King of Bulgaria

NZ Truth, 5 October 1918, Page 5

King of Bulgaria

A Story by Gerard". v

James W. Gerard,,late American Ambassador m Germany,, relates, m his second book, "Face "to Face" with Kaiserism,"' a 'rather [ amusing?, incident anent the King of Bulgaria and Kaiser Bill. Gerard tells J; the story' to show that 'it was: "touch; and go" whether Bulgaria would enter' the war. The King of Bulgaria r was on a" visit to Berlin, and as 'he" 1 was -honorary Chief of the 4th Thiiringla -Infantry Regiment m the Prussian. Army, ; he don--ned the Thuringiah- uhifo'rml "He had put on a little weight; and be it known, military unmeritl&nables .«; are notoriously tight. Asliiie leaned, out of the window of the l^qyal' Palace of Berlin to admire' the" pa&sing 'troops, he presented a mark*? so, tempting that the

Kaiser, m jovial mood, - was impelled to administer a resounding spank ■on the sacred seat of the Czar of All the Balkans. Instead of taking the slapin the , same jovial spirit m which it was given, Ferdinand became furiously angry— so angry that even the old diplomats of the Metternich school believed for • a time that he would never forgive the insult to his kingly dignity, and might even refuse to join Germany. '•• ' .-.,.■..■