Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-21
FREDERICK AND HIS FAMILY.

FhEDGRllh AND HIS FAMILY.
Harper's Bazaar, of May Is, gives a
double page illustration representing
Emperor Frederick III, surrounded by
his children and grand children. 1t also
gives pen sketches of the whole family,
which at this juncture becomes of espe-
cial interast, and it is here appended:
In January, 1858, Frederick. married
the Princess Royal Victoria, of England,
then in her eighteenth year, by whom he
has had six children. The eldest of these,
the Grown Prince William, was born on
January q, 1859, and on February 81,
1881, married the Princess Augusta Vic
toria, of Schleswig Holstein, and has four
children-Prince William, born May 6,
1882; Prince Frederick, born July z, 1888;
Prince Adalbert, born on July IA, 1884;
and Prince Augustus, born on January
20, 1887. The eldest daughter of
the Emperor and Empress,
the Princess Charlotte, was born on July
"a, 1860, and on February is, 1873, was
married to the hereditary Prince of Sake
Meiningen and Hiburghausen. Next in
order comes Prince Henry, who was born
on August IA, 1862. He is the "Sailor
Prince" of the empire. The remaining
children are daughters-the Prince IS
Victoria, who was born on April II, 1868,
whose affection for Prince Alexander of
Battenberg threatened to bring about the
resignation of Prince Bismarck; Princess
Sophia Dorothea, who was born on June
IA, 1870; and Princess Margaret, born on
April %, 1872.
AG Drs
Henry, the second son OF Emperor Fred
erick Ill, and Princess Irene, the third
daughter of the Grand Duke Louis of
Hesse, was celebrated May oath in the
chapel of the palace at Chariottenburg,
near Berlin. The brides mother was the
lamented Princess Alice, daughter of
Queen Victoria. The sad events con-
nected with the death of Princess Alice
are still fresh in ones memory, and to-
gether with the ever present danger
threatening the life of the Emperor,
caused note of sadness in the recent
wedding festivities. In 1873 Princess
Alice's only son, little Prince Frederick,
was Instantly killek by fall from a win
dog almost before his mothers
eyes. Five years later her husband and
their four little daughters were stricken
with diptheria. In November of this
year Princess Alice telegraphed TO QAeen
Victoria" Oursweet little one is taken. "Che
others survived, but Princest Alice her
self caught the disease, and after a short
illness followed her child to the grave.
"The struggle to conceal from the other
children that their favorite was dead,'Sir
Theodore MarJin says, ''cost the princess
down to the time of her own fatal seiz-
ure, such daily and almost hourly effort
as in her weak state she was ill able to
bear. Her sufferings during her short
illness, which lasted less than a week,
were borne with xemplary patience"
Princess Irene is said to resemble her
mother, aud to have inherited her ed
mirable traits of character. She was
born in Datmstadt, July 18th, 1866, dur
ing the war between Prussia and Austria
for supremacy in Germany, and her name.
Irene, which signifies peace" was
prom pied by the events of the time. In
the Memoirs of Alice, Grand Duchess of
Hesse, occurs the following sentence in
a letter, dated August 18th, to
the grand duke: eve shall not call
baby Irene (peace) unless all
seems really peace, and at the
moment it does not look promising"
September 9Th another letter says: GA
last peace is concluded. She will be
called Irene Louise Marie Anna" The
two regiments with which her father had
made the campaign, together stood as
sponsors to the spiciously named baby
princess.
II is not to be wondered at that the
loyal people of Berlin-"My Berliners''-
as the late Emperor William used to call
them-gave an enthusiastic welcome to
Prince Henry's bride on May 23d. For
until the recent change of pub
lie sentiment toward his brother,
the crown prince, Prince Henry,
was the favorite with the people,
He possesses the same qualities which
have endeared his father to German
hearts geniality and nobility of char &C.
ter. He has made his career in the navy,
for since Germany has acquired feet
worthy of the name, it has been cOnsid-
cred fitting that the second son of the
reigning family should be trained to as
sumo command of the sea forces, in like
manner as the first son is destined to he
commander in.chief of the army. So
that Prince Henry is commonly called
"Heinrich der Seefahrer," (Henry the
5eafarer).
The bride. accompanied by her father,
arrived by special train in Charlotten
burg, May %. Twenty thousand people
had assembled I'd welcome her, and they
cheered her enthusiastically along the
route to the palace. The date of the
wedding was set for May oath, the birth
day of Queen Victoria. All the bells
in the usually quiet suburb of
CharIottenburg rang out at noon
the announcement that the ceremony
had begun, and otter half an hour a
salute of thirty-six guns told that the
bride and bridegroom had exchanged
rings. Both the Emperor Frederick and
the invalid Dowager, Empress Augusta,
were present at the ceremony, and among
the distinguished guests were the Prince
of Wales and the Grand Dake Sergius of
Russia, the brother-in-law Of the bride.