The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-31

Of his family as far back as the fourteenth
century are given, and chronicles tell that
the Schoenhausen line of Bismarcks pro-
duced several distinguished soldiers and not
a few diplomats. The prince himself boast
ed that there was not one of his ancestors
since the Huguenot wars who had not
drawn the sword against France. After the
catastrophe of Jena. in 1866, the French had
fallen like vandals on the Bismarck man.
sion ia the Mark of Brandenburg. and the
memory of their ravages, as related TO the
boy In after years, may somewhat account
for his great determination. when he be-
came chancellor, to crush the French ma
ton he had the house of Hapsburg in
Austria His father. Ferdinand Won Bis
marck, was retired colonel OF the DeiD-
karabinier Regiment living the life of
country gentleman on the family estate of
Schonhausen. He was a refined. kind
hearted gentleman full of humor, fond of
good living, and a great sportsman. His
wife. Luise Wilhelmine Menken. was not
only a very beautiful woman, but very in
teliectual, fond of the society of distin-
Puished persons. and while her two sons
were still in their cradles she often said
that Bernhard, the eldest. should be
councillor of state and Otto Edward Leo
pOld. the second, a diplomat. She died be-
fore her wish. as far as Otto was con-
cerned. was accomplished for, although he
was in his twenty-fourth year, he was still
conducting himself after a fashion which
seemed to promise anything but the dis
tinction which he subsequently attained.
When he was a year old his parents went
to live at kniephof, in Pommeranisa, where ere
mother. and where he early proved his love
for truth and courage by promptly owning
Up when his father asked who it was that
had broken the statue OF Hercules, which
stood in the park, by confessing that it was
a stone thrown by him at bird that had
done the damage One day, when he was
only five years old. he fell into the river
which ran by the place He did not know
how to swim and there was no one at hand,
but somehow or other-he has himself never
been able 10 explain the way 1t was done
he managed to scramble out ana wen EN-
having got his clothes wet This exploit
and the general fondness that their second
son manifested for getting into mischief IN
0uced the parents to send him to boarding
school in Berlin, the principal OF Whicn
had the reputation of being a strict diScip-
linarian AT the age of six he began to be
educated on the Pestalozzi system, and ne
very quickly became proficient in French,
trouble and had almost daily fights with his
schoolmates in the playground. Later on
his parents moved to Berlin, and during the
winter Otto lived at home with them, go
ing to the school in the William-strasse as
a day scholar and returning as a boarder
when they went back to their country place
At the age of twelve he entered the Fred
erick William Gymnasium to prepare for the
university and now his parents permitted
him to spend his vacations at home In the
country. where ne could give full scope to
his fondness for riding and shooting. The
first time that he was allowed to get on
horseback he was hardly in saddle when he
gave his horse a cut with the whip the ami
msl bolted off, got the bit between its teeth;
and only stopped when it slipped and fell
on the youthful rider, who had kept from
being thrown by holding on to the name.
There were no bones broken, but Otto had
10 be carried home ON Stretcher, ana IL
was some days before he was able to take
his second riding lesson. 1t was along about
this time that he persuaded his mother to
let him buy an English maStim puppy which
ne had seen in the town. and since then
Bismarck has never been without a large
Jog of some breed or another. his last ia
VOrite being a bloodhound named Tyras
who is almost as well known a parsonage
as his master.
UNIVERSITY DAYS.
When he was ready for the university he
wanted to go to Heidelberg, but his mother
would not hear of it-that university being
At that time considered the fastest in Ger
maryland so Cottngen was selected, where
he was entered as a law student and en-
rolled In the 'Korps der Hannoveraner"
The evening of his admission to this student
society he gave a supper in his rooms, and
the boys got so lively that they finished the
evening by trying who could throw the
anpty bottles farthest out from the WIN
dow The next morning the new student re-
eeived a summons to appear before the uni
versitatsrichter. AT the appointed hour Otto
entered the Office of this university officer
with his dog at his heels and his long pipe
In his mouth =
WHO are you, sir. and what do you want
with me?' asked the old professor, jumping
up ana lnserposing his chair between the
II don't want anything with you. but
what do you want with me? L am Student
raIn;p
What We're you throwing bottles out of
the window for last night?"
TO see who could throw the farthest
wanted to prove to my companions that
was stronger than any Of them
We'll, did you succeed?"
f1eS, let show Won how strong I am
ana catching up the pewter inkstand from
the table the young fellow squeezed it fiat
between his palms. He got off with fine
of thalers, but his white trousers were all
covered with ink and the students he met
on his way back to his rooms guyed him so
much over the spectacle he presented that
he felt called on to challenge four of them.
lie came out of the four encounters all
right and soon there was not more noted
duelist in any German university than he.
During his first three terms he fought
twenty-seVen times and was only badly
wounded once, receiving a slash across the
face. the scar of which is still visible His
most desperate duel was with an English
man who had spoken Slightingly of Ger
many as being a nation composed of lot
of petty little states and too weak to COM
mand either the fear or respect of anybody.
For this Bismarck challenged him, and,
after long and stubborn contest badly
wounded him. AT this time Bismarck was,
of course, a grown man. He measured six
feet two inches in his stockings. weighed
over two hundred pounds, and was powerful
as a bear.
University, where he passed his state exam
3natiOn in law with credit, and was sworn
In as auscultator or official law reporter
at one of the Berlin tribunals. OF law re-
porting Bismarck found year enough and
it was enough, too, for the court before
which he had shown more energy than def
erenCe.
SIR he once angrily exclaimed to an
intactable witness. take care or l will
have you kicked out"
Herr Auscultator." interposed the judge,
''the kicking out is my business.
sir soon after cried the auscultator to
tho still annoying witness, Ike care or
VIII get the judge TO kick you OUT
The chancellor never got over the kick
ing out propensity. In the course of his
life he contTived to kick the Danes out of
Schieswig- Holstein the Guelphs out of
Hanover. the Hapsburgs out of Germany
and the French out of Alsace-Loraine. He
only very partially succeeded in kicking the
Socialists out of Berlin, however. Drinking,
lighting and horseplay seemed to be his sole
amusements. He would fill his ancestral
home az Schoennausen with guests and in
siSt that no one should rise from the sup
per table till sunrise was at hand. Then
those who were sober enough would go to
bed and those who were not sober enough
would sleep under the table. Bismarck, the
heaviest drinker of all. would remain sober
a judge and would amuse himself, after
his guests had retired, in firing pistol bullets
through the bedroom doors and frightening
the inmates almost 10 death. At other times
he would go riding about the country like
the wild horseman himself, jumping bitches
and fences and squirting his horse through