The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-08-30

nave mentlOned, ne doubled. On q
number of subsequent occasions, he
paid me more than my bill called for.
These overpayments never amounted
to very much, but they impressed me
because they were so out of keeping
with the stinginess the kaiser dis
played in other directions.
From time to time the kaiser sent
or brought me autographed pictures Of
himself or others. At the time of the
one hundredth anniversary of Fred
[, erick the Great, he gave me picture
or that monarch. On another occasion.
ne presented me with a group picture
or himself surrounded by his famil,
and dogs. I remember his bringing to
mo 'rmcd picture in cele-
oration Of his silver wedding. 1t was
about twenty-four by eighteen inches
In size. 1t showed the kaiserin and
himself In sort Of cloud floating above
birdseye view Of Berlin, with the
palace and the cathedral dimly seen
below.
don't know Just what this master.
piece was meant to signify. but had Il
framed and placed 1t in my office. It
evoked from little boy who entered
the room with his mother the follow
ing astonished remark: "Oh, mother,
look at the kaiser in heaven" !"
postcard picture of the kaiser.
signed by his own hand was in his
own estimation one of the most price,
less gifts he could bestow. I remem-
Der his donating one of them to An
American charity bazaar I'm Berlin TO
De auctioned pr. He thought that the
fact that tho card came from his i'm.
perial majesty gave 1t value which
could not be measured in dollars and
cents. piece Of jewelry or sum
OF money might have been duplicated
or even excelled by gift Of similar
character from any American million
aire-for whose wealth the kaiser fire.
Quently expressed the utmost contempt
but wnat could surpass the value or
an autograph Of the kaiseri
NO foubt the royal banQuets were
prepared much upon the same prin-
ciple, for 1t was a common saying
among the German aristocracy that one
had better feel well before going to q
banquet at the palace.
happened to mention to the kaiser
his people. He was not at all taken
aback.
That's good" he commented "The
Germans are too fat, anyway. The ma
9ority of the people eat too much"
Long after automobiling became
more or less general, the kaiser still
employed horse and carriage for
ordinary travel, relying upon his free
use of the railways for longer dis
tances. When, however, the reichstng
passed a law compelling royalty to pay
Tor their railroad travel, the kaiser
took to automobiles. They charged
him 1000 marks, he told me, for the
use of 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 much" Z"
The kaiser speaks English with but
the slightest trace of foreign accent.
His diction Is perfect. He speaks
French, too, very fluently, and, / be-
lleve, Italian. He Is widely read on
almost all subjects and knows the lit
erature of England, France and Amer
fca as well as that of Germany. Mark
Twain was one of his favorite Amer
lean authors and Longfellow his choice
of Amesican poets.
He prides himself on his acduain-
fance with history and las little re-
spect for the political opinions of 9TH
ers whose knowledge of history Is less
complete.
Shortly after Carnegie had donated
i've million marks to Germany to fur
ther world-peace, I happened to be
talking to the kaiser Of American mil
nonaires and the assteelmaster was
mentioned. &hSe
"Of course, Carnegie is a nice old
man and means WE'LL" 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 1t 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
ito which the kaiser has devoted any
considerable@ attention In which he
doesn't regard himself as the final au- |
thority. 81
As an art collector and antiquarian
he claims first place and he Is rather
inclined ITO feel that second place
should be left vacant. He aways re-
sented very much the acquisition by
American m''itonaiyes OF art treasures
and antiqute which their wealth en-
abled thanse theyx but which their
in,mitedaanged limit and an history and
their Nrefinement