Memoirs of the Crown Prince of Germany Author:William General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1922 Original Publisher: C. Scribner's Sons Subjects: World War, 1914-1918 Germany Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free t... more »rial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER III MATRIMONIAL AND POST-MATRIMONIAL June, 1919. Wrote letters first thing. Then, after breakfast, two hours at the anvil in the smithy. Luijt told me that an American had offered twenty-five guilders for a horseshoe that I had forged. Might he give him one? These people are, after all, incorrigibly ready to inspire the likes of us with megalomania -- even when we sit on a grassy island far from their madding crowd. At one time they used to pick up my cigarette-ends; and now, for a piece of iron that has been under my hammer, a snob offers a sum that would help a poor man out of his misery in the old homeland. It is not surprising to me that many a one, under the influence of this cult, has become what he is! No, we are not always the sole culprits! I left Luijt and went down to the sea, stripped and plunged in. How that washes the wretchedness out of you for a while and makes you forget the whole thing! About noon, I told my dear Kummer, who has been with me for some time, the story of the American. He is on fire with enthusiasm! "Twenty-five guilders, at the present rate of exchange! I'd keep on making horseshoes for them the whole day." After dinner, looked through the old notes of the battles at Verdun and worked at the subject for the book. Took a walk with Kummer. And now it is evening again. Another day passed. How long will it be now? On a beautiful and memorable summer's day of the year 1904, in fir-encircled Gelbensande, the seat of the Dowager Grand Duchess Anastasia Michail- ovna of Mecklenburg,...« less