Breakfast-table Story.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 2, 11 January 1908, Page 59

Breakfast-table Story.

When at a regimental dinner with his brother, Prince Henry, the German Emperor, in the course cl conversation, said: “They call me the ‘Travelling Kaiser,’ don’t they? I wonder if that’s the only nickname I’ve got?”

Prince Henry laughed, as also did Major von Plosson. “What is it?” asked the Emperor. “Do you know of any other nick-name? If so, out with it.” The major hesitated, but the Emperor insisted, saying: “Well, if you don’t want to do it to please me, I command you to speak!” The Major then confessed that the

Emperor was known among the rank and file of the army as “Alarm Fritz,” on account of his habit of suddenly, in the middle of the night, rousing the garrisons of the town in which he might be staying. The Emperor laughed heartily at this, and Prinee Henry then observed: Well, you have a similar name in the

navy. The boys call you ‘Gondola Wilhelm,” for ‘gondoling’ about, as they call it, on your ships constantly during the summer, and being anywhere and everywhere on the boats.” “Well,” said the Emperor, “those, are three fine nicknames; but, inasmuch as all of them paint me as a busy man, I rather like them.”