The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-09-11

more or less general, the kaiser still
employed a horse and carriage for
ordinary travel, relying upon his free
use of the railways for longer dis
tances. When, however, the reichstag
passed law compelling royalty to pay
for their railroad travel, the kaiser
took to automobiles. They charged
him IL 900 marks, he told me, for the
use of a train on one of his shooting
| trips, and that apparently was more
than he could stand.
"Autos are expensive" he declared.
''but they don't cost me that muchi"
The kaiser speaks English with but
the slightest trace OF foreign accent.
His diction Is perfect. He speaks
French, too. very fuently, and, I be-
lieve, Italian. He is widely read on
almost all subjects and knows the lit
erature Of England, France and Amer
lea as well as that of Germany. Mark
Twain was one Of his favorite Amer
lean authors and Longfellow his choice
of American poets.
He prides himself on his acquain-
lance with history and has little re-
spect for the political opinions of 9TH
ers whose knowledge of history Is less
complete.
Shortly after Carnegie had donated
five million marks to Germany to fur
Their world-peace, I happened to be
talking to the kaiser Of American mil
lionaires and the steelmaster was
| mentioned.
"Of course, Carnegie is a nice old
man and means WELL" remarked the
kaiser, condescendingly, "but he is to-
tally ignorant of world history. He's
just advanced us five million for
world-peace. We accepted it naturally,
but, of course, we intend to continue
| our policy of maintaining our army and
navy in full strength"
Indeed, there is hardly any subject
to which the kaiser has devoted any
considerable attention in which he
| doesn't regard himself as the final au-
| thority.
As an art collector and antiquarian
he claims first place and he is rather
should be left vacant. He Always re-
| sented very much the acquisition by
| American millionaires of art treasures
and antiquities which their wealth en-
| abled them to buy, but which their
| limited acquaintance with history and
| their lack of culture and refinement
| made them unable to appreciate-in
| the kaiser's estimation.
OF his own taste in art little need be
said. The monuments which he caused
| to be erected to his ancestors and their
| advisors and which adOrn the SiegeS
| Alice, the street he had opened through
the Tiergarten especially for them, are
| at the same time q monument to the
kaiser's ideas of art. They are the
| laughing-stock of the artistic world.
| They have been SO frequently defaced
by vandals whose artistic taste they
| offended that it was necessary to sta
ton policemen in the Sieges Alice to
| guard them. Not long ago burglary
occurred in the vicinity. The burglars
| were observed while at work and q
| startled civilian rushed to the Sieges
| Alice to summon one of the officers
who were known to be on guard there.
| eff you hurry" exclaimed the civil
ian, excitedly, 'you can catch these
| burglars red-handed."
| 'I'm sorry" replied the policeman,
| "But cannot leave the statues"
| Realism is the kaiser's idea of what
| is most desirable in dramatic art.
When he put on "Sardanapal," a Greek
! tragedy in pantomime, at the Berlin
| opera house, he sent professors to
the British museum to secure the most
detailed information available regard
ing the costumes of the period. Every
| utensil, every article of wearing ap-
parel, every button, every weapon, In
fact, every property used in the play
were to be faithfully reproduced, par
ticular pains being taken to produce q
most realistic effect in a funeral pyre
scene in which king ended his life.
The kaiser sent me tickets to see it.
King Edward attended the perform
ance at the Berlin Royal opera and
asked the kaiser how the king of Eng
land enjoyed it.
My gracious" the kaiser replied,
unable to repress his satisfaction at
the effect the pantomime had had on
his royal uncle, "why, the king wa!
very much alarmed when the funera
pyre scene came on. He thought thu
whole opera house was on fire!'
/ Perhaps the kaiser's love for details
might be attributed to his keen obser
walton. Nothing, no matter how trfv
ial, escaped his attention.
A couple of years before the war
had the empire furniture in my wait
ing room reupholstered. On the yer.
first occasion Of the kaiser's calling a
my office after the change he noticed it
my, my, how beautiful the chairs
look 7" he exclaimed. "Good enough TO
Napoleon himself"
On another occasion, between two o
the kaiser's visits, l had had put VI
in the waiting room a new portrait O
Mrs. Davis. The kaiser noticed it tn
moment he came into the room ant
made some complimentary remarl
| about it.
The kaiser frequently accused tn
| Americans of being .dollar-worshiper
and the English of being ruled b.