The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-25
WINTER WAYS In BERLIN.
WHAT AN INDIANAPOLIS LADY NOTED.
The Kaiser's Recent Blrthday-A Large
City Inuminated-PeOpIe Without Fires
The CurIosities of AN Extensive Mu-
seuIn-A Historic Guillotlne.

BERLIN, Feb. 1s.-[Special.] THE kais-
er's recent birthday was a national holt
day. Flags were flying and pictures and
busts of the emperor, wreathed in flowers
and green, occupied the shop windows in
stead of the usual displays of commerce.
All the foreign ambassadors called at the
palace. We did not.
There is one particular portal through
which only the royal family is expected to
pass By special permission the foreign
representatives are allowed that privilege.
1t was through Empress Augusta Minister
Phelps obtained the right to go through
the front door, yet big beer wagon went
numbering through the sacred entrance
without question. The palace covers sew
eral blocks, the inside divided into courts.
Everything is done to invest the presence
of the king with sanctity. For instance,
at the west end OF Inter den Linden is
the Brandenburg gate. This was built
hundred years ago, and was then one OF
the entrances of the city. There are five
passages under its doric columns and the
central one is reserved for royalty. It
makes a free-born American citizen fairly
ache to go through that roadway, because
three able-bodied policemen stand guard
TO keep the ground sacred for the king or
Prussia and emperor of Germany. The
illumination of the city was a brilliant
sight. Some of the entire fronts of tall
buildings were one blaze of electric lights
arranged in different designs, representing
the coat of arms, monograms, and other
=
candescent did most of the work. The
poor families of the upper stories filled
their windows with candles, which shown
about as far ont in the night as a good
deed does in this naughty world. The
American life insurance companies We're
as patriotic as the natives. IL is imDOssl-
bic to get away from yankee enterprise.
In the street car you sec American wash
ing crystal, and the same picture of the
woman in the rocking chair while the
washing does itself. Chicago cOrned beef
is a staple.
There is love for king an American
does not feel for his chief ruler, especially
if he has once seen him in an old SLOUGH
hat waiting in the transfer car for ride.
This birthday seemed to each subject
personal matter, while the shining of the
sun was considered a favorable omen. In
tended, when the orchestra struck up the
national air, England's also, and our be-
loved America, the large audience arose
and remained standing, and at the close
Wagner's Kaiser march created great en-
thusiasm. Living here one forms higher
appreciation for this emperor than from
newspaper accounts. He has established
a kind of an insurance for the working
people. Every week each servant has to
buy a stamp costing 20 pennies, or
American cents. These are kept in books
furnished by the police, bali the expense
paid by the employer. This fund is TO be
returned in sickness and old age. When
a servant is sick his employer is required
to be responsible for his care, so. though
wages are much less than i'll our country,
there are many beneficent laws for the
poor. The empress has had number OF
tenement houses built lately to reduce
rent for the very poor. a few weeks ago
there was great flood at Carlsbad and a
poor music teacher had her piano ruined
She wrote to the emperor telling him OF
her trouble. He happened, soon after, to
be at a state dinner and told the story,
passing the plate after putting on hun
dred marks himself. Enough was soon
raised TO buy her an elegant instrument,
leaving her snug sum besides. No doubt
the emperor will hear from other ladies'
1t is said $4,000 people spend the winter
here without fire. That must mean suffer
ing. but the winter has seemed mild to US,
though counted severe here. The coolest
days we had We saw servant women out OF
doors with arms bare to the shoulder.
This warm week has melted the ice III the
Spree and must soon stop the fine skating.
This is the great pastlme now. There are
many skating places, but the popular one
is in the Tier garden. Here flags, includ-
ing our own beautiful stars and stripes,
make gay scene, while music adds to the
Joy of the delightful motion. I'VE speak
of the motion from hearsay. We tried the
ice once and the gravity IN the earth's
center was the only force we felt.) There
is much fancy skating, and young men and
maidens Join hands, and by their STOLEN
chances make one feel the world is very
much akin. Refreshments are served on
tables on the ice. Even old men and
gray-haired women indulge in the sport.
Speaking of the river, the way boats are
propelled here is peculiar The men crawl
along, head down, with the oar or pro-
peller against the breast. 1t Is form OF
labor that is ABOUT like the drawing of
heavy wagons by men or women, some
times assisted by dogs. AS these are
coal and other heavy material is drawn by
men who bend almost to the ground TO
move their load.
Every one is taking advantage OF the
fine concerts and many of the theaters and
places of amusement. The less worldly
minded are visiting museums and art gal
leries Both classes take in the panopti-
Gums. Wax-works here are really Won
derful. You can see all the kings from
the beginning, the present royal family,
besides the great of your own land. Koch
is represented in lis laboratory. Right
here, while his successes are told lar and
wide, the failures are kept quiet. We
have been told by one OF his students that
there have been so many deaths among
those being treated it is not q settled ques-
ton vet. We are not much for relics. The
handkerchief Marie Antoinette used looks
simply like soiled bit OF old silk, but the
coaches used hundreds OF years ago, with
their immense wheels, did bring imagina-
ton into play A guiilotine, which Is de-
clared TO be the original one that was used
in the French Revolution 10 behead $4,000
persons, makes one feel little Creepy"
1t is on its scafiold. If those are not the
veriiable steps up which old men, young
men and even maidens climbed, and If