The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-06-02
THE KA1sER's FRENCH TEACHER.
"Reminiscences of William HIS Boy.
 hood by M. Ayme.

-NNAAA4o toA ',-AN ~'~NNd knew William II. when he was only seventeen years old,' says the profes- sor, and am glad to see that he prac- tices to-day the same doctrines as those which he professed formerly. The con- tradictions in his character are only ap- parent. He is intelligent to the highest degree, and is endowed with such ea- pacity for labor and assimilation that he can approach without ridicule the most diverse subjects in the field of hu- man knowledge. He has one weakness, if such it can be called in the case of monarch-he is fond of show, but only when he appears in public, In his inner life he is the most simple, familiar and agreeable man to be found in his king dom. He is full of tact and wit His look is frank, his smile affable, his bearing modest, and all who come across him feel his irresistible sway. He is fond of France (sic); he reads our books and papers with eager pleasure; he admires our works of art, and speaks our tongue with ease and perfection. He also speaks other languages, nota- ply Italian and English. How many times has he not said to me: The day when the French kepi and the German helmet march together, what will be- come of Carthage?'
 M. Ayme says that Prince William and his brother Henry, in order to keep them away from the influence of the court, were sent to Cassel Their in- daily contract with the bourgeoisie," continues the professor Ted them to nnof Fl crpt tn t1a nt tc of popular aspiration, the importance of which they would never have suspected in the midst of the courtiers of Berlin. Prince William, although eminently studious, soon began to show his predi- lection for pagentry for high-sounding phrases and the chivalric acts of Fred eric the Great and his own grandfather. He meditated a great deal on Socialism, of which later on he was destined to make a trial He adopted the articles of faith of a generous philosopher of the nineteenth century. He made no difference between the nobles and the people, any more than between Jews and other sects of the empire, and did all he could in his position to make his acts correspond with his theories
 The professor next tells us that it was his custom to choose for his lesson some literary or political event of the mo- ment. One day, however, the subject happened to turn on the war of 1S70-'71. Tt was you who desired it" said the prince to me. Tt was you who made it inevitable" I responded. And argu- ments of all kinds, good, bad and indif- ferent, followed in rapid succession. Well" said the prince, in a calm and thoughtful tone, listen to me. You know that papa Is incapable of dissem- 1 bling. Now, the day on which the war was decided officially, I remember with painful precision the scene of which was a witness. It took place at Pots dam. We were preparing to sit down 1 for dinner, when papa suddenly came 1 in, pale and dejected. 'Alas!' he cried, l as he Kissed us, the die Is cast-France l Is determined to go to war An, my | children, what a frightful calamity' l M. Ayme adds that naturally the din- ner was not gay, and if anybody had
 seen them at that moment it would have been difficult to suppose that the
 horrible news filled them with delight. On another day the subject of the les son was the wonderful manner in which 1 France had recovered from her defeat l Everybody" said the prince, twas l mistaken as to your financial power IL | is not five milliards that we ought to have claimed but ten or f1fteen." You
 could have done so," I replied, flor you
 were our masters" "Never mind, !,
 said the prince, laughing, i've shall not l n, J 1 not laugh, but responded, Next time il
 may not be we who will have to pay
 Then so much the worse," remarked
 the prince flor we should never be able l to find such sum- Tn that case said M. Ayme, permit me to observe that the game would not be equal. Ii you won, it would be of enormous bene- I fit to you; but if you lost there would
 be nothing for us. It would be like the 1 gambler who plays with an empty pocket; he may be lucky at first, bu | supposing chance should not have ia. | vored him''-
 For the first time, pursues M. Ayme the prince drowned The professor hat | gone too far. You put a wrong inter | pretation on my words" said tht | | entered my mind that I should be capa ble of undertaking a war for the pur pose of despoiling you. Such wal
 would be nothing more or less than al organized robbery, and would be entire ly opposed to my views on the question feel persuaded, in fact, that the ma jority of conflicts between nations art
 the result of the ambition of minister!
 who make use of these criminal mean
 to keep themselves in power and in
 crease their popularity. In future
 shall not indulge in joking with you an!
 more"
 A coolness reigned for some days be
 tween the professor and his pupil. l
 was the prince who dispelled it. He ex
 cused himself for having wounded tn patriotism of his master. Tt was no
 only a jest,' he said, adding, What i
 not joke is the dream of seeing som l day the union of the forces of you : l country to those of ours What prodi
 giOus things the two nations would b able to accomplish They would logi cally become the soYereigns of tn