Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17
Words of Royal Wisdom Are Dropped
From Lips of Our Distinguished Guest

50.cent piece. | must try 10 renlenl-
Der that. Meantime" he added, with
a gesture Of royal condescension-put-
ting the money in his pocket shall
keep these as instructors; we muir
INJURED our thanks-'and now explain
TO me. please. your IS gold piece and
your SO eagle"
We felt II proper, however. TO shift
the subject, and asked the prince a
few questions in regard 10 his views
on American politics. We soon found
that his serene highnesss although this
is his first visit to this continent, is
a keen student of our institutions and
our political life. Indeed. his altitude
showed by his answers 10 our Ques-
tions that he is as we'll informed
about our politics as we are ourselves.
On being asked what he viewed as
the uppermost tendency in our politi-
cal life of today, the prince replied
thoughtfully that he didn't know. To
our inquiry as to whether in his
opinion democracy was moving for
ward or backward, the prince, after
moment of reflection. answered that
he had no idea. Our asking which of
the generals of our Civil War was
regarded in Europe as the greatest
strategist, his highness answered with
out hesitation-"George Washington"
Before closing our interview the
prince, who, like his illustrious father,
Is an enthusiastic sportsman, COM
pletely turned the tables on us by
inquiring eagerly about the prospects
for large game in America.
We told him something's much
as we could recollect-of woodchuck
hunting in our own section of the
country. The prince was interested
at once. His eye lighted up, and the
peculiar air of fatigue, or languor.
which we had thought to remark on
his face during our interview, passed
entirely off his features.
He asked us number of questions,
quickly and without pausing, with the
air, in fact, of a man accustomed to
command and not to listen. How was
the woodchuck hunted? From horse
back or from an elephant? Or from
an armored car, or turret? How many
beaters did one use TO beat up the
woodchuck? What bearers was II
necessary to carry with one? How
great danger must one face of hav-
ing ones beaters killed? What did a
bearer cost? And so on.
All these questions we answered as
best we could. the prince apparently
selling the gist, or essential part of
our answer, before we had said it.
In concluding the discussion we
ventured to ask his highness for his
autograph. The prince, who has per
haps more exquisite sense of hui
NOR than any other sovereign of
Europe, declared with a laugh that he
had no pen. Still roaring over this
inimitable drollery, we begged the
prince 10 honor us by using our own
fountain-pen.
"Is there any ink in it?' asked the
prince-which threw us into a re-
newed paroxysm of laughter.
The prince took the pen and very
kindly autographed for us seven pho
tographs Of himself. He offered US
more, but we felt that seven was
about all we could use. We were still
suffocated with laughter over the
princes wit; his highness was still
signing photographs when an equerry
appeared and whispered in the prince
ear. His highnesS, with the consum-
mate tact to be learned only at a
court, turned without a word and left
the room.
We never, in all our experience,
remember seeing a prtnce-or q mere
man, for the matter of that-leave a
room with greater suavity, discretion,
or aplomb. 1t was a revelation of
breeding, of race, of long slavery to
caste. And yet, with 1t all, 1t seemed
to have touch of finality about It
a hint that the entire proceeding was
deliberate, planned, not to be altered
by circumstance. He did not come
back.
We understand that he appeared
later in the morning at a civic recep-
ton in the costume of an Alpine
Jaeger. and attended the matinee in
the dress of a lieutenant of police.
Meantime he has our pen. If he
turns up in any costume that we can
spot at sight, we shall ask him for It.
Copyright 1921