AS MINISTER TO GERMANY -1879 -1881 549 



at Berlin, one of the most interesting was Colonel (now 

 General) Lord Methuen, who, a few years since, took so 

 honorable a part in the South African War. He was at 

 that time a tall, awkward man, kindly, genial, who al- 

 ways reminded me of Thackeray's " Major Sugarplums. " 

 He had recently lost his wife, and was evidently in deep 

 sorrow. One morning there came a curious bit of news 

 regarding him. A few days before, walking in some re- 

 mote part of the Thiergarten, he saw a working-man throw 

 himself into the river, and instantly jumped into the icy 

 stream after him, grappled him, pulled him out, laid him 

 on the bank, and rapidly walked off. When news of 

 it got out, he was taxed with it by various members of 

 the diplomatic corps; but he awkwardly and blushingly 

 pooh-poohed the whole matter. 



One evening, not long afterward, I witnessed a very 

 pleasant scene connected with this rescue. As we were all 

 assembled at some minor festivity in the private palace 

 on the Linden, the old Emperor sent for the colonel, and 

 on his coming up, his Majesty took from his own coat 

 a medal of honor for life-saving and attached it to the 

 breast of Methuen, who received it in a very awkward 

 yet manly fashion. 



The French ambassador was the Count de St. Vallier, 

 one of the most agreeable men I have ever met, who de- 

 served all the more credit for his amiable qualities be- 

 cause he constantly exercised them despite the most 

 wretched health. During his splendid dinners at the 

 French Embassy, he simply toyed with a bit of bread, not 

 daring to eat anything. 



We were first thrown especially together by a represen- 

 tation in favor of the double standard of value, which, 

 under instructions from our governments, we jointly 

 made to the German Foreign Office, and after that our 

 relations became very friendly. Whenever the Fourth 

 of July or Washington's Birthday came round, he was 

 sure to remember it and make a friendly call. 



My liking for him once brought upon me one of the 



