s. His
Majesty Wilhelm II, a liberal and enlightened monarch, dipped heavily
into his private bank account. Stuttgart, according to the intendant,
Graf zu Putlitz, must become the leading operatic and art city in
Germany. The buildings are there, but not yet the singers. Dresden
boasts its opera, and Berlin has better singers. Nevertheless, the
pretty city, surrounded by villa-crowned hills, is to be congratulated
on such classic temples of music and drama.

IV

Standing at the window of my hotel in Stuttgart, I watched a crowd
before the Central railway station. Evidently something important was
about to take place. What! Only the day previous all Stuttgart had
strained its neck staring at a big Zeppelin air-ship. It was the week
of the Gordon Bennett balloon race and every hotel, every
lodging-house was full. It was also the Richard Strauss festival week,
with the formal inauguration of the two magnificent opera-houses in
the Schlossgarten. So it was not difficult to guess that an important
visitor was due at the station. Hence the excitement, which increased
when the King of Wuertemberg dashed up in an open carriage, the royal
livery and all the rest making a brave picture for his loyal subjects.

I've seen several kings and kaisers, but I've never seen one that
looked "every inch a king." The German Kaiser outwardly is a
well-groomed Englishman; Franz Josef of Austria--I've not met him
since 1903, when our carriage wheels locked and he, a lovable old man,
gallantly saluted my companion--he is everything but kingly; the late
King Edward when at Marienbad was very much the portly type of
middle-aged man you meet in Wall Street at three o'clock in the
afternoon; while William II of Wuertemberg is a pleasant gentleman,
with "merchant" written over him. It is true he is an excellent man of
affairs, harder working than any of his countrymen. He is also more
democratic, and with his beloved Queen daily promenades the streets,
lifting his hat half the time in response to the bowings and scrapings
of patriotic Swabians.

The train arrived. The crowd grew denser. Zealous policemen
intercepted passers-by from coming too close to the royal equipage; an
old peasant woman carrying a market-basket was nearly guillotined by
the harsh reproaches of the officers. She stumbled, but was shunted
into the background just as the King reappeared in company with Prince
August, greeted with wild cheer