Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-06-29
The Kaiser's Secret
Trip to the Hague.
Z May morning In 1907 ! was

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- NE May morning in 1907 was
walking on the terrace of the
Castle of Halberg. at that
~ time in the possession OF the
late Freiherr Won Stumm, whom the
emperor often visited.
On the previous day we had arrived
with q numerous suite and q large
number Of personal attendants, and
during the journey his majesty had
been very busy receiving the daily re-
ports, signing documents that had been
submitted to him and debating some
personal letters In French to certain
sOvereigns with whom he was on
friendly terms.
L think, however, that bur host be-
came secretly irritated at the. frequent
visits of his imperial guest. for certain
" what with the establishment of the
special telegraph to Berlin and spe-
cial post office, and the finding Of &C
c6mmodation for the crowd of person
al attendants, each visit must have
cost poor old Won Stumm a consider
able amount.
had already been busy upstairs in
the room allotted to me, and had come
out to take a walk in the warm and
welcome sunshine, when suddenly l
saw the emperor In r suit Of brown
civilian clothes striding towards me.
He seemed to be In humorous mood
and jOked with me as walked beside
him.
Suddenly he halted, as though re-
collecting something and asked:
"Heltzendorff. have you with you
some of our paper for important docu-
mentsr
Certainly" was my reply.
"Ahl then please place some of 1t
with envelopes upon my table. and also
wire to Berlin to send here ten cOu-
riers."
Ten couriers?" echoed In surprise
"Yes, ten. I may want even twelve
or more" ~
l saluted and re-entered the schlOAe'
to put the imperial command owed the
special wire, after which l took out
and placed upon the emperor's table
some sheets of that special dark blue
paper which bears the imperial crown
and cipher embossed In black, with
the words in German "dOcumeRt of
the highest importance" the formid-
able looking envelopes to match bear
ing the same words.
Just before eight o'clock that night
j was informed that the couriers were
waiting. below. and on descending
found six of the imperial. messengers
and four from the ministry Of foreign
affairs. ready to travel anywhere, even
10 the uttermOst ends Of the earth.
~ A stupendous Hoax.
On informing his majesty, the lat
ter handed to me about thirty of the
great blue envelopes containing "dOcu.
ments of the highest Importance" ad-
dressed In his own hand to various Of.
ficers Of state, princes. Processes, and
other prominent people in ak parts of
the empire.
these are to be taken at once. Helt.
zendOrf," the emperor said. THE mes.
sengers are TO bring us replies"
in every case?" asked.
"Yes. In every case" he answered
Then l carried the batch Of CORE
spondence below, and much puzzled al
Abe nature of this latest activity In
private letter-writing. l handed then
20 the couriers, who sorted them oul
and distributed them among them
selves.
Half an hour later the document.
were being conveyed TO various part,
Of the empire.
When l returned to the study
found the kaiser laughing quietly {,
himself. and wondered what could b,
the reason. He signed some docu
ments / read to him. but ever and amor
a broad smile. would cross his usual.
stern features.
Until week afterwards l did no
learn the cause of the imperial nerri
ment. but when l did burst into lou,
laughter myself. .....
Those envelopes containing "docu
ments of highest Importance, each con
tanned only comic postcard. whicl
the emperor had purchased during
visit to Saarbruck.
The kaiser had played huge jok
upon those whom he despised. for tn
delivery of these formidable imperia
dispatches created great stir in tn
households Of their recipients. Oh
princes were, awakened in the middl