for their
blasphemy, as is also her cousin George
the present Duke of Cambridge, whose eX-
pletiVes are as highly cOlored and pic
turesque as his temper is short. Nothing
is more instructive than to hear the old
commander-tn-c chief berating generals
cOlonels and subaltern officers at the close
of a held-day, inspection or review, when
anything happens to have gone wrong
His oaths are strange and awe-inspiringi
and there is on record & story as to the
manner in which he addressed the princi-
pal medical officer of the headquarters
efaff in TraI md Of TNrtI,
lin by Lord Wolseley just after the deci-
sion of the government granting to the
members of the army medical department
Tegimental rank. This is how the duke
hailed him. Good morning, surgeon
general, or field marshal, or what the
they call you now. I'll be --- if l know
how to address you, with your new -- til
ties. / don't know what the - / am my
self; suppose you expect me to take my -
hat off to you. What the you want
noW?'
Victor Emmanuel of Italy possessed a
far better temper than people were wont
to believe from the apopletic and fierce look
on his ugly though honest face. Not even
when his gigantic gamekeeper, Borretta,
while carrying him on his back across an
Alpine torrent rendered impatient by "A
sudden movement of the King which al
most capsized him. growled out, "Tente
su. bouric" CHold steady, you jackass) did
his majesty betraHo the least irritation.
For he quietly replied: You apparently
ignore, friend Borretta, that the jackass
is the one who carries the load"