Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-06-22
The EMPEROR DEAD.
THE GERMAN EMPIRE SORELY
AFFLICTED.
The Stricken Freder rick Finally Re
leased from His Great Suffering.

A dispatch from Potsdam, June 10, says:
A bulletin issued at 10 o'clock this morning,
said that the emperor had been lying for
some time in light slumber, broken by
wakeful intervals, during which he showed
distinct signs of consciousness. He gave no
indication of suffering pain. His pulse and
breathing were very weak. As the minutes
rolled by he became weaker and weaker,
and at IL o'clock he breathed his last.
Around his bedside were the grief stricken
empress and the sorrowing members of his
family, distinguished men of the empire and
the physicians.
In the year 1881 Frederick William III.
sat on the throne of Prussia. He was the
son of Frederick William H., the fourth
king of Prussia, and the grandson of Prince
Augustus William, younger brother of the
great Frederick, whose mastery genius en-
larged, consolidated and dignified Prussia,
which he found minor state, and left one
of the great powers of Europe. The eldest
son of Frederick William III. had married,
but there was no issue, and the hopes of
Prussia for a continuance of the royal line
turned to the second son Prince William, af-
terward known as the German Emperor
William. On Oct 18, 1881, the anniversary
of the battle of Leipsic when
Germany broke the French yoke there
was born to Prince William boy
who was named Frederick William Nicholas
Charles. This infant stood in the direct line
of succession to the Prussian crown. For
10 years, from the accession of his father to
the throne of Prussia in 1861 till the re- es-
tablishment of the German empire in 1871,
he was known as the crown prince of Prus-
sia. For the next II years he was generally
spoken of as the prince imperial Of Ger
many, though in Prussian mouths the older
style was still maint lined. And for a brief
period of three months, since the death of
his father last March, he has borne the joint
titles of the German Emperor Frederick and
King Frederick III. of Prussia.
King Frederick William III. had lived
through evil times. He had seen his native
land ravaged by the armies of
the conqueror, his territories parcelled out
to the minions of Napoleon. His beautiful
and talented wife, that Queen Louisa, whose
memory is still revered in the fatherland
died in 1910, brokenhearted at the humilia-
tion of her beloved country ground beneath
the iron heel of the French emperor. Once
she had thrown herself at Napoleon's feet
beseeching him to spare the po II inhabitants
of Magdeburg. The labors and sufferings of
this rare woman had a marked effect in
moulding the character of her immediate
descendants.
The education of the German royal princes
has always been of the most thorough, and
even rigorous chara cter Nothing in all the
annals of Europ an kingly training surpeeses
the story of how King Frederick William l.,
always stern, and often brutal parent,
brought up his son, the great Frederick
Yet this son, Fritz, until he came to the
throne, cared more for Voltaire, mus C and
French dressing gown than Re did for study
of any kind, and especially for the German
rigor of royal military training. But the
training told in the long run, and, when
Frederick came to power, Prussia found him
the most masterful of sovereigns, and he
showed himself soldier of the highest ca
pacity.
The Emperor Frederick, whose decease is
announced above, was another Fritz, reared
it is true, in kindlier atmosphere
discipline and entire training. Before he
completed his ninth year the little princes
military education had begun.
The Princess Augusta, his mother, took
great care in the selection of his tutors, and
all ranges of high scholarship were drawn
upon. The following is the testimony of one
who was conversant with the young princes
boyhood: "Simple and manly was his bring
ing up; simple and modest did he remain in
the days of his greatest military renown.
The best blessing of his childhood was the
love Of his parents, whose pride and Joy he
was. Those good seeds which nature i'm
planted in him were cherished, and mind
and body were allowed 10 develop n turaly
and healthily.' His boyhood was speut
chiefly at Babelsburg, near Potsdam
The prince attained his majority with his
18th year. The day was spent at Babels-
burg, where deputations were received from
the civil and military services, municpali-
ties, ETC., addresses OF congratuation were
presented and the prince was reminded that
Oct IS must always be a day of twofold re-
joicing to the German people. They rejoiced
III retrospect over splendid national victo-
ry, and they rejOiced in prospect over the
hope which his career was likely to fulfil.
On Nov. Z, 1S49, Prince Frederick William
entered the university of Bonn. There he
resided with his military attaches in the pal
ace OF the Kurfu SITS This had been fay
| orite resort of the German royal princes.
On account of political disturbances, then
somewhat epidemic among the German peo-
pies, the young prince was at first regarded
with suspicion. But, by no artifice of king
craft beyond that of having an honest
kindly word for every one, the prince soon
overcame all hostile feeling. He pursued
his studies at Bonn with that zest which
distinguished him in all that he set his
mind to accomplish. AS has been stated.
the education of the young prince was at
tended to i'll every direction. Following the
traditio of the Hohenzollern race he
learned two trades, and the heir to the
throne pianed and sawed with the coUrt car.
penter and bound books with the court
bookbinder While he pursued his studies
at Bonn, his parents the prince and princess
Of Prussia, took up their residence at Cob
l,ntz where they remained for some years
In September, 1865, the prince had nearly
completed his 24ih year. The youth had
grown to mauhood, and longed for the do
mestic happiness to be found only in the
companionship Of devoted and sympathetic
wife. He went to England to WOO. TIE
queen and prince ConsOrt gave their guest to
understand thai their child was too young to
te disturbed by thou ghts of marriage, but
after many days of su'pense there came
propltlous day when, wan ering over the
hills with the fair Young prince s, he found
a spray of white heather, emblem of good
luck, and quickly gathering it, he presented
it to the pri ce S, and in-pired with sudden
courage, Gpoke the momentou5 words and
won bis bride
The crown prince had laid the fonnlat
of his military reputation IN the short, but
hard fought, conf ct with Austria, which
established the supremacy Of Prussia in Ger
many. He completed the edifice of his mar
tial fame in tho great war with France
The war for German Uaity," as it is now
known throughout the empire, began in
July, 1870 and was brought 10 4 victorious
conclusion by the capitugtlon of Par.s in
January, 1871. Then doomed up in their
massive proportions BCltke, the peerless
trategist, Bism rex, the Titanic st tafcsman.
and the crown prince and his cousin the Red
Prince, the royal leaders of the armies of the
iatherland. The crown prince marched
from victory to victory. He annihilated the
army oil Gen. Dduay at Weissenburg. He
defeated the army OF Marshal MacMaRon at
Woerth. He shared with his gallant cousin