The age-herald., 1899-03-19

muttered maledictions upon Stokes for
 talking out of school" But in phrases which l hoped were not ungraeefnl re- piled as best l could, the which seemed not to displease the prince. You shall come to lunch with me at midday tomorrow ne said kindly. My launch shall call for you at the club stairs at 11:45 o'clock DOW ed, and spoke not a word. Speecn then would have been rudeness. The prince invitation was a command which 1t was not my privilege to disobey.
 The German officers took leave Of Stokes and me, and departed for their ships, and in our excitement we took each glass ot grog to steady our nerves, rellled our pipes, and discussed matters. The sltua- tion was not happy for me, nor was It all together joyous for Stokes, as Admlal Diedrieh had asked him to luncheon It was on the tip of my tongue to beg the prince to suffer me to come to him as guest in my private capacity; but l was wei aware that such request would have peen outrageously indecorous. So Stokes and faced the morrow with some concern.
 Arraying myself in proper garments next day I waited the princes boat at the an cient water-stairs of the ancient club. me boat came, and we put off. Drawing along side the ship I mounted the Sang-steps' and at the top was received by the oiicSl of the day, behind whom stood the prince and the officers. Along the white deck was
 
 marines. who stood at present-arms With the prince walked down the line, and, as tho custom is pretended to inspect the guard pauslng twice each time to place my hand upon a musket and rub the breech with my glove looking at my glove at once to see if it were soiled.
 The prince led the way below. and he and I lunched alone. We had champagne to drink. followed by beer, as Is the German custom. The beer drank with the graVest misgivings. I remained with the prince less than an hour, and he than caused mo to De conducted to the wardroom. I left my offl> cial card on his private desk. In the ward room. the living room of all officers below the rank of captain and above the rank or midshipman I was most cordially received There was more champagne and more peer, most lightly partaken of by me. for that sort of hospitality alarmed me, whilst IL gratified my common vanity. Fifteen minutes was the space of my Visit to tne officers. and then I was conducted on deck, where the prince awaited me to take leave The guard was drawn up again; there was a roll of the kettle-drum. The prince SHOOK hands with me, uncovered to his ofncers' descended the gangway, entered the boat and we started ashore. At thirty paces the boat stopped still a salute gun rang out, and rose, faced the ship, bareheaded' ana awaited the firing of the regular salute que a consul. When the salute was done DOW ed and in five minutes was III the cluD' where twenty jolly fellows received mo- and upon the spot organized dinner Tor that night in honor of the German ofi1cers The princes rank forbade us to invite hiih' That dinner. But that dinner IS unqueS- tionaby another story.
 In the club for a week or two we saw much of Prince Henry and the officers or the squadron, and as for the officers l never met jollier happier, frendlier, or more sociable company of mon. There was one enormous fellow who looked like ones con ception of Greek god. One night the ofh- cers of the Royal Artillery garrison In the harbor gave dinner to the Germans, ana I was present by special invitation. When the speeches came on I was asked to speak for Great Britain, Germany and America. M ytalk was gush. purely and simply gush, but it so pleased my Greek god that he em- braced me, kissed me on the cheeK, ana swore that I was poet But-well, the god was feeling the generous spirit ot wlhe.
 It is of Prince Henry that l started out to write and have wandered aesurdly. more charming a more gracious, more cordial-minded man I never met than this prince of the House of the HohenZoHerns' He gave me some conception of what IS really meant by the term princeiy courtesy. He was In his manners as simple, as un- pretentious, as democratic as any Ameri- can or English gentleman could be. He ap- peared to mo to be in all the relations or life straightforward, manly. kind-hearted' coura rageous-Royal! He is luminous nS- ure In my memory of men,