Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-02
A HEBREW.
Favorftc of the Emperor Wilhelm
and His Daughters Isolation.


gentle to speak to, of great klndliness.
hospitable and generous, the owner of
immense wealth, and a Jew. His
name is Bleichroeder, or rather Won
Bleichroeder, and he is held in equal
favor by the monarch and the chaa-
cellor. Whatever may have been the
origin of the family, it has for con-
siderable time produced bankers and
fnanciers, and the present represent
ative had not, up to the epoch of the
Franco. German war, achieved any
further notoriety than the progressive
accumulation of money and deter
mination to struggle with the persist
ent antagonism of the German Christ
ian, which constant propinquity seems
to intensity. When the war assumed
its gigantic proportions Mr.. Bleich-
roeder went to the king and to Bis
marck and placed the whole of his
| fortune In their hands, to spend like
water for the veal of the fatherland,
adding that he would stand and fall
with its destinies.
Blelchroeder's venture on that oc-
casion was like many of his less heroic
ones-a success. His fortune was not
imperiled, and he rose high in the es-
TEEN and appreciation of his soyer-
eign. The ennobling particle Won
was conferred on him, and ne might
if he chose, be called baron. With
the proud, reserved, reticent chancel-
Tor he made slower progress. For a
long time he was treated with naughty
GOODNESS, his advances repulsed, his
presence ignored. On one of Bis
marck's birthdays the lavish banker,
actuated, it must be said, more by
spontaneous open-handedness than
ostentation, sent him a rare table
service. 1t was returned. Some
time afterward marvellous cabinet
of Indian workmanship, fitted with
every possible instrument of work
and toilet, was offered to the chancel-
lor's daughter. 1t shared the same
fate as the dinner service.
| Then suddenly by one of those oc-
cult changes that mark the favors of
man in power. Bleichroeder found
| himself the confdant, the constant
visitor Or perhaps more strictly speak
ing the trusted semi-offcial mouth
piece of the great statesman. He sees
Bismarck or his representative, Count
Hatzfeldt, almost daily, sometimes
twice q day, and from his lips the for
eign ambassadors gather the crumbs of
diplomacy SO sparingly doleo out to
them at the foreign Office. II Bleich
roeder is pleased and rubs mis- hands
as he is led out of the chancellor's
palace by his attendant, diplomats
wire goods news to their governments;
if he frowns or shakes his head du-
biously, the funds fall and warlike
rumors spread.
YET this Plutus of Berlin, the friend
Of the emperor, the recognized inter-
mediary between Bismarck and am
bassadors, the host of all that is rich
and noble in Europe, the prince of
finance, at whose table dine princes of
blood regal, whose numerous man.
sions are filled with masterpieces of
art which hiss blinded eyes can no
longer see-this man so favored has
a Dordecal at his gates, a thorn in his
SIDE, skeleton in his closet. Voicing
this visitation and putting it into
plain speech it sounds almost grotes-
que IN It's puerility, but given the sur
roundlngs it becomes of momentous
import to the sufferer.
The officers will not dance with his
daughter!
This apparently simple statement
means, in reality, ostracism to the
girl, ISOLATION in society, enjoyment
gone from every ball, and an ever-re-
curing loneliness at each successive
social season. This fiat, which, once
pronounced, has been observed with
the blind absolute fidelity born of the
esprit de corps SO powerful in all
Prussian regiments. Some years ago,
when his wife had been dead for a
long time, M. De Bleichre Ter decided
to give large ball. He followed the
established custom IN similar cases,
when the intended host is either a
foreigner, or, for private reasons,
temporarily out Of the run Of society,
of writing to the commander of the
garrison and begging for list of the
young officers attending great fetes.
Rashly, foolishly, unwisely. and. to
his own undoing. he eliminated from
the list sent IN all the bourgeois and
untitled names, and sent his invita-
tons only to the aristocratic officers.
Not one of the elect accepted it. Not
one would brook the slig ht offered to
their brethren in arms, for in their
epaulette they wore made them all
equal, and they could tolerate no per-
sonal distinction.
In vain the sovereign invites and
receives the OLD fnancier and his
daughter; in vain is the whole court
on the best Of terms with the father
whom they esteem; in vain are the
high officials and dignataries compell-
ed to follow the example from above.
| The subbordinates are memorable.
They will not dance with Mile. Won
Bleichreder.
At a court ball the emperor sudden
II commanded one of the most bril-
liant ieutenants of the guard to waltz
with the young girl. He bowed in
duab obedience, went to the lady,
stiffiy murmured, "May I have the
honor?" took her one single turn round
the ball room, brought her back to her
place, slightly bent before her in 81