The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-18
SPECIAL CAR FOR A WARDROBE.
Immense Variety of Costumes
Which Always Accompanies the
Correspondence C


Correspondence Chicago Record
Herald.
/ have heard a good story on Kaiser
Wilhelm, which l am assured has
never been published, and which could
not be published in Germany without
sending someone to Jail, as it relates
to an incident which caused his majes
ty much modification. He has a
large number and variety of costumes.
He is the honorary commander of a
dozen different regiments in his own
army and as many more in the otneT
armies of Europe. He holds several ac-
tual and honorary commissions in
different fleets; belongs to numerous
orders of military and civil distinction
and to other organizations which have
regalias that must be worn on cere-
monial occasions. Hence, when the
war lord" visits a foreign country, or
is travelling about his own domains, he
never knows what uniforms and re-
galias he may need, and therefore
must carry large amount of baggage
He has two complete outfits of every
thing, one which is usually kept on the
imperial yacht Hohenzollern and the
other in baggage or wardrobe car,
built especially for the purpose and
part of his private railway train.
This train was built after his own
designs, and is very conveniently ar
ranged for a man of his habits. 1t is
always kept ready for his use because
he never knows when he is going to
start on journey. Sometimes the
railway officials have only a few mo-
ments' notice. They will receive notice
by messenger or by telephone from the
palace that the emperor will leave at
once for a certain place, and are ex-
pected to have things ready by the
time he reaches the station. AS his
majesty becomes very impatient when
delayed the railway officials always
hustle, and seldom disappoint him.
The master of robes, assisted by
several Wallets, has charge of the en-
peror's wardrobe, and when the train
is In motion can produce at an in
stants notice any uniform or regalia
in which he may desire to appear at
the next station. If he happens to be
passing through garrison town where
one of his favorite regiments is sta
toned it pleases them and it pleases
him to greet the officers and men from
the platform of his car in the same
uniform they are wearing. If he crosses
the border of another country it is con-
sidered compliment for him to dress
in the uniform of the army or navy
of that country. Hence it is important
to have his wardrobe car with him on
all his journeys.
Not long ago, however, while maxi
ing trip around the German bound
aries, something happened to the
trucks, which made it necessary to cut
the wardrobe car out of the train.
There was no time to make a change
and the master of the robes and the
Wallets were commanded to transfer con-
tents to the most convenient car they
could find and follow by the next
train. BY some complications, which
have never been explained, much to the
anxiety and anguish of the master of
the robes and his assistants, the car
in which the emperor's clothing had
been placed was shunted on to a side
track during the night, and when they
arrived at their destination they were
Mortified to find it missing Nor could
they get any trace of it. Messengers
and kilograms were sent I'm every di-
rection; the entire railroad system of
Europe was turned bottom side up, but
the car could not be found. The en-
peror had to wear borrowed plumage
and make the most of 1t.
Some days later the collector of GUS
toms at the boundary reported to his
superior officer that car containing a
lot of unmarked and unclaimed theat-
ical properties had arrived at that place
and asked for instructions. This solved
the mystery. The Kaiser was glad To
recover his fine garments, but did NOT
enjoy having them described as
theatrical properties, particularly when
his intimate friends leased him about
1t.