Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-06
ROYAL TROUBLES.


vonsus asealsh- wees ~ Fsrcsd slsrsssse--
sapesstss cAsssss
A Berlin correspondent Of the tn
bHa< writes On the eve Of . great Pc
rads few summers ago commanding
oiacer vsutured to advise the Emperor
% refrain from mounting bis horse on
he following morning, and to review
The troops from the carriage, citing inc
example Of Frederick the Great IS pre-
ecdent. Proudly the hosry old mon
srch, In haughtiest terms, repned
- Yes but that was . year previous
"a his death - was reminded vividiy
- Inc incident on the great Sedan cele"
6rstion Of the Cd OF September. IL
vas beautiful day, though cooled py
4 gentle breeze, and conjecture was
rife as to the appearance oil his Ma
jesty.
All through the summer the reports
from Ems, Gastein, and Potsdam have
been 20 favorable that the populace
began TO doubt the rumors Of falling OF
mind and body, current during the May
msnmuvres, and to glory in the hale
ponagenarian. Expectation knew no
bounds when the thrilling notes oil a
score Of bands filed the air with their
reyerberations. signalling the approach
of the monarch. A sea Of faces turned
toward Bellalliance. But, an T! sudden
" dark lines drew over the counte-
nances and clouds darkened the
brows of the assembled thousands.
Lsmentably arose the murmur, 1.-THE
first time in his history" as the
four.in-hand, followed by the bril-
liant suite, drew their royal bur-
den. And the sorrowful murmur
accompanied the alternating command
and click of the presenting guns, like
gentle music, as the weakened msgnate
drove slowly before his assembled sol.
dier-his .dolls, y as he loves to call
them. When the historic oak on the
Temple Hof was reached and the many
thousand white-trousered and gayly-
iscketed army boys marched behind
their proud commanders, perhaps Tor
the last time before the aged reviewer,
there was q tinge Of sadness in the
merry bugles and the sturdy drums.
There was great solicitude among the
members Of the sinner circle" lest
the Emperor's inability to mount
his old wsr-steed. which he had
tried in vain, should be apprehended
and demonstrations Of sympathy shown
on the field. Cosmetics had done their
part, ss they long have, TO lend the wan
and worn cheeks a healthful glow and
deny to the subjects the traces OF age.
Justify cbeered the folk, as now and
then he stood upright in the carriage
box TO salute the lowered swords of in-
coming warriors. But to the few who
were aware Of the secrets Of the toilet,
Of the mornings failure, the pain
that the aged conqueror under
went in his attempt to crafty
his subjects, they were but the cause OF
mingled sorrow and admiration. His
own thought, too, that the incident OF
Frederick the Great now had its type
in himself was the saddest Of all, for it
betrayed in emphatic terms resignation.
Yet the determination Of the aged man
to show as little as possible external
indications of dccsyed capabilities was
truly admirable. Contrary to expecta-
ton, he reported at the old castle in the
afternoon for the gala dinner given to
foreign officers and men Of eminence.
in passing it may he said that the
svoirdupois Of the younger officers is
rarely increased upon these State occa-
sions. The Emperor is naturally served
first, and eats with rapidity that his
lowestborn subject could hardly equal.
Consequently, a cosrse rarely reaches
those sitting at the foot Of the table
till the Emperor has finished, and all
dishes are Immediately removed. Not
infrequently the members Of the sun
aer-ten'' subsist upon the honor
and odor Of the yictuals and
yiands which disappear as sud-
denly as the golden coin from Drama,
and make their "adieus without
having tasted mouthful. All dreams
of kingly splendor are dashed forever.
! was therefore not surprised when
walking past Langle's-the Delmonico's
of I" Under the Linden later in the
evening. to meet equipsge after equipagt
bringing invited guests directly thither
Yet 1t was amusing, knowing they ha(
come directly from an imperial dinner
rs badly victimized as though they hs(
" dined with Duke Humphrey"
Fate has not been partial in dealing
out burdens to the royal household
The Empress, who rode behind her IA
vorite blacks, looked as though sh,
stood on the banks OF the Styx. n
CLEAN Of color was in the clay-hne
face. 1t was difficult to trace q resem
blance to her stately brother, the Gram
Duke OF Saxe-Weimar. The poor oil
lady is never free from rheumatism
and is afflicted with q cutaneous dis
ease. Her only relief is q simpl
peasant-woman, whose electric touch
such talisman that she dare scarcel
leave her side.
A striking contrast was presented II
the perfect features Of the Princess o
Meiningen, the Venus Of the Hchengol
lern blood. who sat at her grand
mothers side. To her the Graees hav
been eminently partial. The ros
cheeks and Graeo-Roman profile, sol
blue eye, clear complexion, and see,
whose setting IIygieA might have giver
make easily plausible the stores Of he
heart intrigues, but give little clew
the unhappy marriage to which sh
was martyred. The beautiful Princes
fell upon her knees before the sturd
grandfather, 1t is said, and begged an
entieated the recall of the nupti'
cards; but he proved memorable an
let the tears flow unchecked. ST
loved another who was not prince I
the blood; but the name HohenzolleI
ruled the inclinatious Of her heart al
manacled her to q man who was h
peer only in descent. Her beauty,
lance, and position have made her in
manner desperate, and she Yields h
manifold charms indiscripiuately.
The papers Of last July morni
were hlied with accounts Of sens