The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-22

her half closed eyes. She seemed in
deed to be listening with her eyes rath-
er than her ears.
when the interview came to an end,
she gave me a fan painted by her own
hands, it was said, as a present for the
kaiserin. Upon its opened surface was
a scene representing the usual Chinese
landscape, with fish and beasts swim
ming in midair. I begged her majesty
to receive the ladies of the German en-
bassy, and she consented to see them at
her next reception.
Il bowed profoundly on leaving, to
which the dowager empress responded
with her queer little wink, and a faint
smile for the first time momentarily
H1ckered about the corners of her
mouth. She then vanished-sIid as it
were-out of sight behind a thick cur
tain as though, like an automaton, she
were rolled noiselessly away on hidden
wheels. We then withdrew amid line
of bowling mandarinS.''
The prince had already made form
al call on the young emperor, the nom;-
nal ruler of China, and found his mai
esty quite inanimate and uninterest-
ing. He acted throughout the inter-
view attempted to hold with him, aid
ed by an interpreter, as if he had been
coached in his conduct. his inquiries
and his replies to the smallest details.
interesting person.
This interchange of royal visits-the
young emperor having returned the
princes call-marked a new epoch in
China's history, for not only was Prince
Henry the first foreigner of note to be
allowed a glimpse of the empress dow
ager, but through diplomatic b1under
of the German minister at Picking who
had insisted that the emperor should
-
popular resentment was aroused
against all foreigners in China. The
dowager empress became so Infatuated
that there is no doubt the episode
greatly FASTENED the so called Boxer
movement a few months later, when
thousands of the Chinese rose in re-
beIlion.
All this occurred in the spring of 1898,
and it was then that Henry came into
contact with Admiral Dewey, who, it
has been universally admitted, gave
him useful lesson in repartee if not in
courtesy. While at Hongkong, just be-
fore Dewey sailed for Manila, Prince
Henry gave a banquet to all the higher
officers of the various war vessels
then in the harbor. At the banquet, Ell
Their from inadvertence or design, the
United States, of America" was the
last on the toast list, and so Dewey left
the table and refused to accept any ex-
plantations. The prince wrote him a let
ter of apology, but the day before Dew
ey sailed, when he called to say good
by, he said jestingly, 81 will send my
ships to Manila to see that you be-
have He looked full at Dewey, who
courteously retorted, 81 shall be de-
lighted, your highness. but permit me
to caution you to keep your ships from
between my guns and the enemy
If Admiral Diedrichs, whom Prince
Henry later superseded, had taken the
hint conveyed in Dewey's warning,
there might have been no friction at
all in Manila bay, Jas later resulted
from Diedrichs' officiousness. The so
called Irene incident when a German
vessel of the same name as the princes
wife gave aid to some Spaniards at Su-
big bay was eventually explained away
by the prince.
When Prince Henry addressed his
haunting remark to Dewey, gallant
Captain -Gridley and Consul Wildman
were standing near and heard it, Both
these Americans have since passed
away, but the greatest member of the
trio, Dewey, is still alive. 1t seemed
hardly within the bounds of possibili-
ty when these two parted in Chinese
waters that they would meet again on
American soil, and nothing then SEEM
ed less probable than a rapprochement
between Germany and the United
States.
Little remains to be said respecting
! our distinguished visitor except in ex-
tension of what has so often been given
regarding his many good qualities
Writing at the time Prince Henry was
at Hongkong, the correspondent of
London paper said: HE has produced
most happy impression here. His own
countrymen acclaim him as a typical
German prince, while Englishmen rec
ognize in him qualities which they are
proud to believe essentially British.
Certainly so far as an entire absence of
starch goes preconceived and doubt
less prejudiced notions of Teutonic
court manners have been entirely at
fault Nothing could have been sim
pier or more genial than the tone OF
both prince and suit. Above all, he
makes the impression of thorough
wholesomeness. His six feet of well
set up manhood, his bright beard and
clear tanned skin seem the outward
and visible signs of thoroughly clean,
sound mind. Sound common sense,
| frankness fearlessness dignity and
kindness are written on every feature"
The prince is not given to public
speaking and will probably reply in
briefest manner to the numerous adj
dresses that will be thrust at him in
this country. "Only once in my life,
said he on one occasion, did I make
speech, and 1 shall never hear the last
of that"
CLAIMING A. BARLOW.