A DAY WITH WILLIAM KAISER.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9993, 24 March 1898, Page 7

A DAY WITH WILLIAM KAISER.

That William Kaiser is not everybody's man it may seem superfluous to remark. In the present connection, however, the remark must bo taken to imply that some much nearer approach to the accomplished athlete than the average person can supply, appears to be required to put in an bour-for-liour day with the Kaiaer, albeit it would be he, and not, the athlete, who had to carry tho extra weight with care. The feat was probably not attempted even by the accomplished French journalist who has just given us his appreciation of this interesting potentate. M. Lcudet's mind's eye it was, no doubt, that followed the Imperial performer through his double circuit of the clock, yet so Graphic and intivw are the details that our mind's eye has no difficulty in following M Leudet's. As, then, the hands of the clock point precisely to 5 a.m., we arc privileged to beboM William Kniser bounding from his bed, and preparing to propitiate the English half of him with the cold tub of this country. By 6we meet him fixed up in the first uniform of the day, and ready to sit down to "in half an hour that meal is despatched, and William Kniser proceeds to his business room, there to take cognizance of the firet batch of letters and documents which have been delivered by a special service of couriers. At 6.30 the aides on duty arrive, and the ueneral outdoor programme of the day is diecussed and decided on. At 7 William Kaiser appears as the family man among his offspring. At 7.10 he is in his second uniform, ready to receive his Marehale of the Empire and a succession of superior functionaries, each with hie individual roport to make. These made, any important functions that may be in contemplation—the reception of a distinguished visitor, or a visit somewhere on the"part of the Kaiser himsolf, for instance — is discussed, and an estimate of the cost it may involve arrived at. It is here, too, that then flairs of the imperial household are gone into, and the bills of yesterday duly audited. At 8 Ministers begin to arrive. The Prefect of Police makes hia report, and a second lot of functionaries hand in theirs. In all cases verbal explanations of the documents put before the Kaiser for signature must be forthcoming. To get all this done in the time, one would imagine, some less long-winded form than usual of the German language must be employed. At 9 William Kaiser drives out, if the weather be propitious. If not he takes three-quarters of an hour in the manige. Dismounting, in the latter case, at 9.45, he is in a new and appropriate costume for the consideration of documents by 10. A matter of fifty minutes is apportioned to this work. Precisely at 11 William Kaiser appears in his audience chamber, costumed for a conference. The conference is followed by the reception of various officers who come to pay their respects on promotion or for other reasons. Theee receptions sometimes entail one or more of those quick changes for which William Kaiser has eetabliehed a world wide reputation. It is a delicate attention he is accustomed to pay to officers in foreign services on these occasions always to receive each individual officer in the uniform of the service to which the visitor belongs, or of the particular arm thereof. Contingencies are presumably provided against, otherwise the appearance of, say, the British Military Attache", followed by the Austrian, and succeeded by the Naval Attache's of Italy and Russia, might be too much for even William Kaiser's agility. This portion of the day's work is appointed to terminate at 2 p.m. At that hour his Majesty reverts once more to domesticity, and presides at the family luncheon. Half en hour suffices for this refection, and at 2.45 he is habited to go α-visiting. He visits Generals, Ministers, and a few of the public offices. This lasts till four. William Kaiser has then to assume the costume in which he proposes to be photographed, or in whiah he may happen to be sitting for his bust, or his portrait in oils. At the termination of the sitting, he resumes his usual outdoor habiliment, and takes carriage exercise until the hoar of six. At 6.30 he holds a further reception, and hands back the documents which he has taken the day to consider before signing. He then dresses for dinner, and assumes the head of the table as the clock is striking seven. He remains the family man until nine; when he is due, of course in costume, in his fencingroom. The penultimate change takes place at 9.45. At 10 his Majesty " takes light refreshment," which is not unsnggestive of a well-earned whisky and soda, rings for his valet, and retires to rest. But by his bedside even is a business table, and what Mr Pecksniff described as "every facility for jotting down crude notions, even here." This, it must be borne in mind, is simply William Kaiser's regular day's work. When the visit of a distinguished personage takes place, and half the day has to be spent in ceremonials of sorts, the indefatigable host lengthens oat the day more Moore. So, too, when manoeuvres are in progress or inspections being made. Then the Kaiser is good for half a day in the saddle, and no sleep at all. On all his journeys, by sea and land, his work goes with him, and is never allowed to leave him. Yet at the journey's end there he is, this extraordinary man, always np to time, always fresh as paint, always appropriately habited, and always with the speech to be spoken, the toast to be given, ready to come trippingly off his tongue. And all this restlessness is to some purpose, and all this expenditure of energy to some end. William Kaiser is not disquiet thus in vain. That is what makes him die* quieting to so many.