Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1885 — The Tyrant, Habit. [ARTICLE]

The Tyrant, Habit.

The Emperor William is a man of exceedingly economical habits, and the study lamp on his work-table is a simple oil lamp of a pattern such as since the introduction of petroleum lamps can hardly be met with on the table of the humblest citizen of Berlin. But it was not economy that accounts for the fact, so much as the difficulty which an old man has in changing a habit. The explanation is given by the British American Register. The Emperor has for years been accustomed to screw down the wick whenever h,e ceases writing or reading or leaves the room. When the petroleum lamps finally came into general use, the Emperor’s valet, Krause, bought one an,d put it on the work-table. True to his habit, his imperial master screwed down the wick on writing; and, as a matter of course, the room was soon filled with an insupportable smoke, which greatly affected the nose and eyes of the monarch, and necessitated the opening of doors and windows. Krause finally volunteered the remark: “No, your Majesty, that sort of lamp will not suit.” “But what are we to do, Krause? Had we better get our oil lamp back again? You know my eyes are weaker, and require a brighter light.” “Well, your Majesty, we can have a new lamp made with an extra large burner, so as to do away v ith petroleum altogether.” “Quite right, Krause, let us try it.” And Krause got a lamp of the old pattern, had the burner enlarged to an almost colossal size, a green glass shade added to it, and to this day, the new lamp, defying all innovations, asserts its place of honor on the work-table of the most dilligent of monarchs.— Youth’s Companion.