Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-08-17

private room wherein l worked will
him, often smiled at the unseemly bus
tie while he calmly Disseminated
| their merits.
1t is in that calm discretion that the
emperor excels, possessing almost un
canny foresight.
81 knowl Frau Kleist has told me 2
were the words his majesty used or
many occasions when 1 had ventured
perhaps to express doubt regarding
some scandalous story or serious allie
cation. Therefore was confident that
the seventy-year-old dancing mistress
whose past was a complete mystery
was an important secret agent of the
emperor's.
And what more likely? The kaiser,
as ruler of that complex empire, would
naturally seek to know the truth con-
corning those who sought his favor be-
fore they were permitted to click their
heels or wag their fans and bow the
knee in his imperial presence. And he
had, no doubt, with that innate cum
ming, appointed his creature to the po-
sition of court dancing mistress.
Emperor's First View of an AirpIane.
On October II, 1908, 1 had returned
with the emperor and his suite from
Hamburg, where his majesty had been
present at the launching of one of Herr
Ballin's monster American liners. I
was seated at the side table in his
private room in the Berlin Schloss,
taking down certain confidential in
structions which he wished to be sent
at once by one of the imperial couriers
to the commandant of Posen.
Suddenly Won Kahlberg, my col
league, entered with a message and
handed it to his majesty. The kaiser
at once grew excited and, turning to
me said:
''The crown prince sends word from
Potsdam that the American, Orville
Wright, is flying on the Bornstedter
field. We must go at once. Order the
cars. And, Won Krahlberg, inform her
majesty at once. She will accompany
us, no doubt"
Quickly I placed before his majesty
one of his ographs-knowing that
it would be wanted for presentation to
the daring American-and he took up
his pen and scrawled his signature
across it.
Within a quarter of an hour three
Of the powerful cars were on their way
to Potsdam, the emperor with Herr
Anton Reitschel-a high German Off
cial at Constantinople-and Professor
Vambery in the first car; the kaiserin
with her daughter, Victoria Luise, and
he latter's ober-gouvernante govern
ess), with one of the court ladies, in
he next; while in the third I rode with
Major Won Scholl, one of the equer-
les.
On arrival at the Bornstedter field it
vas already growing dusk, and great
awaited us. The crown
prince rode up to inform us gravely |
hat the flying was over for the day. |
1t this the kaiser grew angry, for he |
lad been out once before upon a wild |
loose chase, only to find that Orville |
Wright had gone home, declaring the
Wind too strong.
AT his fathers anger, however, "Wil- |
lie" burst out laughing, declaring that |
lie was only joking, and that all was
n readiness. Indeed, as he spoke, the
viator came up and presented him
o his majesty.
Then, while he stood alone in the
enter of the great, sandy plain, Mr.. Or
lille Wright clambered into his ma
hine and, rising, made many circuits
Ugh above US.
The emperor stood with Herr Reit-
chel and the shaggy old professor,
his eyes with keenest inter-
st. 1t was the first time his majesty
ad seen an airplane in flight. Much
ad been promised of Won Zeppelin's
lvention, yet the German public had,
ntil those demonstrations by the
merican aviator, taken but little heed
{ the heavier-than-air machine. At
lat time, indeed, the emperor had not
ken up Won Zeppelin, and it was only
fter seeing Orville Wright's demon
rations that he entered with any en-
lusiasm into aeronautical problems I
High above us against the clear eve I
ng sky, wherein the stars had already 4!
sgun to twinkle, the daring American ;
'se, dipped and banked, his machine {
'oning like huge gadfly, much to the
terest and establishment of the en-
.ror II
marvellous ~ he exclaimed, as 1 s
God beside him, with the empress on !
S right. "How is it done"
The sight of a man flying in the air. '
his machine at will, rising {
Tiftly, and then planning down with l
e engine cut off, was one of the most Q
nazing spectacles the loyal Potsdam- l.
S had ever seen. Even the emperor,
tn all his dreams of world power,
uld never for a moment have fore S
en- what a great factor airplanes I
,uld be in war. Z
At last Wright came down in a ii