Year: 1867

On the first of June the Northern sta
tion was radiant, or sombre rather,
with Prussian decorations-for the
Prussian flag is dreadful dreary one in
appearance, and Napoleon and Alexan-
ander rode together TO meet King Will
liam of Prussia there. With the old
King came the redoubtable Bismarck,
fretting under brass helmet, which,
to my fancy, was too large for him; and
hong train of the Prussian Generals
and Princes were in the suit of these
dignitaries. The procession was Gu
rious one. In the first carriage, with his
back to the driver, sat an elderly, over
wOrkcd-looking man, with inquisitive
eyes and pointed moustache, who,
during the last ten years, has
been considered by all other roy
alists as an upstart, but whose
supreme clergy and determination had
enabled him to receive in his great cap
ital all the world, and make the kings
who had so long despised him do him
honor. In fact, if Napoleon gets through
through this year without political
troubles, he may consider that he has
had the climax of his success. On the
seat opposite him, side by side, but
rather grim and taciturn, were TIVE
other sovereigns, whose enmity is most
dangerous to the quiet fellow facing
them. Alexander has the most people
under him to help him in any ambi-
tiOus designs; he could lose as many
men as there are in France in a war,
and yet have enough to fight with, and
Napoleon would not wish to have him
else than an ally.


King William, who sat bare
and demure, looking much as if he only
thought of his dinner, is not 80 impor
tant parsonage, but he had at his back,
in another carriage, the head which
alone in Europe outweighs that of Ma
poloon. Graf Won Bismark, as he look
ed in the procession, was not q remark
able sight, but it will be interesting to
your readers TO know the most trivial
details of his entry into, and soiourn in
Paris, as future events, no further off
than next year, are likely to put the
man in the most decided antagonism
against his present urbane host. When
war comes between Prussia and France,
the antagonism of sentiment, as well as
of arms, will be brought into the
contest, and the two great leaders can
not be too well studied by the world
just new. Bismark, as he appears to
the casual observer, is a tall, awkward
German, with singular head and face,
the latter really pleasant when excited
by any emotion, and rather ugly and
forLidding when at rest. Bismark has
the rare faculty of speaking with his
eyes, as one might say, so that words
with him need not be many. His looks
and gestures are significant in the high
est degree; one would say al
most too much for one who
has so many ambitions to con-
ceal He is by no means
type of the imperturbable German.
find him exactly the reverse. He is al
ways fumbliDg at his mousta"ho, %
smoothing the bald top OF MS nead,
when he is at work in thought.


j saw him month ago in his minis
ter's chair in the Prussian Parliament
at Berlin, and noticed very particularly
at that time his characteristic reckless
ness. Here his actions are all marked
with the greatest care by the thousand
and one French teuilletonists; If he
wrinkles his face in an unusal manner,
the Journal AmuStdne tells you all about
it the next day in the most astonishing
carricture.