THE DAYS PRECEDING THE WAR |
[Pg 8] [Pg 9] A WISE WARNING A WISE WARNING DÆdalus Bismarck (Political Parent of Wilhelm Icarus). "My son, observe the middle path to fly, And fear to sink too low, or rise too high. Here the sun melts, there vapours damp your force, Between the two extremes direct your course. "Nor on the bear, nor on boÖtes gaze, Nor on sword-arm'd orion's dangerous rays: But follow me, thy guide, with watchful sight, And, as I steer, direct thy cautious Flight." Ovid, "Metamorphoses," Book VIII., Fable III. October 6, 1888. [Pg 10] [Pg 11] THE HAUNTED SHIP THE HAUNTED SHIP (Twenty-five years after "Dropping the Pilot.") Ghost of the Old Pilot. "I Wonder if He Would Drop Me NOW!" (April 1st is the hundredth anniversary of Bismarck's birth.) March 31, 1915. [Pg 12] [Pg 13] L'ENFANT TERRIBLE L'ENFANT TERRIBLE Chorus in the Stern. "Don't Go On Like That—or You'll Upset Us All!!" May 10, 1890. [Pg 14] [Pg 15] THE IMPERIAL JACK-IN-THE-BOX THE IMPERIAL JACK-IN-THE-BOX Chorus (Everybody). " Everything in Order Everywhere! O! What a Surprise! Sold Again!" January 20, 1893. [Pg 16] [Pg 17] THE MODERN ALEXANDER'S FEAST; OR, THE POWER OF SOUND THE MODERN ALEXANDER'S FEAST; OR, THE POWER OF SOUND "With ravished ears, The Monarch hears, Assumes the God, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres!" March 5, 1892. [Pg 18] [Pg 19] THE STORY OF FIDGETY WILHELM THE STORY OF FIDGETY WILHELM (Up-to-date version of "Struwwelpeter.") "Let me see if Wilhelm can Be a little gentleman; Let me see if he is able To sit still for once at table!"
"But fidgety Will He won't sit still."
Just like any bucking horse. "Wilhelm! We are getting cross!"
February 1, 1896. [Pg 20] [Pg 21] A NEW RÔLE A NEW RÔLE Imperial "Manager-Actor" (who has cast himself for a leading part in "Un Voyage en Chine," sotto voce). "Um—Ha! With just a few additional touches here and there, I shall make a first-rate Emperor of China!" January 15, 1898. [Pg 22] [Pg 23] ON TOUR ON TOUR (Tangier, March 31.) Kaiser Wilhelm (as the Moor of Potsdam) sings:— "'Unter den Linden'—always at Home, 'Under the Lime-light' wherever I roam!"
April 5, 1905. [Pg 24] [Pg 25] COOK'S CRUSADER COOK'S CRUSADER Imperial Knight Templar (the German Emperor—to Saladin). "What!! The Christian Powers putting pressure upon You, my dear Friend!! Horrible! I can't think how People can do such things!" October 15, 1898. [Pg 26] [Pg 27] NOT IN THE PICTURE NOT IN THE PICTURE Scene—On shore, during the visit of the British Fleet to Brest. Mr. Punch (Photographer, suavely, to the Kaiser). " Just a leetle further back, please, Sir. Your shadow still rather interferes with the group." July 12, 1905. [Pg 28] [Pg 29] THE SOWER OF TARES THE SOWER OF TARES (After Millais) August 23, 1905. [Pg 30] [Pg 31] ISOLATION "ISOLATION" Peace (attending the Inter-Parliamentary Congress at Berlin). "Everybody else seems to be my friend; why do you stand aloof?" German Kaiser."But haven't I always said that I was your friend?" Peace."Yes; but can't you do something to prove it?" September 23, 1908. [Pg 32] [Pg 33] THE TEUTONISING OF TURKEY THE TEUTONISING OF TURKEY German Kaiser. "Good Bird!" October 5, 1910. [Pg 34] [Pg 35] HARMONY HARMONY [The German Emperor has been patronising the Centenary of Krupp's Gun Factory] August 14, 1912. [Pg 36] [Pg 37] THE BLIND SIDE THE BLIND SIDE German Officer: "Glad to hear you're going to fortify your sea-front. Very dangerous people, these English." Dutchman: "But it will cost much." German Officer: "Ah, but see what you save on the Eastern Frontier, where there's nobody but us." January 11, 1911. [Pg 38] [Pg 39]
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