Tombstone epitaph., 1917-08-19

womenfolk. elbow each other In ordel
TO secure the notice of the all-higheS
one, who. in that green-uphOlstere,
private room wherein / worked Will
him, often smiled at the unseemly bus
tie while he calmly Disseminated
among men and women according I,
their merits.
II is In that calm discretion that tn,
emperor excels, possessing almost un
canny foresight.
Il know. Frau Kleist has told me =
were the words his majesty used OF
many occasions when | had venturet
| perhaps 10 express doubt regarding
some scandalous story or serious allie
cation. Therefore l 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 was their fans and bow the
knee in his imperial presence. And he
| had. no doubt, with that innate Gun.
ming. appointed his creature TO the 20.
sition OF court dancing mistress.
EmperoTs First View Of an AirpIane
On October IL, 1905. 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.
was seated at the side table In his
private room In the Berlin Schloss,
taking down certain confidential in
structious 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 message and
handed it TO his majesty. The kaiser
N 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 90 at once. Order the
cars. And. Won krahlberg. inform her
majesty AZ once. She Will accompany
Us, no doubt"
Quickly | placed before his majesty
one OF his tographs-knowing that
| II would be wanted for presentation 10
the daring American-and he took up
his pen and scrawled his signature
across Ii.
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 COnstantlnople-and Professor
Vambery in the first car; the kaiserln
with her daughter. Victoria Luise. and
the latter's ober-gouvernante govern.
| ess). with one of the court ladies'. in
the next; while in the third rode with
Major Won Scholl. one OF the equer.
ries.
On arrival at the BOrnstedter field II
was already growing dusk, and great
disappointment awaited us. The crown
I prince rode up TO inform US gravely
/ that the flying was over for the day
At this the kiiSer grew angry, for he
| had been out once before upon a wild.
goose chase, only 10 find that Orville
Wright had gone home. declaring the
wind too strong.
At his fathers anger. however. "Wil.
lie" burst out laughing. declaring that
he was only joking. and that all was
in readiness. Indeed. as he spoke. the
aviator came up and ] presented him
TO his majesty.
Then. while he stood alone in the
center Of the great. sandy plain, Mr.. or.
vile Wright clambered into his ma.
chine and, rising, made many circuits
| high above US.
The emperor stood with Herr Reit.
schel and the shaggy old professor
straining his eyes with keenest inter.
est. 1t was the first time his ma jesty
had seen an airplane in flight. Much
| had been promised of Won Zeppelin's
invention. yet the German public had
until those demonstrations by the
American aviator. taken but little heed
Of the heavier-than-air machine. Al
that time. indeed. the emperor had mol
taken up Won Zeppelin. and IL was only
after seeing Orville Wright's demon.
STATIONS that he entered with any en-.
thusiasIn into aerpnautical problems.
High above us against the clear eve.
ming sky, wherein the stars had already
begun TO twinkle. the daring American
rose, dipped and banked. his machine
droning like huge gadfiy. much to the
interest and establishment Of the EN-
peror.
Marvellous" he exclaimed, as
stood beside him. with the empress or
his right. How is It doneT
The sight of man flying in the air
maneuvering his machine at will. rising
swiftly. and then planning down with
the engine cut OF. was one of the mosi
amazing spectacles the loyal Potsdam
ers had ever seen. Even the emperor
with all his dreams of world power
could never for a moment have fore
seen what a great factor airplane,
would be in war.
At last Wright came down In 9
spiral, banked slightly. steadied him
self. and then came lightly to eartf
within few yards of where we stood
having been the first 10 exhibit TO tn.
emperor how completely the air had
been conquered