The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-12-13
CHAPTER III.
The kaiser's Dual Personality.

r The kaiser's Dual Personality.
j If had come away from Germany II
4 January, 1914, instead of in January
D 1918, and had written the impression
l had gained of the kaiser In the tel
years I had known him, what falls
: picture 1 would have painted of tn
man as he really is!
1t would have been a picture of ,
man who in general appearance anC
bearing was every inch an emperor ant
yet who could exhibit all the courtesy
: affability and gentleness of the mos
democratic gentleman, a man soft OF
eye and kindly in expression, man OF
wide reading and perhaps
the most versatile man in the world, q
man who possessed most alert mind
a remarkable memory and the keenest
observation; a man who was not gen.
erous in nature and yet was at times
considerable of others; man Of charm
ing personality and amiability. 1t
would have shown a man of unpar-
alleled egotism, a man who was I'M
patient of correction and who would
brook no opposition. There might have
been In the picture a suggestion of The
dire lengths to which the man would
go to have his way, but it would have
been only a suggestion.
| AS far as it went, the picture would
have been accurate, but it would have
been sadly incomplete-with all the
lights worked In but lacking all the
| shadows.
| 1t took the war and its attendant
| horrors to reveal the kaiser in his
true colors. The war did not change
his character 1t uncovered it.
Early In my practice I happened to
mention to the kaiser that 1 appre-
ciated the friendliness he showed me
in invariably waving his hand at me
as he passed my window when walking
along the Tiergarten.
"It's a good advertisement for you,
Davis" he said. "The people see me
waving to you and they know you must
be a good dentist or 1 wouldn't
come to you. 1t will help your bust
ness! !" In every act, he was conscious
Of the public.
During that period of my career In
Berlin, he showed the utmost interest
In my progress and frequently inquired
how my practice was developing.
The first bill rendered him, as
have mentioned, he doubled. On a
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 a picture |
of that monarch. On another occasion, |
he presented me with group picture |
of himself surrounded by his family |
and dogs. I remember his bringing to |
me large unframed picture in .cele-
bration 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
a birdseye view of Berlin, with the
palace and the cathedral dimly seen
below.
Il don't know Just what this master
piece was meant to signify, but had 1t
framed and placed it In my Office. 1t
evoked from q little boy who entered
the room with his mother the follow
ing astonished remark: "Oh, mother,
look at the kaiser in heaven"
A postcard picture Of the kaiser,
signed by his own hand, was in his
OWN estimation one of the most price
Der his donating one of them to an
American charity bazaar in Berlin to
De auctioned OF. He thought that the
act that the card came from his i'm
,erfal majesty gave 1t value which
,ould not be measured in dollars and
.ents. A piece of jewelry or sum
# money might have been duplicated
" even excelled by a gift Of similar
character from any American million |
lire-for whose wealth the kaiser fire.
Iuently expressed the utmost contempt
but what could surpass the value Of
IN autograph of the kaiser! 4
No doubt the royal banquets were
much upon the same prin-
iple, for it was common saying |
mong the German aristocracy that one |
lad better feel well before going to a ]
'anquet at the palace. IL
I happened to mention to the kaiser I
he reputation his banquets held among {
lis people. He was not at all taken
back. IA
That's good he commented. 1.-THE 8
Germans are too fat anyway. The ma ]
ority Of the people eat too much"
Long after autompbiling became I
nore or less general. the kaiser still
mployed 4 horse and carriage for /
rdipsry travel. relying upc~ his free