Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-20
WHY THE RULER OF GERMANY PRE-
FERs TIE BLUEBoTTLE.

That the bluebottle (also called bache-
lors button) is the favorite flower of the
Emperor Of Germany is well-knewn fact
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 small festivity given
at Keningsberg the Emperors mother,
Queen Louise, appeared in the presence of
several French Generals sent by Napoleon
l. to the unhappy Prussian King, in SIM
pie white dress, wearing some OF the flow
ers in her hair and a small bunch of them in
her corsage, much to the astonishment of
the rude warriors, who did not hesitate to
exchange in loud whisper derogatory re-
marks about the plainness of her toilet.
Turning with an indescribably sad yet dig
nitied smile to the Generals, the Queen
said Ever since your horses have trod-
den down our corn fields, gentlemen, these
pretty wild flowers may well be counted
among the rare treasures OF my unhappy
country" That scene and the flowers
connected with it belong henceforth
to the Emperor's sad but sweet rem
iniscences of his youthful days. When,
shortly before the battle OF Friedland,
Queen Louis had once more TO flee from
Kenigsberg to Memel, the carriage in
which she travelled with her two eldest
sons, Princes Frederic William and Will
lam, lost wheel on the road. They were
obliged to aight, and, being far away from
any habitation, to sit down by the side of
the deserted road while the damage was
repaired. The little Princes, being tired
and very hungry, loudly bewailed their
fate to the detected mother, who did not
know how TO appease the wants of her chill
dren. The young and delicate Prince
William in particular cluug beseechingly
to his dearly beloved parent, who finally
arose from her grassy seat and culled blue.
bottles IN the adjacent fields, encouraging
the two boys to follow her example. With
the flowers thus plucked she twined
wreaths, which occupation the Princes
looked on with great curiosity and interest.
The feeling of helplessness and the thought
of the unhappy condition OF her family,
her country and the future of the sons by
her side brought tears to the mothers eyes,
hot tears, which slowly trickled upon
the flowers she held in her hands. Prince
William, deeply touched, threw his arms
round her neck and tried to comfort her
with his child-like caresses, which brought
a sweet smile on the maternal face and
wreath of the blue flowers upon his ten
year-old curly head. This touching road
side scene Prince, now Emperor, William
has never forgotten. On every corn-hower
this being the German namel he still
thinks he sees the glitter of a maternal
tear. Hence his fopdness for them. Still
it is not the flower alone he loves; he has
also great partiality for its color. A Pc
culiar construction of the Emperor's eyes
causes this particular shade of blue to
strike it more pleasingly than any other,
to such degree, in fact, as to render him
almost indifferent, nay insensible, to all
other colors. This is also the reason why
he likes to surround himself with this his
favorite shade, and the ladies of his court
have long made it a point to appear on fes-
tive occasions in blue toilets, which not
only produce an agreeable effect upon his
sight, but also upon his mood, imparting
to the latter that happy tinge of cheerful
ness and amiability which have long be.
come proverbial in his case.