“’The King sits in Dunfermline tower
    Drinking the bluid red wine.’

I should like to escort you some day to the tower of your Scottish ancestor, that you may do homage to his memory.”  He exclaimed: 

“That would be very fine.  The Scotch are much quicker and cleverer than the Germans.  The Germans are too slow.”

“Your Majesty, where anything Scotch is concerned, I must decline to accept you as an impartial judge.”

He laughed and waved adieu, calling out: 

“You are to dine with me this evening”—­and excusing himself went to greet the arriving admirals.

About sixty were present at the dinner and we had a pleasant time, indeed.  His Majesty, opposite whom I sat, was good enough to raise his glass and invite me to drink with him.  After he had done so with Mr. Tower, our Ambassador, who sat at his right, he asked across the table—­heard by those near—­whether I had told Prince von Buelow, next whom I sat, that his (the Emperor’s) hero, Bruce, rested in my native town of Dunfermline, and his ancestor’s tower in Pittencrieff Glen, was in my possession.

“No,” I replied; “with Your Majesty I am led into such frivolities, but my intercourse with your Lord High Chancellor, I assure you, will always be of a serious import.”

We dined with Mrs. Goelet upon her yacht, one evening, and His Majesty being present, I told him President Roosevelt had said recently to me that he wished custom permitted him to leave the country so he could run over and see him (the Emperor).  He thought a substantial talk would result in something good being accomplished.  I believed that also.  The Emperor agreed and said he wished greatly to see him and hoped he would some day come to Germany.  I suggested that he (the Emperor) was free from constitutional barriers and could sail over and see the President.

“Ah, but my country needs me here!  How can I leave?”

I replied: 

“Before leaving home one year, when I went to our mills to bid the officials good-bye and expressed regret at leaving them all hard at work, sweltering in the hot sun, but that I found I had now every year to rest and yet no matter how tired I might be one half-hour on the bow of the steamer, cutting the Atlantic waves, gave me perfect relief, my clever manager, Captain Jones, retorted:  ’And, oh, Lord! think of the relief we all get.’  It might be the same with your people, Your Majesty.”

He laughed heartily over and over again.  It opened a new train of thought.  He repeated his desire to meet President Roosevelt, and I said: 

“Well, Your Majesty, when you two do get together, I think I shall have to be with you.  You and he, I fear, might get into mischief.”

He laughed and said: 

“Oh, I see!  You wish to drive us together.  Well, I agree if you make Roosevelt first horse, I shall follow.”

“Ah, no, Your Majesty, I know horse-flesh better than to attempt to drive two such gay colts tandem.  You never get proper purchase on the first horse.  I must yoke you both in the shafts, neck and neck, so I can hold you in.”