Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-09
SOVEREIGNS AS TESTERS
SHAH OF PERSIA PUT OFFICIALS
ON SKATES AND BICYCLES.
Kaiser Wilhelm Enjoys a Joke at the
Expense Of His Exalted
Subjects. r.i

From London Tit-Bits.
Although the kaiser has been known to
allow one American millionaire to slap
him heartily on the shoulder. and another
to tell him that he is Jolly good fellow,
without showing trace Of offended dignity,
he is said never to permit the least famil-
arity from even the most exalted of his
subjects.
And yet no monarch better enjoys a joke
at the expense of his officials, as was
Gently proved by a remarkable photograph
presented by him to an admiral who usually
accompanied him on his yachting expedi-
lions. On a recent trip this admiral
not present. and his majesty. in order to
show him what he missed, had wond 2riul
photograph faxed representing a gigantic
and fearSome serpent gliding through
the water within pistol shot of the i'm
perial yacht.
Frolicsome Monarch.
A more frolicsome monarch is the Shalrof
Persia, of whom the following story Is told.
During his last visit to Paris, the shah,
just as he was leaving his hotel, summoned
the two police inspectors who always ac-
company him their bicycles ana begged
the loan of their machines, as his court
marshal and chief chamberlain were anx-
ious to try them These dsnifed officials
Hdu never Deell on a bicycle IN their llF. s.
and great was their CONSERVATION when
their royal master commanded them to
mount the unstable steeds and ride away.
There was. however. no escape. so sum
moning up their courage the two dignitaries
tucked up their frock coats, got somehow
aStrida of their respective whee.s and be-
gan TO wabb,e down the Champs ElyEees
They had scarcely gone half dozen yards,
however. before crash! went machine,
and then the other. and the gallant riders
were sprawling the ground. while the
shah laughed so Consumedly at the ludi
crous spectacle that he obliged to dry
his eyes with his handkerchief "Ail you
want is a little practice he gasped be-
tween his paloxysms of laughter. the
fallen heroes picked themselves up and
began ruefully to brush the dust off their
garments
On another occasion his majesty put
several of his most adiDose and grave
courtiers on roller skates and was so con-
vulsed by their antics that he had to COM
mand them to deSiSt.
King of Spain Joker.
But perhaps no living sovereign relishes
a joke OF this kind more heartily than
the irrepressible King Of Spain, who is
never so happy when he is shocking
his grave and decorous courtiers Only
the other day, it is said he interrupted
an interview with one of his ministers to
show him how cleverly he could turn
also performed for the benefit Of Queen
Alexandra short time ago in one of the
corridors of buckingham Palace.
Francis I practced some cruel jokes
on Jacob Paul Won Gundling, an eminent
scientist, on one occasion dressing I'D a
monkey In clothes similar to those worn
by the professor and making the latter
embrace him in public and acknowledge
him as his own son and on Gunding's
death the king had his body dressed in
state uniform and buried in a wine cask.
Charles III loved to go abroad in dis
guise. assailing his subjects in the coars-
est terms. He would enter the shops of
vendors of breakable materials and TAX
ing up mirror or drinking glass would
let it fall to the ground, laughing unre-
STRANGELY at the damage that he had
done and at the abuse that was showered
on him. And. to give but one more ex-
ample. Peter the Great loved at Christmas
time to take part in the annual sledge
procession in which the clergy, gorgeously
attired stopped at certain houses sang a
carol and received charitable offerings.