Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-10-25

ing call on the king.
My friends version of this incident, |
l have since heard, is that I seated |
myself in the taxi and leaning through |
the window said: buckingham pail |
acew whereupon the taxi driver got |
down, opened the door and exclaimed |
threateningly:
"If you don't get out quietly and
chuck your drunken talk, I'll jolly
quick call a bobby, biz me, If
won't!"
But 1 can only give my word that
nothing of the kind occurred.
When / arrived at the palace gate.
the sentry on guard asked me who l
was and then let me pass at once
up to the front entrance of the palace.
There I was met by an elaborately
uniformed and equally elaborately
decorated parsonage who. judging by
the long row of medals he wore, must
have seen long and distinguished serv-
ice for the king.
1 was relieved of my overcoat, hat
and stick and conducted up a long
stairway, where 1 was turned over to
another functionary, who led me to
the reception room of Earl Cromer,
the kings secretary.
There l was introduced to another
earl and duke, whose name do not
remember. l was becoming so bewil-
dered, in fact, that it is wonder that
/ remember as much as l do of this
eventful day.
d. had heard many times that before
being presented to the king man is
| coached carefully as to just how he is
to act and what he is to say and do,
| and all this time I was wondering
when this drilling would commence
/ certainly had no idea that was to
be ushered into the august presence
of the king without some preliminary
| instruction.
Earl Cromer and the other noblemen
talked to me for a while and got me
to relate in brief the story of my ex-
perience, and they appeared TO be
very much interested. Perhaps they
did 1t only to give me confidence and
as a sort of rehearsal for the main
performance, which was scheduled to
take place much sooner than 1 ex-
pected.
had barely completed my story
when the door opened and an attend
ant entered and announced:
''The king will receive Leftenant
O'Brien ~
If he had announced that the kaiser
was outside with a squad of German
guards to take me back to Courtrai
my heart could not have sunk deeper
Earl Cromer beckoned me to follow
him and we went into a large room
| where supposed I was at last to re
ceive my coaching, but observed the
earl bow to a man standing there ant
realized that I was standing in thu
presence Of the king of England.
"Your majesty, Leftenant O'Brien /!
the earl announced, and then immedi
ately backed from the room. I be
lieved I would have followed righ
!, behind him, but by that time tn
1 king had me by the hand and wa
,, congratulating me, and he spoke S
u very cordially and democraticall
u that he put me at my ease at once.
He then asked me how I felt an
4 whether I was in a condition to cor
), verse, and when told him / was, h
II said he would be very much please
to hear my story in detail.
{ Were you treated any worse by tn
L Germans. leftenant?" he asked, so
y account of being an American? Tv
u heard that the Germans had threa
ened to shoot Americans serving i
II the British army if they capture
u them, CHASING them as murderer
'e because America was q neutral cou1
try and Americans had no right
< mix in the war. Did you find that
y be the case?"
Il I told him that had heard similG
Ii reports, but that did not notice an
Il appreciable difference in my trea
A ment from that accorded Britisher
The king declared that he believe
re my escape was due to my pluck az
% will power and that it was one of Il
81 most remarkable escapes he had ev'
"a heard of, which thought was Qui
10 compliment. coming as it did fro
rs the king Of England.
ST hope that all the Americans wi
~ give as good an account of themselv'
n as you have, leftenant," he said, "ar
1 feel quite sure they will. 1 full
Oh appreciate all the service rendered I
ou by Americans before the States e
IT, tered the war;"
e At this moment l asked him if
at was taking too much time.
mot at all, leftenant, not at all
he replied, most cordially. II WI
ne extremely interested in the brief I
d port that came to me Of your wonde
nd full escape and sent for you becau
FL, I wanted to hear the whole story fir:
nd hand, and I am very glad you we
able to come"
ce, 1 had not expected to remain mo
than a few minutes, as l understo
ce that four minutes is considered a lo
at audience with the king. Fifty-tN
minutes elapsed before 1 finally IL
there!
lst During all this time had done me
he of the talking, in response to t
IRE kings request to tell my story. Oct
lily sionally he interrupted to ask a gu,
IN ton about a point he wanted me
he make clear, but for the most part
IRE was content to play the part of
gh tener.
ne. He seemed to be very keen on eve
nd thing and when 1 described some
1t. the tight holes I got into during
lad escape he evinced his sympathy.
1t casionally 1 introduced some of I
Pc few humorous incidents of my adv
ture and in every instance he laugh
heartily.
Altogether the impression 1 got
him was that he is a very gem
gracious and alert sovereign. l kn
Der I have felt more i'll at ease when ia
as ing to a major than when speak,
uld to the kfng-but perhaps 1 had MI
TO | cause tOa