The Wilmingtonian., 1884-05-31
THE STORY TELLER.


Volumes have been written concerning %
historical apparition of lady dressed in
white in the Royal palace at Berlin. IL Will
be remembered that the "White Lady, as
the spectre is called never appears save to
herald the death of some member of the
ROYAL Family. In February last the phen-
omenon was Witnessed by several OF the SEN
tinel's at the palace, and the men even
deserted their posts in sheer terror.
But there are many who say that there
never was a more unreasonable humbug than
that "White Lady" What position does
the light of history allow us to maintain? In
the 10Th, more especially in the 18th century
it became general custom to announce
the death of crowned persons by all sorts OF
strange omens. The family chronicles of
Hohenzollern contained therein the follow
ing examples: "The death of the Grand
Duke Joachim the Second took place Jan.
3D., 1901. In the night preceding his decease
a large ball of fire fell from heaven upon the
palace" Further, the excellent Grand Duke
of John, George, was stricken with death on
the 9Th of Jan, 150S, aged 70. Shortly before
dying tame lion, which was kept at court,per
ished with loud and terrible roaring. 1908
the end of George Frederick of Brandenburg,
arrived. Various kinds of omens were
noticed A terrific storm threw down the
statue of s'Justice" from the castle gate. At
Cadelburg one felt signs Of an earthquake
And in the convent seven eagles of different
sizes appeared. The strangest thing of all
! vas that he George Frederick dreamed
that the picture of an angel had fallen from
his tomb. Short mention is made of the
first appearance of the ''White Lady, at the
death of the husband of Princess Barbara,
daughter of Grand Duke Joachim, in the
year 1928. The Second appearance is painted
in somewhat brighter colors by an editor of
the "Bayreuth Chronicle" viz: "On the
9th of August, 1878, as the brave Prince
Erdman Phillip was returning from the race
course he was thrown from his horse, only
within few steps of the palace, and died
two hours afteIward." The apparition of
the ''White Lady" had been seen sitting in
the Princes chair just short time previous.
Whilst all this seems to originate from the
fanciful brains of some chamberlains, the
year 1918 brings material appearance of
the ''White Lady" "One frosty morning
in February King Frederick the First sat in
his apartments, nervous as usual, but,with-
out any presentment of g when suddenly
the glass Of his room door was shattered
into thousand pieces. In rushed, bleeding,
with disheveled, flowing hal, the fatal
white Lady, His Majesty tainted. The
poor old King was carried to his bed never
to rise again. A few days afterwards he died. !"
This time it was not merely the question of
an apparition, but, of the insane Queen, who
hao escaped from her rooms, half dressed,
full of anti-Calvanstic fanaticism and jeal-
ousy; waiting her opportunity she rushed
like wild deer to the apartment of his
Majesty, shot like ball through the glass
door and appeared there, with flying hair,
sparkling eyes, bleeding arms, all the
requirements of spectre.
From this momentthe saying of the White
Lady, has become traditional in the palace
at Berlin, but in order that her primitive
origin of tsBayreuth should not wholly sink
into oblivion the fiction of the Countess Of
Olendorf, who murdered her children, was
attached to her. This Countess, in expia-
X ton of her guilt, is condemned to dance on
the foors oft6e Berlin coffidofs. the story,
however, has been disproved hundred
times. Through the Grand Duchess Of Bay
reuth, sister of Frederick the treat, the
story of the "W hite Lady" received genuine
popularity. This lady, although highly
enlightened, was full of childish tricks (she
sometimes threw the soup plates at her
fathers head She had heard Of the"White
Lady" and played her part in order to
escape the vigilance to which she was at most
times subjected. She embelished the story
with great favor and lent to it the yet want
ing Singh authority" Henceforth the very
corridors became known where the spectre
walked, and after the death of Frederick
William the Third, lackies, indeed every
chambermaid, was certain they had seen thu
ghost. Frederick William the Fourth otter
spoke of the matter, but mostly in jest her,
and there, with a slight tincture of super
stiton. What was more natural, that hi
recent illness should tend the thoughts anC
dreams of his courtiers and hangers Of
towards the "Whte Lady" What chile
of Berlin has again revived her history W
are unable to say. At all events the story
not without probability, that the old man q
80 years is as likely as to not close his eye
forever at no distant day.