Coffee Instead of Water
While traveling in cold weather one time, the Empress Augusta stopped at Dessau to have the hot bottle for her feet replenished. The Adjutant and a lackey with the bottle, hurried into the restaurant to ask for hot water. The attendant had just used the last of it to make coffee, and after running around in great confusion he declared:
“I am very sorry, but there is not a drop of hot water.”
“What,” called a gentleman standing at the buffet, “you have no hot water?” and instantly seizing the full coffee-pot he poured the boiling contents into the warming bottle, and the guests had to do without coffee for breakfast.
The Adjutant hurried out with his prey, but soon returned to ask, in her Majesty’s behalf, the name of the inventor of the brilliant idea.
“My name is Cohn,” said he. He was afterwards for a long time Emperor William’s private banker.