Contents of the Drawer
While visiting the Victoria-Bazaar, the Emperor asked one of the ladies, just to please her, to explain the construction of the sewing-machine to him and the Empress, who was with him. After other questions he asked for what the little drawer was used. “To keep the small utensils belonging to the machine in,” answered the young lady, somewhat embarrassed. The Emperor expected that she would pull the little drawer out, but when she did not do so, he concluded correctly, that the contents were not as they should be. With a gay “With your permission?” he pulled the drawer out and saw an appetizing sandwich reposing there. Smilingly the Emperor asked the young lady:
“Does this utensil belong to the machine too?”
Quickly the lady replied: “Yes, your Majesty, to the machine of the human body.”
Greatly pleased with this witty remark, the Emperor turned to the Empress, saying: “This proves that sewing-machines do not dull the working of the brain.”
That Was Different
After Emperor William had recovered from a severe illness in the spring of 1885, his physicians would not give their consent to his attending the coming manœuvres on horseback. They feared the great exertion would be too much for the aged monarch, who was then eighty-eight years old, and proposed that he should review them in a carriage.
“Impossible,” said the Emperor; “there is nothing more unsoldierly!”
“But your Majesty,” a General ventured to say, “even Frederick the Great attended manœuvres in a carriage.”
“Oh, yes,” replied the aged monarch, “but he only did so during the last years of his life.”