Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-28
THE GRIM CHANCELLOR.
How Bismarck Ordered His Two
Wallets Shot.


From the Jersey City Journal
at is a constant surprise to me- said DR..
Emil Dorm of Hoboken to a Journal reporter
yesterday, that SO few anecdotes of Bis
marck find their way into this country, be-
cause there is in America such a large Ger
man population which would eagerly well
come them. The mess rooms of Europe are
full of these quaint stories about the iron
chancellor and whenever a party of officers
come together almost invariably tales of the
Franco-Prussian war in which he figured
are the theme of discourse. Here, for eX-
ample, is an incident which l have never
seen printed in this country, and which
think will be of interest to- many of your
readers:
1T was few days after the French had
been driven out again from st. Johan-Saar-
bruckcn. which they had taken and occu-
pied for about twenty-four hours. when Bis
marck came to that place and was lodged
at the house of the great mine king, Herr
Stumm.
THE French were not yet very far away,
and the first counselor of the King of Prds-
s:a had every reason to take good care of
his personal safety. Bismarck had worked
very late. and when he went to bed at about
l o'clock at night he gave distinct orders to
the two Wallets he had taken with him from
Berlin to watch and not let anybody enter
his bed room. From the lower part Of the
town the rejoicing of the soldiery. which
celebrated the first victory. could be heard,
and it is quite Ineligible that the two
guards of Bismarck should feel the .lesire
to have their share of the joy and the Mo-
sele wine which flowed plent ifuily.
LAS soon they knew that the mighty
man was snoring, they went of to the
lower town, in spite of their masters or
der and the warnings of Herr SUNNI. They
We're not gone very long when an orderly
from headquarters. with a dispatch from
the king for the chancellor. came Herr
Stumm tried in vain to induce the orderly
to wait for the return of the Wallets. The
faithful soldier pushed Herr Stumm aside.
knocked at the door and entered, without
Waiting Tor the call come in Bismarck
was fast asleep. and all the hemminS,
Renghin and calling the orderly did was
useless Determined at last, the warrior
stepped to the large bed in which Bismarck
lay, removed the curtain. srasped the shoul-
der of the snoring chancellor and awakened
him with firm hand.
Bismarck jumped up like an irritate6
lion. Who let you in here? he cried. wild
with rage. Let me in" the warrior an
swered Nobody let me in; there was no
one who could have prevented my bringing
to your excellency that dispatch here
What! nobody thereT exclaimed the chan
cellor violently. Where are those two
scoundrels? my Wallets, 1 mean And when
Herr Stumm, whom he had called in, told
him that his Wallets had gone to the lower
town to get some fresh air. he gave orders
that they should be taken by military
watch. chained and shot before sunrise.
Then he sent off the orderly. and in a few
rinutes was fast asleep again.
when Bismarck, after a sound and
healthy sleep. awoke next morning. his first
act was to call: Frederick and, as Freder-
lex did not respond. he called Franz But
when Franz also failed to appear. he rang
the bell with all his might. Soon Herr
Stumm entered the bed rooms Say. Herr
SUNNI said Bismarck. addressing the lat
ter, could You tell me where these lubbers
my Wallets. l meam are? l am unable to
dress myself
of
Stunm. I guess they are in heaven by this
time. Your excellency ordered them to be
shot before sunrise. They were caught
about 3 o'clock, and must be shot now, 1
reckon
No. SUNNI said Bismarck, smiling,
che Russians don't shoot as quick as that
at least not at their own countrym.n, and
tor glass OF Moselle. 1t is true. someb ody
else could have entered here. But those fell
lows hre still young and inconsiderate, and
may have thought me safe in your house
DO me the favor. send down to the watch
and let them fetch the two fellows"
soon the Wallets came with long fright
ened faces. Bismarck'S anger had entirely
disappeared, and he could not help laughing
when ne saw the sheepish looks of his
Wallets. 1 will indeed have YOU shot next
time, you loafers.' ne SAIL but nov quick,
I think we Will have to depart SOON
mat was the last of it, al least for then
Eut when in after years Old Iron, himself,
In NarZin or F'riedrichSruh, went on a little
spree. which som stimes happened when he
was visiting his neighbors. the princess
would raise her forefinyer and laughiugly
threaten him: 'Otta, will have You chained
ana shqt tefore sunrise the next timer Then
ne laughed, too, promised never to do it
AGAIN, and always kept his word until-the
next time.
NOW. the old German oak. under which
the Germans lived happy and prosperous for
many years. is broken. and who knows how
soon Germany may mourn at the hearse of
her best son.