The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-03-17 00:00:00

THE MORTUARY CHAMBER.

After the Royal family had withdrawn, and ths
ordinary functions had been rendered to the dead, a
long train of the Ministers of State and great person-
ages of Prussia and of the Empire were admitted
into the death chamber. Permission was accorded
me (says a correspondent of the London Daily Tele-
graph) to follow in this procession. It was a very
solemn and impressive scene as we filed past the
dead Monarch, who to many that were present had
been leader and friend, as well as crowned chief.
These now looked in solemn silence and with grief
and awe on that august countenance where they
had ever looked with reverence and admira-
tion. His Majesty lay on a small iron bedstead
tipped with brass, in a semi-recumbent posture, the
head being bent forward on the breast, and turned
towards a bust of his mother Queen Louise. His
face was calm in death; one could trace the old
familiar features; but I could fully realise the
significance of an observation which the Grand
Duchess of Baden made on the preceding day when
she said, "I found him dreadfully changed. The
chamber in which the Emperor William died was
simplicity itself. The bedstead stood in a niche
separated from the rest of the room by a green cur-
tain. Over the bed hung a crucifix; a few garlands
and ribbons, presents from festivities gone by, are hang-
ing about. Here are two or three plain wardrobes with
busts in plaster of Paris standing upon them; a looking-
glass is placed near the window, and sundry pictures
on the wall. There you have the furniture of the
modest apartment of the deceased German Emperor.
One of his late Majesty's aides-de-camp was keeping
watch, General von Lippe, and at the entrance to the
chamber was a trooper of the Body Guard. Guards
of honour selected from different regiments are now
in all parts of the palace. It was touching to see the
members of the household and servants coming to
gaze upon their old master—all of them were in tears.
Close to the bed was Von Verner, drawing a portrait
of his Majesty as he lay, the same limner who painted
the memorable picture of the proclamation of the
Empire at Versailles. On the day before his demise
the deceased Monarch had spoken of his interment,
and expressed his wishes in regard to it.
While the Imperial family were watching at the
bedside of the late Kaiser, Prince von Bismarck and
Count Von Moltke, and a hest of others filled the
mortuary chamber. So great was the crowd in the
small room, that in order to obtain air the windows
in adjacent rooms on either side had tobe opened. A
quarter of an hour before death the doctors told the
family that it was imminent. At the final moment,
there was a deep breath, and all was over. The
Court Chaplain, Koegel, offered up prayers, and
after the lapse of half-an-hour the Royal family
retired to their respective apartments, where,
notwithstanding their night watching, they have
been ocGupied all day in writing letters. They,
too, have felt, like all else who were present,
that the circumstances of the closing scene have
harmonised completely with the simple nobility and
grandeur of the man. The gradual decay of strength,
the general absence of pain, the continued conscious-
ness and serenity which enabled his late Imperial
Majesty to deliver the impressive, patriotic, and
kindly advice which he gave, and maintain con-
versation till just before he breathed his last, have
formed a fitting close to his honourable, high-minded,
and devoted career.
It was noticed that after death the Emperor looked
to be smaller than he was in life, a peculiarity which
was displayed by his renowned ancestor Frederick the
Great.
His Majesty is reported to have said shortly before
his death, "Only once more I should like to embrace
Fritz, den Fritz," adopting the usual familiar way in
German of speaking of one's relations or intimate
friends, and which we might perhaps render into Eng-
lish thus: "Once more I should like to embrace Fritz,
my Fritz," referring of course to the Crown Prince.