The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-07
GOOD STORY ON THE KAISER.
When and How iIheI Lost His
'TheatricaI Properties"


RecOrd-Herald.
1 have heard a good story on Kaiser Will
liam, which | am assured has never been
published, and which could not be published
in Germany without sending somebody to
Jail, as it retales to an incident which
caused his Majesty much modification. He
has a large number and variety of cos
tunes. He is the honorary commander of
"a dozen different regiments in his own
army and as many more in the other
armies of Europe. He holds several actual
and honorary commissions in different
fleets; belongs TO numerous orders Of mill
tary and civil distinction, and TO other
organizations which have regalias that
must be worn on ceremonial occasions.
Hence. when the War Lord" visits a for
eign country, or l. travelling about his own
domains, he never knows what uniforms
and reEalias he may need, and therefore
must carry a large amount of baggage.
He has two complete outfits of everything.
enc of which is usually kept on the imperial
yacht HOhenZOllern and the other in n
baggage or wardrobe car. built especially
for the purpose, and a part of his private
railway train.
This train was built after his own designs,
and is very conveniently arranged 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 a jOurnay. Some
times the railway officials have only a
few moments notice. They will receive no.
tice by messenger or by telephone from the
palace that the Emperor Will leave at once
for q certain place. and are expected to
have things ready by the time he reaches
the station. rs his Majesty becomes very
impatient when delayed, the railway Of
ticials always hustle and seldom disappoint
him.
The master of robes, assisted by several
Wallets, has charge of the Emperor's ward
robe, and when the train is in motion can
produce, at an instant's notice any uniform
or regalia in which he may desire TO APP
- % NhA A~F 80 &c -
be passing through a garrison town where
one of his favorite regiments is stationed:
ii pleases them and it pleases him TO greet
the officers and men from the platform of
his car i'm the same uniform they are wear
ing. If he crosses the border of another
country it is considered d compliment for
him 10 lresS in the uniform of the army or
navy of that country. Hence il is important
to have his wardrobe car with him on all
his journeys.
Not long ago, however. while making
a trip around the German boundaries. some
thing happened to the trucks. which made
it necessary TO cut the wardrobe car out
Of the rain. There was no time 10 make
a change. and the master of the robes and
the Wallets were commanded to transfer
its contents to the most convenient car
they could find and follow by the next
train. BY some complications. which have
never been explained, much 10 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 onto a side track during the night,
and when they arrived at their destina-
ton they were Mortified to find it missing.
Nor could they get any trace of it. Messen-
gers and kilograms were sent in every di-
TectiOn, the entire railroad system Of
Europe was turned bottom side up, but
the car could not be found. The Emperor
had to wear borrowed plumage and make
the most of il.
some days later the collector of customs
at the boundary reported to his superior
officer that a car containing a lot of un-
marked and unclaimed theatrical proper
ties haI 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 il
described as theatrical properties, particu-
larly when his intimate friends teased him
about il.
l suppose the funniest thing the Kaiser
ever did was TO order two regiments of in
fantTy from the garrison at kOnigsberg TO
his game preserve at Rominjen. where 1900
officers and men were kept busy for three
weeks f~ightinS-nOt the Russians, nor the
1trcnch. not even the socialists. who are the
herccst foes of German authority. but mere
~ a lot Of little caterpillars, which hap
Dencd To swarm upOn his Maiesty'S trees
and shrNbbcry like the locusts i'm Egypt.
The fact was not published in the news
papers. and the duty which this detail
was called upon To perform did not appear
i'm the orders. but II did not take long for
officers and men of those two regiments had
to endure "A great deal of chatting from
their comrades during the next few months.
In fact. they will never be allowed 10 for
get the. incident, for they are known To the
service as The caterpillar fighters Even
at the War Lords" request the mus
taChcs of the officers always bristleS with
inquisitiNeneSS and apprehension. partiCu-
larry if somebody whispers caterpillars.