Imperial Valley press., 1914-10-08
EXPERIENCES WITH
GERMAN WAR LORD
Especial Dispatch by the International
News Service

his troops, fighting almost all the
rest of Europe, it is refreshing tc
get a glimpse of the crested war lord
at home.
The man "without his shining ar.
NOR" is shown very intimately in a
new hook, "Memories of the Kaiser's
Court" published here today by Miss
Anne Topham, who was English
teacher to Emperor Williams daugh-
ter, Princess Victoria Luise, now the
Duchess of Brunswick.
Naturally, therefore, we get many
intimate glimpses of the royal father
on the domestic side as "Papa," who
makes "sportive jokes with his family
at the breakfast table and is even
occasionally guilty of the more afro
cious form Of pun" Once at the
Emperor's hunting lodge in East Prus
sia-where the Russians now are
Miss Topham said something about
the unyieldingness of the chairs.
"Hero we live hardly" quoth the En-
peror with a laugh, and he asked
every other day if the chairs were
getting any softer?
Miss Topham's first impressi n of
the Eaiser humanity was, however,
distilled through the alembic OF his
little daughters mind" One day she
amused herself with the schoolboy
trick of making with her mouth the
"pop" of champagne cork and the
subsequent gurgle of the flowing
wine.
"Whoever taught you these unlady-
Ike accomplishments ?" l asked in the
leproving tones appropriate to an in
structor of youth.
"S-s-sh! 1t was Papa" she an
swered gleefully repeating the Offend
ing sound with an even more perfect
imitation than before. "He can do it
splen6idly,". and she "gurgled' with
persevering industry.
Keen, blue eyes of rather guizzical
brightness-blue eyes almost too vio-
lent III contrast to the deep sunburn
of his face-a hearty, almost painful
handshake, and volume of personal
Guestions-this was Miss Topham's
first introduction to the Kaiser. They
had many a talk often on English
subjects, and out of one of these
sprang the remarks by him:
"You English people, you drink
those awful fiery spirits-horriblG
stuff whiskey, brandy, what not
How can you imbibe such quantities oi
poisonous liquid--ruining your con
stitutions? Simply running them
whiskey and soda everywhere-no, it.;
awful. l tasted it once-like liquit
fre-ugh! Your drinking habits are
fearful
There the Emperor was not indict
ing nation, but merely expressing
his own repugnance to strong drink
He showed, Miss Topham tells us, al
intense love and admiration of Eng
lish life, as apart from English politics
for which he has "preplexed, irri
tated wonderment and contempt"
"Not one of your minister's" ht
said to me on one occasion, "can tel
how many ships of the line you have
in your navy. / can tell him--ht
can't tell me. And your minister fo
war can't even ride. l offered him I
mount and every opportunity to see
the maneuvers. Thanks, very mucl
for your Majesty's gracious offer
Sorry can't accept it. Pm no horse
man unfortunately A minister o.
war! and can't ride! Unthinkable!'
He lave his short, sharp laugh. But
life as lived in the English country
side has for him irresistible charms
During his visits to England he haC
l.oticed our riches in relics and treas
ures of past ages, and this led hin
to remark:
"Ah, you have never had a Ma
roleon to plumber and burn your coun.
try houses" sighed the Emperor, al
most apologetically, once, when talk
ing Of his English visit. "Your Reyn
oldses and Gainsboroughs, where
would they have been if Napoleon'S
marsnals or soldiers had seen them
Perhaps burnt or destroyed, or ser
to the Louvre. Think what it means
},to the children of house to live will
d of those pictures, to absorb it un
consciously into their mentalities
they must grow up with love oi
beautiful things-they cannot help it
We hav> nothing of the kind; oui
houses wcre stripped and burnt"
Miss Topham suggested sometime
about Cromwell and the way his gen
tie Ironsdes IN their zeal smashed "
the Leautiful sculptures of our cathe
Grals and stabbed their horses in thC
naves.
"Ah, Cromwelk he replied. "Crom