Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-01
SOCIETY IN BERLIN.
taE CITY ON THE SPREE is Still
IN A TRANSITION STATE.

Any Part of the Big Town-Tbe wor,
en- Oversee Their Domestic Affairs.
IL has been said with much truth that
Berlin Is still in its Flegel-jahre the Ger
man name for that period of transitio,
"hen the child develops into the vouno
man or woman. As a capital of first ranl-
Berlin is not fully fledged even vet in
spite of the gigantic strides to maturity IL
has taken since 1871.
however, 1t refuses obstinately to con-
sider itself otherwise than grown nm.
hence sort of hesitation, an uncertain+,
dliiidence perceptible to the outsider. the
unacknowledged consciousness of which is
thinly yelled under ostentatious assurance
ana engenders a watchful jealousy in So
sai relations that has often been attrib-
uted to other motives.
sometimes this feeling has created diff
culties. In the simple and perfunetorv
matter Of calls, for instance, no definite
rules are possible. At whatever hour a for
elgn visitor pays visit he is liable to fall
on the DINNER hour, which may be at any
Cilhe between ond 4. All the bourgeoisie
does not dine at :, all the aristocracy does
nv '''N ~ NiC ldttT nOllf.r the former
strives TO postpone its meal, the latter en-
deayoT, to forget how very lately it has
adopted the more fashionable time.
ECONOMY IN HIGH LIFE.
These cruGities are apparent in otbor
things. With very fine houses. elegant
and really artistic furniture, good pictures
and choice flowers in abundance, with the
comprehension of the refinements of life
that springs from superior intellectual ed
ucatIon, the BerliEese are by nature and
tradition race of simple and primitive
tastes. Large fortuneS-Save among the
israelltes-are the exception, not the rule:
the wealth of the Christians is chiefly ter
ritorial, and the rich land owners. whose
extensive domains are often situated in
distant provinces not easy of access. do not
think themselves justified in spending the
revenues of their property in the capital
only.
Thrift and domestic economy are prac-
ticed and viewed in the light of hereditary
virtues sinful to neglect Even women OF
title consider themselves bound to SUPER
wise their household, not by a deputy
houSekeeper. but in person. They are act
I've and intelligent, share in the manage
nent, expect their daughters to assist
them, and train them to be proficient in
rule.
Impossible Is they think it is to act
otherwise. this adherence to old teachings
creates a certain distrust and shyness of
strangers, and fear of possible ridicule,
which Is the real reason of difficulty ex-
perlenced by foreigners in penetrating into
the inner life of the Germans The diplo-
matte corps especially is viewed as a dam
gerOuS competitor and critic 1t is looked
upon rs generally worldly, subversive, ex-
travagant and supercilious; to be courted
withal, sometimes fiattered, often envied,
but always and prudently kept at a safe
distance.
THE MILITARY.
Setting aside the court and the imperial
family, who are extremely hospitable, the
chief social functions devolve upon the en-
bassys and legations These entertainments
retain a certain official character which
in itself has charm for native society: the
Prussian houses at which receptions on a
large and cosmopolitan scale are given are
very few, and for many years have always
been the same. Conspicuous among these
are the houses OF the Radzywills. not mere
" those of the heads of the family, but of
the younger and allied branches.
The universally, it may almost be said
the excess, of the military element preva-
lent in Germany, Is no doubt responsible
for many social restrictions. There is vir-
tually no other profession than the army
for young men of good birth; they enter it
at a very early age, having been prepared
for it from childhood; they frequently
marry young; their epaulets are in the
minds Of even prudent parents sufficient
guarantee of their fitness To assume the
care OF wife and family.
IL l. H.. 4
the officers have private fortunes, military
men are content to depend and live on
their pay, and their existence is necessarily
very unpretentious, although their uni
form precludes them from practicing some
of the small economics that a clerk in
government office may indulge in without
losing caste.
Each officer is allowed to take Il private
from the ranks as his own servant. This
chosen soldier goes by the generic name of
"Bursch' and is literally n jack of all
trades He is valet, housemaid, butler,
cook, goes to market, tends the children,
waits at table, runs errands and would die
without murmur for his master if his
death could afford that master the slightest
qualification. Many instances of this dog
like fidelity and devotion were recorded
during the Franco-German war: not more
aQInlrabIe, however, iuan the number
round of daily service these soldiers so
! cheerfully perform.
SMALL PAY FOR OFFICERS.
| An officers my Is ridicuously small;
! many dashing young lieutenant deems
| himself in luck if at the end of the day he
| has thirty pfennigs three PENCE left for
his supper; yet if he is Strrisoned in Ber-
| lin his condition is brilliant compared with
| that of his comrades stationed on the from
tiers. There are great number of the lat
ter: their barracks are wretchedly incon-
venient and uncomfortable, and possess no
accommodate n for married officers, who
are compelled to leave their wives behind.
But whatever their hardships, they
never grumble. Woe betide them if they
felt inclined TO do so; they would be
bracketted Immediately as unworthy OF
their cloth Dissatisfaction is very rare
| occurrence; German officers live exclusive
" for their profession, supported by the
| ardent. innate, blind, hereditary military
instincts of their race.
| Il Of. 9th perS ~ nj