The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-02
OR GERMAN LETTER.
" .,..r Williams Birihday-sig'ts md Sce"e'
on the Streets Of Bcrlin-Ohso' v"''o'' v
nm Orient ian Abroad.

Yrr,onean Correspondence of tho Bulletin.l
BERLIN, April s, 1875.
Dear BuVe.in-Since my arrival in this city
tbe weather has been most unfay orabls for
out-oe.door exercise, being alternately snowy,
rainy. windy and SO on, introducing in sue
cession all the phases which our "Old Proba-
bilities" man in Washington suggests to the
clerk Of the weather for his programme from
day to day, except that of clear and warm,
which, after winter of such unusual severity.
would Just now be most heartily appreciated.
The sun does manage to struggle out for
few minutes once in while. but soon be
comes discouraged and goes back again.
Berlin is very thoroughly paved city,
though it could scarcely be said that it is
we'll paved, and walking about on rounding,
slipping stones, after the snow begins 20
thaw little, is not calculated to impress
stranger very fayofably with tho work Of his
Maiesty's street commissioners and those OF
former generations.
A day or two ago We had little passing ex-
citement on the occasion OF the emperor
birthday, which, how ever, was not ce'ebrated
with any very extrava CANT public demonstra-
tons such as one might have expected TO see
The public buildings. it is true. were all
decked out with flags an d there wero certain
military displays but with that exception.
and aside from the illu minstion that took
Mace in the evening, tire day passed of
rather tamely.
In the morning from about 10 o'clock to IL.
there vas grand reception at the royal resi-
dence, which was attended by ali tho digni-
tarics Of Berlin, foreign ambassadors and
other distinguished people whose duty or
prerogative it was to pay their personal re-
spects to the Emperor on his birthday. On the
morning in question, crowd collected quite
early before both the palace of tho Emperor
and that of the Crown Prince, which is
distant only about two hundred yards. and
surprising that there was some public OPP
pearance or ceremony anticipated, took q
stand con yeniently near, where cooled my
heels on the snowy pavement for some time
without having the pleasure OF seeing any
ceremony more impressive than the arrival
and departure Of princes and noblemen in
their dasling equipaSes.
In a republican country, OF course. d;s!in-
cuished man would have had to como out and
make speech on an upper gallery. just to
rive the populace chance to see and cheer
him; but Kaiser Wilhelm is past thu age for
such foolishness. and preferred to ROMAN
comfortably indoors on his birthday. The
first arrival was that of the Grown Princess
and her children, who drew up in gorgeous
style in d coach and six, with outriders, foot
men and all those gaudy but picturesque be-
longings. which we see in the pictures Of
"golden legends" such, for instance, as
clustered about the carriage in which Cinder
ella went to her first great ball, or that Of the
king who rescued the noble Lord Marquis
of Carrabes' from drowning.
Thelower part of the body Of tho carriage wa
painted rich, dark crimson, and tho upper
portion simply polished black. The pannels
of the doors were emblezoned with the royal
coat of arms, which device also appeared in
large size aud elaborate workmanship on q
velvet pail that covered the drivers seat and
hung down at tho sides. On each OF the four
upper corners was small silver corOnet, and
tho interior was simply but elegantly finished
in cream colored satin. The hvcrics OF the
driver, footmen, outriders, etc, were merely
masses of silver and lace, while even tho horses
were magnificently decked out in crimson and
silver. The Kings palace is rather Bngularly
situated, so that all the birthday guests had
to 90 in at the side door instead OF by thu
great front portal.
The building stands directly upon the
street Inter den Linden-but its front is di
rected away, something like the City Hall in
New Orleans would be if it was shifted around
so as to open upon Lafayette street, instead o.
st. Charles. 1t is possible, however, that 81
the time this palace was built Inter den Lin
now is The front line Of tho palace is Of
a concaye form, and shows rather tasteful
architecture, though not a little dingy and
rough on close examination 1t seems, how
ever that every body comes and goes through
the side door, and on the occasion Of the EN-
perors birthday reception there must have
been nearly hundred carriages tina! drove
up and delivered their "cargoes" of dis
tinguished guests at the Same door through
which had seen trades people. shabby oil
women, servants and 'trash" generally pass
which seems little inconsistent TO one VIII
comes from country, where even the mos
unpretending people have their visitors u
enter by separate door from the one used b!
the servants
This door is guarded day and night BY tw'
soldiers with needle-guns, who have to pre-
sent arms whenever the CLEAN Of an officer
helmet or the nodding Of his plume appears
though observed that everything not strict
" military seemed to 60 unsaluted. and tina
thew preserved an air Of the most profound
indifference toward prinoesses Of the roya
blood, ambassadors and ministers. Will
every corporal that passed the street elioited
salute. After the Crown Princess. plainly
dressed in white satin, had disnountcd will
her sons and daughters, her carriage wa
driven repeatedly round and round il
the wide street, as if to exercise tn
horses and make display Of the attendants
magnificent trappings Of which they seemed
immensely proud. After this the arrivals 500!
became frequent, carriage after carriage roll
ing up and discharsing their living freight
human greatness. and then taking regula
places in the street. so as to be ready to re
appear when summoned. Among the mum