The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-10
WHOLE NO. 1870.
An Emperor's Favorite Flower.

1t is well known that the corn
flower-also called bachelors button
or blue-bottle-is the favorite flower
of the Emperor OF Germany. The
reason why this simple field flower
should be preferred by him to other
and much finer ones may not be so
well known. On the occasion of a
small festivity given at Kenigsberg,
the Emperor's mother, Queen Lou
ise, appeared in the presence of sew
eral French generals sent by Napo-
leon |, to the unhappy Prussian
King, in very simple white dress,
wearing some Of these flowers in her
hair and a small bunch of them in
her corsage, much to the astonish-
ment of the rude warriors who did
not hesitate to exchange in a loud
whisper the derogatory remarks
about the plainness of her toilet.
Turning with an undescribably sad
yet dignified smile to the generals
the Queen said Ever since your
horses have trodden down our corn
fields, gentlemen, these pretty wild
flowers may well be counted among
the rare treasure of my unhappy
country" That scene and the flow
ers connected with it belong hence
forth to the Emperor's sad but
sweet "reminiscences of his youthful
days. When shortly before the BAT
tie of Friedland, Queen Louise had
once more to flee from Kenigsberg
to Memel. the carriage in which she
travelled with her two eldest sons,
Princes Frederick and William, lost
a wheel on the road. They were
obliged to alight, and, being far
away from any habitation, to sit
down by the side of the deserted |
road, while the damage was prepar-
ed. The little princes being tired /
and hungry loudly bewailed their
fate to the detected mother, who I
did not know how to appease the /
wants of her children. The young
and delicate Prince William in par
ticular clung beseechingly to his
dearly beloved parent, who finally /
rose from her grassy seat and eulled
blue-bottles in the adjacent fields,
encouraging the two boys 70 follow
her example With the flowers
thus plucked she twisted wreaths,
which occupation the princes look
ed on with great curiosity and IN
terest. The feeling of helplessness
and the thought of the unhappy I
of her family, her coun-
try, and the future Of the sons by
her side brought tears 20 her eyes,
hot tears, which slowly tr;ckled upon
the flowers she held in aer hands. I
Prince William deeply touched, +
threw his arms round her neck and /
tried to comfort her with his Guild
like caresses, which brou ut ~weet
smiles to the maternal fac, and lips
and won for the irresistible COM
forter a wreath of the blue flowers +
upon his ten-year-old curly head.
This touching roadside scene Prince.
now Emperor William, has never
forgotten. On every corn-hower
this being the German name) he
still thinks he sees the glitter Of
tear. Hence his fondness
for them. Still it is not the flower :
alone that he loves--he has also
great partiality for its color A pc
,uliar construction of the Emperor's ,
eyes causes this particular shade of /
blue to strike it more pleasingly
han any other, to such q degree i'll .
act as to render him almost indif-
ferent, nay insensible to all other :
,olors. This is also the reason why {
ne likes to surround himself with
his his favorite shade, and the Ia ,
lies of his court have long made It
l point to appear on festive aeca- I
;ions in blue toilets, which not only ,
produce an agreeable effect upon
MS sight but also upon his mood,
to the latter that happy
.inge of cheerfulness and amiability
which have long become proverbial
N his ease.-Home Journal.