The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-12-05
TIE GERMAN EMPRESS.


Since she came to the throne the
Empress Augusta Victoria continues
to be the sensible and modest woman
that che was when only Princess.
While her husband runs about with
feverish activity, visiting present and
possible allies, che is content 10 re
main at home, and perform the very
limited duties that the constitution has
marked out for the wives Of German
sovereigns. Owing to the many be-
reavements in the royal family, the
court at Berlin has not been very gay
since William III. began to reign. In
fact, in the days Of his grandfather it
was not renowned for it's liveliness.
The present Emperor continues the
econom' cal traditions Of the Hohen.
zollern family, and court recep ions are
not much more frequent than state
balls were at Paris under M. Jules
Grevy. Having scarcely any other
public duties to perform than to appear
at the head of her regiment of curas.
siers during the rare moments when
the Emperor is ct home, the Empress
ievotes most of her time to her house.
hold carep, and perhaps continues te
put up her own preserves, as she did
when she was the Princess William
The Emperor is not at all displeased
at this kind Of talent, as the following
incident will show. Soon after Viii.
liam II. was crowned, committee Of
Berlin ladies, having resolved to offel
gift to the new Empress, decided
without very long deliberstion, thai
the souvenir should consist of a white
silk apron trimmed with costly laces
and having the names of the five little
Princes embroidered in garlands. In
receiving this present, the Empress
told the donors that she was happy to
accept such gift, for the apron had
always been the symbol of good Ger.
man housewife. "Besidee," she added
"my husband will be satisfied with
your offering, for he desires that
should always wear an apron IN the
house" a-4,n. M .r..r &,
The Empress Augusta Victoria il
now in her thirty-6rst year, and ID
three months older and somewhat tall
or than the Emperor; but her fair and
fresh complexion makes her look
younger than her age. An oval face,
soft blue eyes, beautiful teeth, and an
abundance of blonde hair give her a
decidedly agreeable if not positively
pretty physiognomy, while she passes
for having smaller feet than nature has
generously bestowed upon the sisters
of her race. The Empress has already
given FIVE sons to her husband but
her motherly care is not long bestowed
on each one, for soon as possible their
father takes them away from the nurse,
and sends them to the drill-master in
Thuringia, where they are uniformed,
booted, spurred, and taught to train a
sabre in true German fashion. Per-
hsps the Empress would like to have
daughter among this little flock, but
William II. is satisfied with sons.
Speaking one day to his elder sister,
the Princess of SAKE Meiningen, he
said: 1T is better to have only boys,
because when there is q daughter, that
Immediately causes more embarass
ment, and entails greater expense.
First of all, there must be governess,
one or more maids of honor, and lot
of complicated fnery. On the con-
trary, when there are only boys, they
can all be dressed in the same fashion
lin uniform. A piece of cloth will
serve for all of them. NV bows are all
dressed as srtillerymen, even the small
est one, who is already a corporal.
And it is in this costume that they
play all day longl Only, the poor lit
tie Princes cannot play as other chill
dren do; their sole recreation is TO
anuse themselves with military theory
and exercise, so as to become warriors,
and win lsurels, as their ancestors have
done, and as their father hopes to do.
Theodore CHILD, in Harper's Ba-
zdr.