Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-10-31
ROYAL RAGE.
A Story of Emperor William II. and
His Mother.

SSOry OF Emperor Wiho'" y" ~~
His Mother.
In character sketch Of Emperor
William IL. In the American Magazine
Octave Mirbeau tells an interesting
story of the kaiser's relations with his
ROYAL mother. The incident was re-
lated by Prince Bismarck one night
when he had been drinking too much.
"And no one" remarks Nj. Mirbeau,
"was more brutally sincere than Bis
marcl1 was under the influence Oh
Wine Here is a part Of the story:
..Tbe relations between William and
his mother the Empress Frederick,
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 journal
which his father had kept for some
wears. Frederick had taste for writ
ing. and the fact that there was cold
ness between him and his son led Will
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. Eluding the surveil-
lance of her son, she sent the papers to
her mother, Queen Victoria, or to her
brother. then Prince Of Wales, don't
remember which.
Hardly had his father drawn his
last breath when William over the
dead body performed his first official
act.
ut was to demand Of his widowed
mother the journal, which he teNhed a
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.
"'yVen.' he commanded. purple with
wrath. you will remain under close
arrest until you have obeyed me!
Bismarck. arriving at Potsdam two
hours after this, found the palace sur
rounded by sQuadrons Of armed cav
airy.
"The emperor, whom he found still
exalted. told the old chancellor how he
had met the disobedience Of his moth
er.
".And she need not expect pity OF
consideration until she has obeyed me-,
he declared. You understand that
Mr. Chancellor? Until she has obeyed
me-
"The pupil had gone much too far
Bismarck saw at once that the bur
foonery continued might mar the
whole Of Williams reign. Later IL
life. he said. Cs used to wonder how
he kept from laughing in his soyer
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 wa!
sure 70 meet with general disapproval
There was a way, he thought, OF pro
ceeding much more vigorously and a
the same time ethcaciously. why no
rather cut down the income Of TIL
empress, suspend her appanages?
al know her majesty said the gooC
Bismarck. she has pride. Forced ar
: rest she can brave out accepting 1t a
a sort of martyrdom, but the money
sire. the money! Who can resist mon
eyT
: Further, be laid tactful stress upol
the probable representations of Eng
land. is it really the moment sire?
"The kaiser, becoming appeased, lis
] tened to Bismarck's counsel. The al
} rest Of the empress was removed. Th
l officers led their cavalry back to quar-
tiers. and William turned his attentio
to the details of his fathers obst
: quies. which he wished to be mos
e fastidious."