The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-03
The Home of the German Emperor.

A day at Potsdam is the thing to do while
at Berlin, and we did it; but it ought to
be divided into two or three visits, there
is so much to see. Having seen the other
palaces, l was especially pleased to know
that we could get into Badelsburg, the ia
vOrite resort Of Emperor William, built in
the English castellated style between 1885
and 1S49, and thus not wearing the shah
BY, forlorn appearance Of most of the pal
aces We visit. Then, too, We are there
shown the actual living rooms of the royal
family, not long row of state apartments,
which have been occupied by generation
of kings, but the simple country home of
people as plain in their tastes as ourselves,
showing US that princes really are simply
human beings, loving quiet home comfort
as much as anybody, whatever we may
have thought to the contrary. Let me
tell you bit about it, just by the way of
illustration. The palace stands in the
midst of an immense wild park, but is
beautifully situated, with glimpses Of the
Havel and its pretty bridges, and here and
there the other palaces coming into view,
and all about tasteful garden plats and
pretty fountains meet the eye as one looks
from the windows. At the head of the
first staircase is stand of canes, and we
took in our hands the plain stick which
the Emperor uses all the time when here,
and which he cut from tree thirty-five
years ago; there are plenty of other canes,
but this one only viii he have. The
apartments of the Empress come first in
order, her breakfast room, sitting and wait
ing rooms, all very tasteful, fresh and airy;
the first opening by glass door on to an
arcaded walk, whose arches are richly hung
with woodbine, and where there are COM
Portable seats and cool resting places, while
on one side we noticed small park with
deer, pheasants, peacocks and rare birds,
a pleasant river opening on the other
The breakfast room seems to be sort of
ante-room to the apartments beyond, and
out of it opens faneiful boudoir, with
little table in the centre, tete-a -tete, set
of rare china and chairs arranged for a
quiet little chat while slipping q cup of
coffee. All these rooms are rich in beau
tifnl modern paintings and bronzes, beau
tiful furniture, and, in fact, everything we
should enjoy in our own homes. The
draperies are of light, richly tinted Gre
tonne, and almost all of the chairs and sofas
are covered in the same way. On the
writing desk of the Empress there was
fine picture Of her husband and bunch
of his favorite flowers (what we call bach
elors' buttons which grow wild here. In
the tea room beautiful gilt bronze clock
is made in imitation of the Cathedral at
Worms, the face being on the church
front. Passing along, in the various apart
ments, there were many odd hooks and
corners; a small octagon room jutting out
in one place, draperied off from the main
apartment, with an antique lamp hanging
from the centre; two or three chairs placed
just right for a view, and an easel and
pencils on the table, while on an opposite
side of the room was an alcove forming
half a circle, with broad divans against its
walls, and an elegant table just near enough
to enjoy the pictures contained in the al
buns lying upon it. The concert-room,
finished with dome and gallery, seemed
to form central part of the palace, and is
finished like all the rest of the building.
with oak and heavy stucco decorations,
the floor beautifully inlaid. There are
stiff, carved chairs against the wall the
seats covered with leather, as are those in
the dining-room beyond. The diniug-roorn
contains many rare specimens of glass,
from 1400 down, and massive fireplace,
with the front finished with Gothic brack-
cts, on which stand gilt-bronzc statues of
the Electors of Brandenburg, who we're
the first rulers of Germany. The apart
ments of the Emperor's only daughter,
now Duchess of Baden, differ from the
others only in being somewhat richer. the
curtains, a screen and two or three stools
being of black velvet, embroidered with
blue eyes on bachelors buttons, and stalks
of grain in gold thread entwined, produc
ing very rich and beautiful effect. The
rooms of the Crown Princess, exactly like
hers at Windsor Castle, are, like the 9th.
ers, without carpets, and simple in the ex-
treme, containing oak furniture covered
with bright checked gingham, with
plain washstand in her sleeping room and
bedstead of the plainest possible make. bed
curtains and window draperies of light
cretonne. In several of the rooms, as well
as in these, are drawings and water colors
done by the Princess, and Just beyond. in
the Emperor's sleeping room, bust of the
Empress modelled by her. Also a garden
chair made by the Crown Prince is drawn
up to the Emperor's table, on which Law
few ordinary toilet articles and some books
The bed in this room is simply low, sin
gle iron bedstead, with hard mattress.
with plain curtains drawn about it. Or
binary oak chairs with leather covers. and
few pictures of battle scenes make up
the outfit. In his workroom next to this
the walls are lined with books, papers are
piled up on chairs, his desk is covered
with documents, interspersed with pictures
OF the family, fine painting of the En-
press when much younger, folding case
containing the Empress, Crown Prince and
Princess and five children, and three
children of the Duches of Baden; also an
engraving of Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert in 1857, and beautiful portrait
of Queen Louisa when quite young