Middletown transcript., 1898-09-10
BTORIESOFB
"REMINISCENCES OF THE CREATOR
OF IMPERIAL GERMANY.

Tribute to His Wife's Financial Ability.
Courteous Treatment of a Servant Girl
Moments of Happiness Only In Private
Life-story of His Betrothaf.
The late Prince Bismarck was show.
ing q friend round his house some time
ago, and as he laughingly pointed to
the ponderous and forbidding iron safe
in his wife's bedroom he said, "You
see, my wife acts as my cashier, and
let me tell you that a man who trusts
his wife with his financial interests has
discovered an infallible way to save
money"
After the day on which Bismarck was
shot at MAY z, 1860 by Karl Blind his
wife said, "If were in heaven and
saw the villain standing on the top Of a
ladder leading down to hell, would
have no hesitation in giving him a
push. y "Hush, my DEAR" replied Bis
marck, "you would not be in heaven
yourself with such thoughts as those. I"
When his son was married, he kissed
his daughter-in-law hand, and to a
friend who remarked that he seemed to
find great pleasure in kissing young
women's hands he said: "My old mas
ter used to say that when lady kisses
ones hand it is an official intimation
that you are an old man. As long, how.
ever, as you are allowed to carry their
tiny hands to your lips depend upon il
there is drop Of young blood some
where In your veins"
He was caught in storm as he was
strolling through the woods near Kis-
singer, and servant girl ran out Of
restaurant and offered him an umbrella.
He thanked her courteously and, taking
her arm, escorted her to place Of safe
ty. Then he gave her kiss, which she
accepted with good grace, saying, ''You
have done me great honor, prince.
To which he replied, Son the contrary,
it is who am in your debt for be-
lieve, my dear, You have indeed given
me great pleasure.
Shortly after Bismarck had taken his
seat In the First Pr,lssian parliament
In 1849 an opponent said: "You alone
in all your party have always treated
us with politeness. Let us make bar
gain. If we gain the upper hand, we
shall spare you; if fortune should favor
you, you shall do the same by us. I" Bis
inarck's reply was: eff your party has
its way, life will not be worth living;
if ours is victorious, there will have to
be executions, but they shall be con-
Quoted with politeness up to the last
step Of the ladder"
A few years ago the chancellor, who
was greatly shaken in health, seriously
made up his mind to retire. He had
placed his resignation in the hands Of
the emperor, but the aged monarch re-
turned it to him in few minutes with
single word for answer, "Neverr'
Yielding to the urgent wish Of his
master, he remained in Office. At the
first audience afterward his majesty
said: ST cannot understand why you
want to retire. Here am ], much older |
than you, but I can still mount my |
horse. "Just so, sire; that's the rule, +"
answered Bismarck. "The rider always
holds out much longer than his horse.
At the close of his official career he
said to some friends at Friedrichsruh;
"I have seldom been a happy man. Il
I reckon up the rare minutes Of real
happiness in my life, I do not believe
they would make "a hours in all. In
my political life I never had time to |
have the feeling Of happiness, but in
my private life there have been mo