The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-09
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
The Home Life and Individual Peeuliaritias
OF the Dying Ruler

The Home Life and Individual Peculiaritfes
OF the Dying Ruler.
The personal habits OF Emperor William were
plain-almoss rude-in their soldierIy character
isties. The palace in which ne passed his years
of rule would have been burned down by the
mob in 1S48. had it not been labeled property
. of the nation" 1t is, as palaces 90. small,
plain house of succeed brick-one which cuts
much less imposing figure than many mansions
OF retired merchants in England and America. It
has but few rooms, but it is comfortable. and
full of objects of art and taste. articles for the
most part connected with the Emperor's event.
ful life. The floor of his own room is covered
with huge bears and wolves skins. and round
the walls run brackets OF wood, on which are
placed models of the soldiers of the different
regiments, made of bronze. and not only
painted in proper colors but wearing their
proper uniforms. The next is called the Green
Room, because all it's ornaments. such as vases.
clocks, etc, are made out OF malachite
The furniture is upholstered in green
velvet and damask. The malachite objects
came to the Emperor from different Russian
rulers, that is to say from Nicholas. his brother
in-law, Alexander II, MS nephew, and from the
present Gear. The room contains many minia-
ture models of cannon. rifles and shells, and.
when the Emperor talking with en-
bassador-t was in this room he received them
Tho was in the habit of PLAYING with these
like toys. 1t is also in this room that the Prus-
sian Guards have the privilege of depositing
their flags. When the regiment turns out for
review or other purpose, it halts opposite the
palace while the color guard march into the
palace to fetch the flags. The Emperor always
superintendent the ceremony he himself usually
removing the colors from the rack and handing
them to the officer.
The third room is the Emperor's workshop or
study. and which. by sofas and table, is divided
into two compartments. In the lefa-hand corner,
near the window, stands the Emperor's writing
desk, on which an inKstand made out of
half a cannon ball. the hoofs of horses killed IN
battle, and which serve as paper weights, pen
holders made from splintered Uhlan lances and
presented to the venerable monarch by his
children" of the army. The walls are covered
with drawings, photographs. sketches and MAPS
also paintings of some of the Hohenzollern
family. of the Queen of England and Prince
Albert, of the mother of the present Emperor
of Russia. of the King and Queen of Saxony,
and last, but not least important. one of the
Princess Elizabeth Radziwill--ihe first and
great love of the imperial occupant of the roomf
In this library the Emperor took frugal Sec
ond breakfast, which generally consisted 0f
slices of brown bread buttered and thin pieces
of sausage or cold meat The bread cut
into narrow slips each about mouthful, and the
Emperor while partaking of this meal. to which
glass of good lager beer added, walked
slowly to and fro in friendly conversation with
his aids-in-camp. From this library a narrow
staircase leads up to the second floor and into
the Emperor's bedroom, in which he slept
his narrow iron bedstead, with blankets under
aud over him. just like those that are on the
knapsacks of any private soldier It Is the
identical bedstead that he bought after his first
battle, the action at Bar-sur-Aube, the 9th of
February, 1914. where he received his first deco
rations for personal courage, the Prussian Iron
Cross and the Russian order of ST George
The Emperor inhabited the rooms the
ground floor in the left-hand corner of the pal
ace, and the Empress resided on the floor above
Neither luxury comfort the palace;
not a bathroom The extreme economy
of the Hobenzollerns is we'll known. Formerly
1t was caused by poverty. but at present there
no such excuse. When the late ruler assembled
the throne he had nothing but debts. The rent
roll of the King of Prussia on his accession to i
the imperial throne about two millions OF
dollars. No record has been kept of the fortune
since, but the Emperor was very wealthy. Only
one man, the banker Kohn. knows the exact
amount of his fortune. In computing his annual
personal income at four millions of dollars. one
would not be far wrong. The Emperor insisted
on being informed of the most trivial expend
lures. The staff of the palace was very small,
and composed principally of veterans who were
content with small wages The salary OF the
highest paid court official amounted TO Sc. 600.
The stewards were kent busy cutting down ex-
penses Their great abomination wac group
of French cooks that were employed by the
orders of the Empress, and who were supposed
to waste mouey with artistocratic indifference
Small economies abounded. bnt If related they
would seem erotesquely improbable. Only the
Emperor and Empress with the maids of honor
of the latter, resided in the palace. The |
Emperor spent his time In his study, and the |
Empress remained upstairs with her maids of |
honor. The palace seemed absolutely dead and |
especially during the afternoon |
and evening. In the morning there was more |
animation. the CLARK of spurs and the sound of |
voices. The lackeys yawned. played cards, read |
newspapers. and sometimes deserted the vesti- |
bule entirely. At certain hours you might walk |
into the palace easily as if it were thorough
fare.
eight-day clock in q New England |
farm house He rose early and dressed at once, |
always in his military updress uniform; dress |
ing gown and slippers being unknown to the |
warrior sovereign excepting only for the few |
moments immediately after leaving his bed. |
After his toilet the Emperor took breakfast |
OF white rolls and butter and a cup of tea or |
cocoa. Then the days work began by reading |
the letters, TO most of which Wilhelm added |
marginal remarks with pencil regarding the |
answers to be made to them. 1t is easy to I'M |
derstand that a great many requests were in |
these letters from all classes of people, and that
the monarch was asked for help and support in |
details Of the imperial household were controlled |
by the Emperor, and the masters of ceremonies |
received their instructions almost every day /
from his Majesty
Whenever great state festivities were to be /
held, or royal guests to be received, the /
Emperor gave personal instructions about |
the lodgings OF his august visitors. while the /
Empress herself inspected the rooms held in |
to that the linen, etc, all |
right and 10 place before the guests arrival She
was very forsd too, of looking through all the /
.upboards All closets, to see that the chinaware,
table and bed linen. and all snch articles, were
properly taken care of by the servants
The Emperor and Empress dined early, and
avery day just before o'clock when the |
SOUP for their table was ready, certain mum
Dor of poor were allowed to enter the
kitchen with basins. and to each of them was
given about half a gallon out Of the very
same soaD boiler from which their Imperial |
NJ aiesties to be served. Boiled meats /
and potatoes added TO this SCUM by 8 Sec
ond cook, and in this way six poor families were
made happy. The Emperor and Empress dned I
together only during the past eight or nine |
years. The dinner was laid in a next that /
Of the Empress's private boudoir. and served on
q small oval table. Her Majesty sat in red
velvet chair, with 3 red silk cushion at her
back; IN the Emperor's chair was red leather
cushioa. The venerable couple used, when they
lined alone. each to have his and her own cook.
The Empress liked French cooking while the
Emperor fond only of German dishes. IL is
true his chef de cuisine of the few great
living masters of the culinary art. but, for all
that ne stuck to homelv fare.