The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-05-24

uStrOuOUiCdl OTUer, anu, Iruo I'd nature,
the stars only faded away as the bright
aurora dimmed their radiance. The new
Reichsbank resembled sea of fire, with
AZ 900 jets of gas, which represented the
coat of arms of Germany, Prussia, Saxony,
Bavaria, and Wurtemberg. The front en-
trance was bordered with lines of fire, and
above it crown bearing the letter "W,"
while from the four corners of the build
ing blazed different colored Bengal
lights. The Opera House, Royal Ii
brary, University, ArmOry, Museum, Ma
tional Gallery, Bourse, Parliament build
ings, BRIGGS Ministerium, and the Crown
Princes palace were equally brilliant. In
the facade of the latter was an enormous
eagle, composed of hundreds of tiny gas
jets.
WIDOWS MITE.
In the lighted windows of all the stores
bust of the Emperor, crowned with
laurel wreaths, was surrounded with
flowers, jewelry, books, rich silks or
whatever the store offered for sale. H.
Illuminated poems were often attached to
the busts, that hundreds stopped to copy.
In one modest window of basement
dwelling there stood a little transparency
with one candle, and little poem to this
effect: "It is my only light, but l give
it willingly in honor of my Emperor, and
hero of eighty years could count also
hundred" In the principal streets no
carriages were permitted to pass, and the
mass of spectators was so dense that it
was utterly impossible to turn back on
the same side on which you came. Owing
to the excellent police arrangements,
there was no disturbance, no jostling, no
unnecessary crowding. The day before
the Chief of Police, Gen. Won Madai,
Published an order in all the papers, that
every one during the illumination, to
avoid difficulty, should 60 to the right;
so this multitude of people passed up
and down leisurely enjoying the
beautiful sight as orderly as so many
soldiers under training. Notwithstand-
ing on the two preceding days there had
been excited mobs in different parts of
the city, owing to the importation Of Pol
ish laborers for the new street railroads,
and which the police had great difficulty
in queiling, on this occasion there was no
conflict, no difficulty of any kind.
SOME AMUSING SCENES.
There were some amusing scenes, for
on the Emperor's birthday every officer
in the army, from the oldest General
down to the youngest cadet, deemed 1t
his sacred duty to drink the Emperor's
health in as many glasses of wine as it is
possible for him to hold yet as no officer
dared to be intoxicated, the effort to ap-
pear at ease was sometimes very ludi
crous; though sedate professors, men,
bers of Parliament, and wise doctors
were no better of, for banquets were
given everywhere, and the amount of
wine consumed was sufficient to turn the
heads of stouter drinkers than the Ger
mans, if any such are to be found.
While the people were traversing the
streets and enjoying the illumination, the
royal family, with 800 princely guests,
were enjoying some tableaux which the
Empress had arranged, and between each
of which there were songs and duets,
rendered by Minnie Hauk, Fraulein
Gerstes, Betz, Wachtel, and other singers
of the city.
PRESENTS FOR THE EMPEROR.
The presents given to the Emperor, be-
sides the usual profusion of exquisite
flowers. arranged in every conceivable
form, were many of them quite unique
and original. From the Empress he re-
ceived a pedestal of ebony inlaid with
fruit of different kinds, garden vase of
embossed metal, two magnificent bronze
candelabra, two porcelain candlesticks
with bronze pedestals, a small table
:tt~ ~ % I, A.
an etagere with japanese painting, and
an elegant clock with marble console.
How nice it is she can pay for all these
pretty things herself, and not have the
bill brought in to her husband before he
is half done enjoying his surprise. The
Crown Prince and Princess gave him also
. clock with a gilt case in book form, on
which were the photographs of all his
own children, his children by marriage,
and all of his grandchildren, with their
names engraved in gold. The Crown
Prince gave also very elegant book, an
original idea of his own, a biographical
description of all the works of Frederick
the Great in all editions and TRANSACTIONS,
suitable literary monument to the old
General, and an appropriate presen. for
bis worthy successor. His daughter, the
Grand Duchess of Baden, with her hus-
band, gave two superb majolica vases,
two artistic china pitchers, tripod or
flying Mercury, Roman lamp and an
aquarelle, framed in blue velvet, which
represented in the richest arabesque of
flowers the faces of herself and husband,
the Crown Prince and wife, aud all the
grandchildren. This the royal lady made
herself; it was exquisitely done, and the