Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-21

information was sent, through the usu
} al channels, that Herr Colonel Emil voI
. Schroeder, the bearer of an important
message was waiting to see His Majes
! ty, was shown through at once. In
deed, right before crowd of notables
lhighly-p placed officials, generals, admir-
ais and diplomats was the humble Colo
mel Won Schroeder admitted to the
presence.
1t was actually into the very midst
of council of war that l stepped. Al
a long table were seated many great
sailors, all of whose faces were familiai
to me either personally or through pho
tographs. The kaiser was at the heat
of them ,and directly he saw me he rost
the others looking up angrily at this in
terruption.
Il Gentlemen" he said, in his guttur
al voice, ''you are excused for few
moments.o
i He waved his hand towards dooi
which led into an adjacent room, ant
they all trooped out, some of then
looking very fiercely at me as they left
me alone with His Majesty.
He took the envelope which handed
to him, read the few lines without
moving a muscle of his face, without
word Of comment, of course; and ther
looking at me, he said
"Tonight at ten, then. That is ALL"
Then he came and put his hands OF
my shoulders and looked me straight il
the face, way he had when he want
ed to be impressive.
/ Schroeder" he said, "you re for
tunate man, to be so trusted. A very
fortunate manl' he repeated, with {
strange emphasis on the words, which
took to mean that that trust should MOI
be abused.
In The Baroness's Room.
He pointed to the door, and l weni
out.
cat ten 'clock them" the Baroness
repeated the Imperial words after me
when I returned to the hotel. "Don !
go out tonight Schroeder, I may wan
you."
The kaiser could do no wrong, accord
ing to the popular idea, and it was MOI
thought at all extraordinary that HI
should come to the Hotel Germania t.
visit lady. The Baroness had So fal
not been recognized, and had registered
under another name.
I was, of course, waiting in the hal
Of the hotel to receive His Majesty
who came quite alone and in nave
uniform. took him at once to thu
Baroness S sitting-room, and there lef
them alone together.
An hour later message was sent tt
me in the lounge of the hotel that thu
lady, Frau Glattfelder wished to see mt
at once.
The Baroness was waiting for me OF
the landing outside her sitting-roon
door, and when came up she put hel
fingers to her lips and took me inside.
nearly shouted aloud in surprise a
what | saw.
For there, lying back in chair, will
vacant look on his face and cigar be
ing held in a very unsteady hand, wal
the kaiser himself
To all appearances he was drunk
absolutely drunk
But even Though the evidence wa
there befire my eyes, to me'this seemed
absolutely impossible. For. whatevel
else the kaiser may or may not havt
been; he was at any rate most TEN
perate man. He waived his cigar a
me, and tried to speak distinctly.
"Von Schroeder" he said, mumblinf
his words, fmave you got an Irol
Crosss"
"Not yet, your Majesty" answer
ed, hoping he wasn't going to bestov
one on me. For the number Of Iron eros
ses which were showered around wa
already the laughing stock Of the army
"Come here, Schroeder, and I will
decorate you.'
The Order For Battle.
And, fumbling with the orders on hi
coat-he was covered with decorations
of all kinds-he managed to detach {
cross, and pin it on my breast. He al
most fell off his chair as he was doing
1t, and could have wept with shame
as l. knelt by him to receive the honor
This was my emperor.
The Baroness went up and laid he
hand on his arm.
"And now you'd better have littl,
sleep, 1 think" she said.
Gas you WISH" was the thick re
sponse.
With her help he stretched himself
full length on the sofa, and closed hi
eyes.
1t was not pretty sight 70 see oul
kaiser lying there in @ drunken sleep
"Take this at once TO the Marin Ami
(offices Of the navy. The Admirali
are now in conference there. But lool
at it first. 1t may interest you"
The Baroness took sheet of papel
from the table, and, before folding il
and putting it into an envelope, sht
showed it to me.
"To my brave navy I give the order
go forthi''-(Signed) Wilhelm" "
/ remember the words well.
The Baroness smiled as she gave me
the envelope.
"But how-how--" I stammered
"How did manage it you mean, en-
Do you ask me that Sehroederf' She
looked straight into my gace. "Is there
a man living who can resist me when
choose that he should not, especially q
man whose secret ], I alone, knowi
But you are going to know it now, Sch.
roadar T,oakfD