AN AMERICAN GREETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11692, 29 June 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

AN AMERICAN GREETING.

item the Prince of "Wales made his tou:' of the States in 1859 lie. visited Baltimore on his return from Richmond, Ya., and v/sa ; escorted from the Camden Station to tha Gilmor House by the City Guards, then. Balti- V more's crack military organisation. Colonel " Joe" Warner,, "who commanded the Guards,, was a bluff old soldier, intensely American,; with most pronounced democratic ideas. After the battalion reached the hotel Mayor ' Swann, .who had the Prince in charge, invited the officers into the hotel parlour to be introduced to His Royal Highness. Of course, Colonel Warner was the first to be • so honoured. Advancing toward the Prince,; : he grasped the outstretched hand, and, giving it a vigorous shake, exclaimed: " Mr. - Wales, am very happy to make your acquaintance, sir!" The officers of the Guards stood aghast at this extreme cor-'. ■ diality on the part of their commander, and an amusing expression came over the face of the Prince, but, giving the colonel as vigorous..a shake as he had received, he. goodhumouredly expressed his pleasure at tha •** compliment paid him. Upon the return of 1 the Guards to their armoury Major . Lloyd. Parks, who entertained entirely different.. notions of etiquette from his colonel, took ; him to task for his brusqueness. Colonel •' " Joe" listened in surprise at the rebuke of his subordinate, and when he had concluded : . ■ h6 said: "See here, Lloyd, I took a liking to that young fellow; there's nothing of the aristocrat about him. Why. he doesn't . wear a better hat than I do. He may be a Prince in his ■■own country, and maybe soni'j day he'll be a King, but so long as he's in these great United States, he's Ed. . Wales and I'm Joe Warner."