Williams news., 1917-08-02

declared; and insignificant foreign Ol- plomats were under the impression that the emperor had at last deigned to notice them.
 The whole thing was huge joke in- vented by the kaiser on the castle ter race, and the court and the imperial family were in fits of laughter over it for a week.
 A Message to the Emperor.
 One afternoon when we were back again at the palace at Potsdam the emperor was explaining to me a cer- tain order he wished carried out. Pres ently one of the fiunkeys entered with a private note for his majesty. The emperor read it, and instantly I saw that his countenance grew pale and his manner changed.
 He read 1t again, and then re-read narrowed, and his cheeks unduly pale. Afterwards he struck match and burned the letter in the grate.
 That missive no doubt contained some grave news, the nature of which I could not guess, because he suddenly abandoned his work, and, telling me to meet him in the study at eight o'clock that evening, he strode out.
 When he had gone out picked up the blackened finder and examined 1t, but 1t was so charred that could not read any word, though from the two or three marks of the pen realized that it had been written by the hand of woman.
 An hour later learned that the em- peror had left Potsdam. He had by receipt of that letter evidently become seriously perturbed.
 I called the funkey who had handed him the missive and questioned him. He had received it from another serv- else, until at last I discovered that 1t had been handed by a young girl to one of the sentries on duty outside the palace, who in due course had sent 1t in to his majesty.
 While passing along one of the cor riders that evening met bald-headed old Won Klupfel, who was at that time grand chamberlain, and he beckoned me into his cozy room. Then, when the door was closed, he asked
 "What has happenedf The emperor has left incognito and all of sudden. The state ball tomorrow night has been cancelled"
 Cancelled r' I echoed. "Where has the emperor gone?
 Nobody knows-except Herman, his personal valet, whom he has taken with him."
 Curious" I remarked, thinking of the letter, though, of course. told Von K1upfel nothing of it. Whatever tran spired within his majesty's study was always regarded as a strict secret. More than one serious family quarrel had occurred there in my presence.
 'Well, something serious has cer- tainly occurred. That is my belief," declared the old chamberlain. "'Uncle' Zeppelin was coming to the palace to- morrow on visit, and have just sent him a telegram to postpone his jour- ney."
 "But his majesty had two important engagements tomorrow, and, in addi- ton, a military parade in Berlin," I said.
 "All is cancelled, my dear Won Helt- zendorff," replied the old fellow. "The emperor has left for a destination un- known. suppose had better report his absence to the imperial chancel- lor?" he added.
 "No, if were you would say noth- ing" replied. "For some private req son his majesty has evidently been forced to go on a journey. Without doubt I shall hear from him tomorrow. As soon as do so will tell you" A Telephone Message From "Herr | ZeIIer!"
 My expectation was realized, for the next day just after six o'clock in the evening I received telegram dispatch ed from Haarlem, in Holland, ordering me to go to the Adlon hotel, in Berlin, at once and register there. The con- cluding words of the message, sent in English, were: "You will receive a telephone call at 10 80 tonight" It was signed "Zeller,". one of the names used by the emperor when he travelled incognito.
 ordered the car and drove into Ber- lin, taking with me small bag, and engaged a room in Herr Adlon's hotel in which was telephone.
 Soon after ten o'clock told the telephone operator that if anyone rang me up should be in my room.
 Half-past ten came, and then slowly the hands of the clock passed round to eleven, and past.
 Suddenly there was sharp ring and I took up the receiver.
 A strange voice sounding far away asked for me, and replied in the af
 irmative.
 Then in a few seconds another voice } which instantly recognized as the emperor'seasked in English } ''Is that you, Won Heltzendorff?" 2" an( having received my reply, he said: ". , am Teller, speaking from the Hote