The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-06-13
The Fair of the Queen of Prussia.

Fairs for benevolent purposes, which have
been so long in vogue in England and Amer
lea, were not introduced in Berlin until
about FIVE years ago. At that time the la
dies of the court and Of the corps Diplomat.
ique opened fair for the benefit of the
Catholic orphan asylums, in the large con-
cert hall of the Royal Theatre; next fol.
lowed the famous fair which the Crown Prin-
cess Victoria opened in her apartments, in
the palace OF her husband, for the widows
and orphans Of tho war of 1866, and which,
to her utmost JOY, melted, in the course of Il
few days, the handsome sum of $50, 900,
which was sent to the trustees appointed for
that purpose and, recently, the fair arranged
by Queen Augusta, for the benefit of the
poor people of East Prussia.
inaSmuch US the apartments at the palace
now inhabited by The King aud Queen were
not sufficiently large for the purpose, the
committee Of ladies whom Queen Augusta
had requested to assist her III getting up the
fair resolved to bold it in the famous picture
gallery of the old royal palace. No sooner
had The Queen announced that such u fair
WAS to take place for the benefit of the East
prussiang, and thai contributions would be
acceptable, than such u number Of gifts
poured in from all quarters, so valuable, so
beautiful and tasteful, that the ladies stated
more than surpassed. Sixty ladies belong
ing to the circles of the highest arstocracy
and the huutc finance offered their services
as saleswomeu the leading merchants of
the capital proposed to acl Us trea3urers and
10 auperlntend all arrangements, and a most
efficient organization was effected Now
the host OF court upholsterers, painters. and
decorators took the field they worked day
and night, and there arose, on the western
wall Of the royal picture gallery, a row of
canopied tents Of purple. colored silk, sup
ported by gilded lances, and in whose rear
appeared the magnificent treasures of the
picture gallery, which Impaired 10 the whole
an aspect than which nothing more gorgeous
and witha, tasteful and artistic, could be
imagined. But the long row Of tents, of
which there were no less than nineteen, was
insufficient to hold all the gifts which had
were thirty.fou additional stands erected
on the side of the windows, and the beauti
tul kiosk contributed by the painters Of Ber-
lin was removed to the refreshment room,
anil an ante room was filed with the furni
ture and carpets which were to be sold for
the benefit of the fair.
The display of the articles showed that
not only Berlin and Prussia, but all Ger
many had sent gifts TO the fair. AL the
branches of German art and industry in all
parts of the fathcrland were represented
wooden and cotton goods, articles of fashion
and trinke,s, utensils made Of all sorts of
metals, china and glass, hardware, leather
goods, works Of art, articles of rirtu in end
less variety, were piled up on the stands
The ante room, u very large hall, as we said
before, contained the furniture and carpets.
In the adjoining room were to be seen refresh
de " uirl of of hnr
maids, the Queen sending every day to these
stands enormous quantities of the choicest
delcacies, generous wines, and all sorts Of
beverages. Opposite these stands was the
kiosk, which we have mentioned already--a
semi circular tent supported by slender gill
ded pillars, and in the back ground of which
were to be seen five paintings-Borussia,
painted by Mcneil in tie middle, and on
both sides. in four groups, the other Pro-
vinces OF the Kingdom Fastening to the as
sistance of Borussia. Adjoining this room
was the picture gallery, with the tents and
stands which We have already described.
The row of purple badachns richly decorat
ed with gold, and contrasting charmingly
with the splendid paintings behind them.
the many beautiful and noble ladies trying
to persuade the crowd 20 purchase, the in
cessant throng in the gorgeous rooms-all
this presented a spectacle of the most i'm
pressive kind, especially upon those who
called to mind the noble purposes for which
these stirring scenes had been brought about.
The wittiest ladies were placed in charge Of
the stands containing the least valuable
goods, but their merry sallies always attract
ed the crowd, and they managed to sell AS
much as their sisters at their more valuable
stands. There was especially, one young
lady whose amusing replies were a constant
source of amusement for the bystandors, and
who was patronizcd more literally than any
of her fair colleagues. She was never at
loss for striking reply, and she managed
to dispose of her stock OF goods at enormous
prices and with wonderful rapidly. An old
gentleman, who was gcinatcl by her, took
heart and asked her:
'''lell me il you sell kisses too"
"Or course" replied the young lady.
What is the price OF your kisses?
:" a hundred dollars apiece, cash in adj
vance"
Here are hundred dollars" said The
aged adorer OF the lady.
But instead OF the kiss he expected, he
saw, to his dismay, that the young lady kissed
her little white hands with her charming
lips TO him, amid the loud cheers of the
bystandcrs, and then took the hundred dol
lars as coolly as if she had sold something
at a very low price.
No less fortunate was her fair neghbor,