“This reminds me of the words: ‘There are things happening between heaven and earth of which man has no conception,’ for it certainly is wonderful that I killed twenty-eight pieces of game, when I shot off only twenty-five cartridges!”
The Greater Lion
One summer morning, in 1874, while Emperor William I was taking the water cure at Ems, the following humorous incident happened. He and Emperor Alexander II had as usual taken their morning walk together, and then seated themselves on a bench of the promenade near the Trinkhalle. The chance of getting a good look at the two rulers was not to be lost by the summer guests, and soon a crowd was walking up and down in front of their bench. The Czar who did not like to be stared at, made an impatient remark about it, when Emperor William, pointing to Bismarck who was just passing and bowing respectfully, said:
“Now we shall have peace!”
“Why so?” asked the Czar, surprised.
“Why?” returned the Emperor, “because there goes Bismarck; he is more famous than we are! The people will run after him now and give us a rest.”
At His Expense
After recuperating for some weeks at Berchtesgaden, in the Austrian Alps, during the summer of 1886, Prince William, the present Emperor of Germany, accompanied by the Princess, went to Salzburg to meet their royal grandfather. The aged monarch asked the Princess how she had enjoyed herself.
“Oh very much indeed,” she said, “only at times I was dreadfully homesick. I do so long to see my children.”