The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-03
WILLIAM II. As A coon FELLOW.
One story Showing Paraimony and Good Nature
and One showing Only Good Nature.

One story Showing Paraimony and Good Nature
and One Showing Only Good Nature.
There is a common impression that William
ii. Of Germany is q spendthrift. The pomp
which he has introduced at his court is sup.
posed 70 have outrun his income of 81 900. 600
a year. and his extravaganza IN private life has
been represented as in keeping with his official
s%plendor. Several court chroniclers Of recent
times, however. have maintained that tho
young Emperor was extravagant only when
the splendor and power OF tho crown were to be
symbolized, and that at other times he was al.
most parsimonious, taking MS his model the old
Emperor, who would cork up n half-drunS pint
of champagne and set it aside for next days
luncheon. Two or three stories now circulated
by the German press tend to confirm this view.
When WilliamsII. was Prince William in
Bonn University, twice removed from the i'm.
perial throne, he cast his lot with the duclling
corps. Borussia. He was not Il prig. He
joined his comrades in their drinking bouts
and excursions, and bore as a freshman the
jokes and rebukes. which fall to the ordinary
German frcshman's lot. Only once did he show
temper when brought to book for his conduct.
The object of his wrath was Otto Ehlert. The
traveller and writer who was killed not long
ago by natives OF New Guinea.
Prince William went rowing on the Rhine
almost every pleasant dav during his ~sojourn
In Bonn. Oftener than not he invited Ehlers to
90 with him. On one of these excursions tho
boat ran fast on n snag. All efforts Of the
Prince and Ehlers to break loose from the snag
wcre %fruitlcss, and eventually they had to call
10 their aid "a fisherman. After the fisherman
had pulled them out into the stream again the
Prince took out his purse TO reward him. but
Cents seemed 10 the Prince too much money to
be given away all at, once and he turned to
Ehlers for change. Ehlers, without n word,
I,.ak.r IIa nNyN ntIlFGn NiRRnl mt IA AZ aVI
gave it to the fisherman. As the man rowed
away Elhlers answered thus the Princes ques.
Royal HiGhness, the third man In the whole
GG PT,pec 9 %RiiSm "i Ioota %f4 Xxi o1 hi% oser, hut In s, Tnds
no reply. The two rowed In silence to tho
shore, and for two weeks Ehlcrs received no in.
y~itations to row on the river, At tho end Of
the Prince seemed to have forgotten the rebuke.
One day after William II. had been on the
appeared before the Emperor With a special
embassy of. African chieftains from the Elm.
pirc's colonial possessions. The Emperor had
kot after another was handed to the Negroes
Ehlcrs grew uneasy. Finally when the EN-
head chief he could restrain himself: no longer.
thai beg your Madssty,S pa i,h anv he SAID ! but
trIhes. spcn a ring is much too expensive to
Wow, now. Filters" replied tho Emperor.
WHO would expect to hear that from youi
Don't you remember what II spcndthrift you
were with your thalcrs when you were in Bonni
Have you really become parsimonious in your
old apei"
He"o is another story which does not illus.
tratc anything In particular, except that the
Emperor ii not altogether the, prig which his
English cousins delight to paint him. When
several German university corps unite In q
grand drinking bout known AZ q conlmers II In
customary for the representatives of one TO
propose thus tho health of another:
Il have the high honor and the pleasure TO
BorusslR." TO This the representative OF The
Borussia responds:
THE Corps Borussia thanks and drinks, too"
When the Empress last gave birth to a son.
Otto Ehlars. in the name OF the Emperor's old
corps, sent this congrntulatory Telegram:
~ have the nigh honor and the pleasure to
drink a full glass TO the hoAlth OF the youngest
Hohenzollcrn.'' And back came the Emperor's
,"ihe youngest Hohenzollern thanks you, and
drinks. too"