EMPEROR WILLIAM.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 10, 7 March 1891, Page 2

EMPEROR WILLIAM.

In spite of the fact that the young German Emperor has a shrivelled arm, he is, among his intimates, a jolly, good fellow, fond of all the pleasures of life, and much given to practical joking and nonsense in general. His left arm, the shrivelled one, is not only considerably shorter than the other, but is almost absolutely without strength. The only use he can put it to is to remove bis cigar or cigarette. However, the right arm is endowed with extraordinary strength and vigour, and this youthful monarch is not averse to putting it to a very noble use at times, to wit, encircling a taper waist. During the trip to Norway this summer he took great pleasure in ranging about incognito, and one day an officer of the imperial yacht had the misfortune to come face to face with the young Emperor when the latter had a very pretty girl by his side. W hat was to be done? It was too late to turn back. To halt, face front, and salute would put the youthful monarch in a bad fix. Under these circumstances, the officer turned his back and pretended to he gazing into a shop window. Suddenly he felt a sharp pinch on his arm and heard a voice whispering : ‘You did that very nicely. Tiy to find as pretty a girl as I have. You have leaveof absence until to-morrow.’ The young German Emperor is fond of a practical joke, and scarcely a day passes that some member of his personal household doesn’t fall a victim to this penchant for harmless mischief. As a great lover of art, he never neglects to have some artist of acknowledged ability on board when out on a cruise. The business of this artist is to make sketches of places visited, and, above all, of fetes, reviews, triumphal entries, etc., in which the young Emperor figures as the bright particular star. One morning, while the imperial yacht was at anchor, the Emperor summoned his artist and expressed a desire for a sketch of the landscape. The artist pleaded indisposition for work. The Emperor, however, insisted on one half hour. But no sooner had the artist settled down to the task than William gave the signal to get under headway. At first the artist was too intent upon his canvas to notice that his landscape was slipping away from him, but suddenly he realised the position he was in and, turning suddenly about, found his royal tormentor with a group of choice spirits, all convulsed with mirth. The painter made a motion as if to stop, but William called out: * No, no, one-half hour was the time set.’ ‘ But the landscape, your majesty ?’ ‘ Will be a panorama!’ cried William, amid shouts of laughter.