The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1908-12-08
ROYAL RAeE.
a Story of Emperor William Il. are
His Mother.

A Story of Emperor William Il. arf
His Mother.
IN a character sketch of Emperor
William IL. in the American Magazirs
Octave Mirbeau tells an interesting
story Of the kaiser's relations with his
royal mother. The incident was 70
lated By Prince Bismarck one night
when he had been drinking too much
"And no one" remarks NJ. MirbeaG
"was more brutaIy sincere than Bis.
marck was under the influence OF
wine" Here is part of the story:
'sThe relations between William ana
his mother. the Empress Frederiek.
became at last so bitter that William
placed spies about her, even in the
bedroom of his invalid father.
Through one of these spies William
learned Of the existence Of a journai
which his father had kept for some
years. Frederick had i taste for writ
ing, and the fact that there was cold
ness between him and his son led WI
liam to fear that this secret journal
might contain some criticism of his
conduct
''The empress, however. was clever
enough to conceal the diary before her
husbands death. Ending the surveil-
lance of her son. she sent the papers to
her mother. Queen Victoria. or TO her
brother, then Prince Of Wales, I don't
remember which.
'Hardly had his father drawn his
last breath when William over the
dead body performed his first official
act
at was to demand of his widowed
mother the journal, which he termed
memorial
''The empress feigned ignorance
William insisted. He spoke as master
giving his mother the order to obey
She persisted in declaring that she
knew nothing of the papers.
Well he commanded. purple with
wrath, you viii remain under close
arrest until you have obeyed mer
Bismarck. arriving at Potsdam two
hours after this, found the palace sur
rounded by squadrons Of armed cav
airy.
1.-THE emperor. whom he found still
exalted. told the old chancellor how he
had met the disobedience of his moth
er.
land she need not expect pity or
consideration until she has Obeyed me
he declared. You understand that.
Mr.. Chancellor? Until she has oheyed
meP
1.-THE pupil had gone much too far
Bismarck saw at once that the buf
foOnery continued might mar the
whole Of Williams reign. Later in
life, be said. he used to wonder how
he kept from laughing in his sover-
eign's face
What he did was to receive VII
liam's news with deferential silence
and later when the emperor was
calmer, show him that his course was
sure to meet with general disapproval
There was a way. he thought. Of pro-
1 ceeding much more vigorously and at
the same time eaicaciously. why not
rather cut down the income OF the
empress, suspend her appenases:
7 know her majesty said the good
Bismarck She has pride. Forced ar
rest she can brave out, accepting it rs
a sort Of Inartyrdom, but the none
sire. the money Who can resist mon
eyy
Further. he laid tactful stress upon
the probable representations Of Eng
land. Is it really the moment sire
',The kaiser, becoming appeased. lis
tened TO Bismarck's counsel. The ar
rest of the empress was removed The
officers led their cavalry back to quar-
tiers, and William turned his attention
to the details Of his fathers obse-
quies, which ne wished to be most
fastidious"