Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-14
wILHELMSHOHE.
The Prison of the Ex-Emperor.


The Prison of the Ex-EmPerOr.
Correspondence Of the New York Tribune
CAssEL, Sept II, Wilhelmsho-
he, or 'the German Versailles, as it. has
been often termed, has just now assumed
a greater interest than it has since it was
the summer palace of the Elector of
Hesse- Cassel, Frederick the Second. No
American is likely TO forget or forgive
this monarch for having acquired most
of his wealth by selling the lives of his
soldiers to the King of Great Britain to
fight his battles in America and else
where. From 1777 to 1884, $4,000 Hes
SLAMS were sent 10 our county for the
sum Of S22, 600, 600; bat this little claim,
unlike 'the Alabama" was settled long
ago; and as / walked about the Fred
erick's Platz (the largest place in any
German town, and admired the statue of
the ElectOr after whom it is named, |
was wicked enough to enjoy thinking
how his own Government had met pre-
cisely the fate he had wished for ours
You may walk or drive three miles
from Cassel throughsa straight avenue of
Times 10 the palace of Wilhelmshohe, and
beside it stands the theatre built by Je-
rome Bonaparte when King, and in which
he himself used to act Just behind it is
the highest fountain in Europe Except
that at Chaisworth,) which throws up its
fairy spray twelve inches in diameter and
$50 feet high. II springs from its imper-
cep'ible jet in the center of a bed of
messy lawn, and so light and airily does
it play amid the sparkling sunshine that
when tie hour is over you suddenly miss
it, like a child hunting for rainbow, you
look up at the blue sky overhead, and
wonder to what part of it it has flown
away. Further up is an artificial water
fall, descending from tall aqueduct
G over beds Of stone arranged in exquisite
taste, and on Sundays and Wednesdays,
when the waters play, great crowds flock
70 see them.
The aquatic staircase and the Octagon
temple of the winds, with the statute aud
other extravagances connected with il,
are reported to have employed 2, 200 men
for fourteen years. When their labOrs
were completed, the cost was found to be
so enormous that the accounts were
burned, 20 destroy all records of it.
The cascade of the Harrisburg is another
of the many wonders of the palace-a
flight of stone steps 900 feet long, ever
which a stream of water is at times per-
mitted to fall. Half way up the stairs is
the giant EuCeladus, rudely represented
lying on his back with a mountain of
rocks heaped upon his breast. The artist
intended q jet of water so feet high
should spout from his mouth, but none
PLAYS there now. The staircase of this
t'Chateau d'Esu" is surmounted by an
Octagon building III, SO feet above the
fulda, surmOunted by a pyramid serving
as pedestal TO the colossal Hercules, 81
feet high, of beaten copper. Nine per
sons, it is said can stand at one time in
the hollow of the club and enjoy a
charming view out Of a little window
formed in IT. ! have rarely spent uay
more delightfully."- than in exploring all
these mOrsels of art aud extravaganza
and, setting them all aside, the natural
beauties of the park are far beyond those
of any other on the continent. In the
midst of il is toy castle-'Iuxemburg"
built to initiate a stronghold of the
middle ages, with draw bridges, battlements,
towers and bitches. Among the rusty
SQllS III Tue dIUOIH ID OuC WHICH, Ut
loDged to the great Condo There is also
very curious collection of drinking
glasses, series Of portraits of the Tudors
and Stuarts, and library filled with rom
ances alone. The public are not content
that the King has devoted so magnificent
refuge to his fallen foe, and doubt if
he will be permitted TO remain there long.
The women are particularly savage on the
subject, and | have heard number pro-
pose that be should be exhibited in a cage
through the streets of all the German
towns at a grochen head, and then be
sent to end his days at st. Helena, as
did his illustrious uncle, whom he SO
much liked to initiate.
The grounds were in splendid order.
Some women were cutting the lawn and
clearing ont among the shrubbery the day
that We were there. The pTettiest face
Eave yet seen in Germany peeped out
from among the rose bushes. She was
trimming, as passed out of the gate,
and, but that ] feared to lose the train,
should have looked longer at a picture that
gave me so much pleasure. The coming
of even an eX Emperor and his suite will
be an immense Excitement in the lives of
these peasant laboTers, and | aiDk if my
pretty friend is standing where left her
when the French officers pass into their
splendid exile, her sweet eyes may some
what soften the hardship of their fate