The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-18
ANECDOTES ABOUT PRINCE BiSMARcK

and scandals, as he would have done without
hesitation in the days of his greatest power
the prince held his peace, and set his wits to
work on the problem Of getting the better
of his antagonists. And old story now re-
vived tells how he met the difficulty One
day, when he had a most important letter
which he was absolutely obliged to confide
to the post, he put the document in his pock-
ct, took one of his colleagues with him for a
walk, and led him into a back street Of the
city. There he selected a small grocer's
shop, opened the door, entered and asked for
soap. After making his purchase he put the
parcel in his pocket, asking "Have you any
letter covers Some envelopes of the COM
monest kind were brought to him. He pulled
out his important document and prepared it
for the post, whereupon he begged the man to
give him pen and ink. Not having taken of
his gloves, the prince pretended that he
could not write properly, and asked the shop
man to address the letter, which he did.
Putting the letter first to his nose and then
into his pocket, Bismarck remarked to his
friend: "Now We'll sc if they will sniff my
report under this address and under this
perfume, composed of soap, herrings, tallow
and cheese" ---a
At the famous battle of Koniggratz,
which was fought on July 8, 1885, and
made Prussia supreme in Germany, an
incident occurred which well illustrated
Bismarck's audacity and determination
toward his superiors in rank:
When the Austrian troops began to give
way, the Germans rushed impetuously for
ward, with their leaders at their head King
William, afterward Emperor William the
First, was in the front rank with his prime
minister by his side. To cover the retreat
Of their troops the Austrian artillery began
to shower a storm of bomb shells upon the
advancing Prussans. At one moment the
king was almost carried away by the tide
Of retreating Austrians, and he was invariably
in the thickest of the melee, running a great
risk of being shot. At this point Bismarck
approached him and respectfully suggest led
that his majesty was needlessly exposing him
self to danger
when my army is under fire it is my duty
to be there also, for I am it's commander-in-
chief" replied the king
Bismarck bowed and retired but when q
moment later some shells burst directly I'M
der the horses of the royal escort, he rode
up to the king and said firmly:
"As a major Of course 1 have no military
advice to offer your majesty; but as the
president of the ministerial council, RESPONSE
-
safety 1 must beg-earnestly beg-your mai
esty not to risk your life in that way"
But the king, intent on following the course
of battle, needed not his minister's exhorta-
ton. Then Bismarck, determined as ever to
nave his own way in the matter had recourse
to stratagem. Edging up toward the king, he
gave his chestnut mare a good, sly kick
with the point of his riding boot at which
the animal made bound forward to a spot
less directly in the line of fire. 'The king
looked around in establishment" said Bis
marck once, when relating the tale, land
think he saw what I had done but he said
nothing"
lie was noted for his bravery and
great Self-contrOI:
In 1866, when Bismarck Cbep oo,,rp -
returning from the palace one day where
he had been visiting the king. while nassing
Ohter den Linden, he suddenly heard q shot
hred pehlnd him. He turned abruptlv and
confronted the young man who was aiming
smoking revolver at him. rushed I'D to the
miscreant and dsarmed him, after having
been wounded in the shoulder and in one
OF his ribs. He did not relax his hold ON the
crazed assassin until the arrival of soma
soldiers, who placed him under arrest. where
upon he walked briskly to his residence
which he reached before the matter became
public.
me countess was entertaining some Iadv
visitors when her husband entered the re-
ception room. He greeted the company in
the most cordial manner, and begged to he
excused for a few moments, as he had to
attend to some very important business. He
walked into the adjoining room to his writ
Ing desk, and wrote a report of the incident
to the king After fulfilling this duty he re-
turned to the reception room and got off
one OF MS standing jokes by pretending to
forget his own lack of punctuality, and say
ing to his wife:
Wen, aren't we going to have any din
ner to-day? You always make me wait"
AT the dinner table he partook heartily of
the wholesome courses. Only after eating
he walked up to the countess, kissed her
tenderly on the forehead and after wishing
her In the good old German fashion s'Gesep
hete Mahlzeit' c'May the meal be bessed'3.
me-" 'Ae An"''er WIN
She regarded him wistfully
Yes" he continued "you need not ,vor
ry, my child. Somebody has tried to shoot
me- but it amounts to nothing, as you see"
Count Andrassy tells of a delightful
interview he had with the chancellor:
Bismarck had two immense mupa oP 49,