THE NEW EMPEROR OF GERMANY
(Continued ) The popularity of the Crown Prince amongst tho troops of Bavaria, Baden, Hesse, and Wurtemberg did more to cement the Union of Germany than any other factcr. On the l9t of March, 1871, the German array entered humbled Paris.
The Crown Prince that day was one of the few loading fi^ares m the event of a century. It was the crowning day of his life. Wi*h pesca the Prince resumed hia old lifo In Germany, doing his duty as a commander helping In the maintenance of the wonderful organisation of the Gorman army, living quietly with his family, a simple gentleman, happy m his wife, and children, a patron m a modest way of art and letters, interfering little m politics — and yet the most popular Prlnoe ln Europe. When m 1878 the woald-be regicide, Nobellng, wounded the Emperor, the Crown Prince was appointed Regent until his father's recovery. In that position he won golden opinions from ail men. It ia generally understood that the Grown Prince's sympathies are distinctly Liberal.
The Crown Prince la father of clx children, two bo}a and four girls, who, bb graudohildren of Qaeen Victoria, have been frequent visitors to England. Eogliah la the language of the Prince's family circle, always used by them, and the ohildren of this Pruaalan father speak it better than their uncle, the futnre King of England. But the Prince of Wales was brought up In the German tongue, and taught English bs a foreign language. The home life Bivi habits of the Crown Prince have always been very simple. Ho was a familiar figure on the streets of Berlin. In hia undress general's uniform he often walked about with his youngest daughters with leas of ostentation than would be considered necessary by a colonial Governor- Hia Lst public appearance was m the Jubilee Procession In London, on the 21at of June, The oltizsna who cheered the warrior prince little knew that it waa only by an effort of Iron will that he kept his Beat on his horao. He could not attend the banquet of royalties which Queen Viotorla gave m honor of the occasion, bnt Immediately after the ceremony returned fo Upper Norwood, where he lived under the care of Dr Morell Macker zie.
After returnolng to Germany the Crown Prince waa forced to Beck the milder air ot Italy, and of hia sub.equeat critical Hints, all the world ia aware, while lt is not too much to say that all the world anxiously hop. a for his recovery, and that he may be Bpared for many yeara to occupy the throne of United Germany aa tho Emperor Frederick 111.
The following aneodotesof the Emperor while yet the Crown Prince, which appear m the pages of tha ," New Yoik Tribuje," may here ba appended to the ac.ojut above given of his military career and will serve to show why lt la that ,: Unz^r Fritz " waß, and is, so beloved of his people : — AQC7ATIO FCN. There is nothing that "Unzsr Fritz" ia fonder of than a joke, but, but unlike the English prlnoea he knows how to keep his temper when his viotlm retaliates m klad. Many of these merry encounters uned to take plaoe a l , tbe swimming establishment of the Guards Regiment at Potßdam, where be was a constant visitor. His appearance there waß always hailed with delight, and waa the elgnal for tbe beginning of a series of aquatlo " larks." A splendid swimmer and expert diver, he was nevertheless duoked by tbe soldiers as often aa he ducked. One of his greateßt delighta was getting a crowd assembled on the raft floating ln mid-stream, and then capafz'ng himself and those with him pellmell Into the water. WITH THE PAGES OF HONOR. At Court dinners I have frequently seen him, when the guests have rieen from tbe tables, call np the pages of honor, mostly boys ot noble birth belonging to the Cadet school — who had been helping m the Bervice, and after chatting merrily with them for a few minutes, take the sweetmeats and bon-bons from the table and stuff them ln the boys' pockets, and occasionally their months. Sometimes he would stuff the latter as full as possible, and would then ask some questions demanding a immediate reply. Nothing oould be more ludloroua than to observe the frantic efforts of the cadet to moke a fitting reply while his mouth was crammed full of marrons, glaces, and other Btloky delicacies. How different thia from the manner m which the pagea of honor are treated at Windsor and Oaborne, where, during the wholo time of their servloe, they never havo a word addressed to them directly by their royal mistress, but receive all her communications through the Intermediary of the lod-in-waltlng, or some other equally lofty functionary of the household. RELIEVING A SCHOOL TEAOHER With rigard to hia conduct towards hla inferiors, innumerable anecdotes — nufficently indeed to fill several' volumes— are extant, showing his kindness of heart and consideration to otherß. The difficulty la to know how to, mako the selection from thoee at ipy dispcß.il, Probably, the prettiest one ie that of the Bohn,olmaßtor at Rjanatedt, a little village on his estate near Potsdam. One day, when passing the village schoolhouse, he stopped, and making his way into the classroom, sat down, and began to listen attentively to the lessons. Suddenly a telegraph messenger made his appearance, and handed tbe teacher a despatch, announcing that his mother was dangerously ill, and wished to see him at once before she died. The Crown PriToe, noticing his blanched faoe, immediately ot; quired what waa the matter, and, on learning the contents of the | de' pitch, bade the poor man haston to hia mother's bedside, saying that he hlm- , self would look after the sohool until arrangement could be made for obtaining a substitute during the teacher's abaenca. Accordingly, for more than two the 1 Crown Prince top,k aoie o.harge of"£he 1 Bohoo^ rapping the' Idle ones goodi huiflouredly ove? the knuQklea, and re* : warding the diligent ones until the k arrival of the village parson for the purpose of holding hla bi-weekly Bible-ofaso, By the afternoon a substitute had beon found, but the Prince continued to aupori intend matters personally and In tbe : closest raaqnpj? y^ti! i\\Q iegitVar teacher { returned after the funeral of his mother.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1797, 23 March 1888, Page 3
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1,065THE NEW EMPEROR OF GERMANY Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1797, 23 March 1888, Page 3
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