Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-06

it comes to spectacular effects he can give
cards and spades to all the other royalties
put together His uniforms are more the
atrical, his horses are finer, his equipages
more dashing, than those of any other ruler.
And he is the only man in Germany who
can use type of horn on his motor car that
is fitted with keys and sounds range of
several notes, not unlike coaching horn.
This instrument the Kaiser has appropriated
for his own particular. use; SO that when
you see fast approaching cloud of dust re-
solve itself into a big yellow car and hear
the high clear notes of a coaching call. you
had better take to the side of the road and
lift your hat; for the Emperor is coming.
One spring family of wealthy Americans
from the Middle West landed at Bremen
with their car, high powered. big tonneaued
affair of cleaning brass and flashing scarlet.
which was fitted with one of these horns.
Such horn may not in Germany be
used!" said the customs inspector severely
when he saw it. 1T is for the Kaiser alone
permitted"
That's all right" said the American
genially. II won't use it if it's going to
hurt the feelings of your Kaiser: though l
will say that if he ever came to Kansas City
he could toot any old kind of horn he pleased
and no one would tell him not to. But when
you are in Germany do as the Dutchmen
do, say L; so I'll agree not to use the horn
until we get out of this thin-skinned country
of yours"
And he kept his promise faithfully. so far
as he was concerned. But one day. while
motoring through wooded district in South
Germany, one of the girls of the party, un-
perceived by the father, could not resist
the mischievous impulse to sound the horn
just as they were rounding curve in for
est road. "Ta-ra-la, ta-ra-la. lir-a-la!" clar
toned the horn, and the forest threw the
echoes back.
But to their CONSERVATION they saw be-
fore them. as they swept round the bend.
big yellow car with the imperial arms of
Germany emblazoned on the panels. drawn
up beside the road. In its tonneau sat
slender young woman. while beside her sew
eral young officers in the uniform of the
General Staff were standing rigidly erect.
with their hands raised to their vizors in
salute. 1t was the Crown Prince and Crown
Princess of Germany, with their suite, and
the unmistakable notes of the peculiar horn
conveyed to them only the intimation that
their imperial father was coming down the
road.
Alfonso and the Foot Washing
THERE is no more hail fellow we'll met in
L all Europe than Alfonso XIII. He is
indeed such an altogether good sort that l
have always hesitated to credit some of the
fool stories which have been told about him;
as, for example. that relating to his first
visit to the English Court, when he was
boy of eighteen.
The court was at Windsor. and a state
dinner party, led by the monarchs of Britain
and Spain. was moving down the long corri-
dor in solemn procession. when Alfonso
turned to King Edward with the sudden
query. "Can you do this. sir?" Suiting the
action to the word. he walked down the cor
ridor on his hands and with his feet in the
air, in full view of the amused King and the
scandalized courtiers.
Probably there is as much truth in this
story as there is in that other one of how
King Edward, then Prince of Wales, main
tanned dignifed composure even when Lily
Langtry playfully dropped piece of ice
down the royal collar.
True or not, they are amusing. and do
no great harm one way or the other.
But there is little sidelght on his Most
Catholic Majesty which | know to be true
because saw it myself From time imme
mortal it has been the custom for the Kings
of Spain to wash the feet of thirteen beggars
on the Thursday before Easter, and, chanc-
ing to be in Madrid at that time. it was my
good fortune to be invited to witness the