CHAPTERXLII
AMERICA，GERMANY，ANDTHECHINESEWAR——1899—1902
AninterestingeventofthisperiodwastheappearanceinBerlinofex—PresidentandMrs。Harrison。ThePresidenthadbutrecentlyfinishedhislongandwearisomeworkbeforetheVenezuelaArbitrationTribunalatParis，andwasveryhappyintheconsciousnessofdutyaccomplishedandlibertyobtained。Marksofhighdistinctionwereshownthem。ThesovereignsinvitedthemtoattendthefestivitiesatPotsdaminhonoroftheQueenandQueenMotherofHolland，whowerethenstayingthere，andtreatedthemnotonlywithrespect，butwithcordiality。TheEmperorconversedlongwiththePresidentonvariousmattersofpublicinterest:onnotedAmericanswhomhehadmet，onthegrowthofourfleet，onrecenteventsinourhistory，andthelike，characteristicallyendingwithadiscussionofthesuperbmusicwhichwehadbeenhearing;andatthesupperwhichfollowedinsistedthatMrs。
Harrisonshouldsitathisside，theEmpressgivingasimilarinvitationtoMr。Harrison。Atalaterperiodadinnerwasgiventotheex—Presidentbythechancelloroftheempire，PrinceHohenlohe，atwhichanumberoftheleadingpersonagesintheempirewerepresent;anditwasapleasuretoshowmyownrespectfortheformerchiefmagistratebyareceptionwhichwasattendedbyabouttwohundredofourAmericancolony，andadinneratwhichheandMrs。HarrisonmadetheacquaintanceofleadingrepresentativeGermansinvariousfields。
InanotherchapterofthesememoirsIhavespokenofPresidentHarrisonasofcoldand，attimes，abruptmanners;buttheabsenceofthesecharacteristicsduringhisstayinBerlin，andafterwardinNewYork，madeitcleartomethatthecoldexteriorwhichIhadnotedinhimatWashington，especiallywhenMr。