New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-11
AUGUSTA VICTORIA.
THE GIRLHooD OF THE GERMAN EMPRESS
From Good Words.

Perhaps the mgneSt tribute, InVuSh o,Ao.
one, to Der character and disposition Was VA 11V
which feN~ from the lips of the Emperor WI,
lam / when he said, She reminds me OF NY
sainted mother" N,
Augusta Victoria, Princess of Schleswig liol-
stein, born in 1855 at Dozig, IN Lowe Lowe
Lusatia, an estate belonging TO Duke Shristla .
eldest son, Prince Frederick. When inc A9stI I
Prussian war of 1866 had finally deprived the
Holstein dynasty of their inherltanee, 'hc ne et
apparent retired to Dozig ana m dowo,c1 himsef
TO the education and training OF ms eiueI iii,
and TO the duties of country genIeihan, y, Wiz nv
his wife, the Princess Adelaide, 1oilho anlpie "
cunation in the superintendence of her unpretend-
ing household and in the care OF enc Soune9Ti
members Of the family. Many IailG.i i LII; ILL.,
rural life enjoyed at Dolzlg, Out tae feamd1
seems to have been sufficiently pleasant, heed,
ing no touches of fictitious eo@rIng y, of Tnsatia
its charm The scenery Of that pal. o. hasIitI i
possesses many features akin to Those OF 'le nol
stein landscape; and Prince trc9erlck Ioalli1I
with his fair-haired, blue-eyed d9ughteIS uhrousn
forest and meadow he would talk To them of ms
ancestral home and of bis yeafnns IoI Cne olu,
familiar haunts, until the w0Oufu $3.50 With
land which he had lost became invested WIN
halo of sweet and hallowed associations. ~,
Put DoIzig. though it had offered an acceptaoie
retreat from strife ana ulsaPPoHiitinfe e II he
TO afford requisite educational facllltieS ~ ue
cSme necessary TO seek new home, and Gotha was
selected for this purpose, the Duke ana DucheSe 9l
that State being already united IN close bonus
~ friendship with the eXiled family. The gen
sraj enthusiasm which greeted the advent oil the
Holsteiners was extraordinary, reaching, lnaeeu'
On a
sion that many youthful aspirants TO military
GLORY would fain have placed their swofus ~
Prince Frederck's disposal and have rushed d;t 10
reconouer the ravished dukedom. The first eXcile-
ment having cooled down, the pubhc OF t'o. Una
soon grew accustomed to the presence OF .ne
new corners, who took genial 1elghoory ia.er
est In ali that went on around them, ana whoSe
mole of life in town was scarcely less unosUnCa-
tious than il had been amid the sylvan scenes t
Of Dolzig The Prince ana Princess continued 10
instruct their children, though now WIN the
help of tutors and governesses, who found IL a
rare privilege TO he thus associated WIN a Houst
hold in which they enjoyed degree OIL klndly
and courteous consideration too often lacking IN
similar relation between parents OF lar less eNaIWp
Dretensons and those who have to assume the
pnerons task of teachers The religious train
ing, and Biblical instruction were stu, as here
tOfore, impaired by the father and mother thenl-
The Princess Victoria was remarkable for the
yest with which she pursued her various studles,
and she quickly developed decidSd taieht t tO
which latter art she had inherited from her
mother History was also among hef iavorl ,e
ruard her mind from prejudlced and immature
Judgment regarding any special natonanty. III
o foreshadowing of his daughters future destiny
was already in his mind, he could not nave
adopted a wiser course.
Amid all these provisions for mental culture,
physical education was by no means neg gors
paft of each days duty; every species OF SELF
indulgence rigidly avoided, and the Prince
was in the constant habit of taking long walks
in all weathers with his daughters, who were the
very models of blooming, stately young maiden
hood, The luxury of private carriage was not
Included In the domestic arrangements, and when
a drive became necessity 1t was taken In an
ordinary hired equipage.
Tn 1869 Duke, Christian died, bequeathlng 70
his son Frederick the estate of Primkenau, IN
Silesia. Dolzig was, to the great regret OF tire
tenantry, sold, and the new possession became
thenceforward the country seat and principal
home of Duke Frederick and his family. When
the Princess Victoria went TO take leave OF her
old nurse she found that worthy in a state o., OF
high excitement, caused by dream OF the
preceding night in which she had beheld her for,
Iner nursing seated, queen, on throne OF
gold AS Queen of Primkenau, no doubt,
laughed the Princess; bnt when. nearly twelve
years later she was the eve of marriage with
Prince William of Germany she invited the
nurse and the latters husband and daughter t.
berlin, that they might see the new home OF
their sometime charge and future Empress.
This generous thought for old friends and depend
position, and il was further eXempliied in con
nection with the same great occasion when she
sent for the good pastor of Primkenau who had
mony The old man enjoyed the additional honor
of being decorated by the aged Emperor himself
These distinctions proved the browning gr9tifi-
survive his eventful journey to the capital, but
died that same year.
Primkenan is fine' tn picturesque +os es
ond knowledge of forestry possessed by
Duke Christian and his heir. But when the
latter entered into possession the neighborhood
was in a sad condition of poverty wretchedness
and dearth of employment for the people. The
new proprietor set himself to remedy these eVlls
by every means in his power, and with admlraDie
success. Systematic visitation of the poor was
instituted work provided for those who desired
it, and ample funds were placed in the hands OF
the pastor for the relief of the needy. Two
deacOnesSeS are now established at Primkenau hut
in those early days of reform it the Princesscs
themselves who discharged the functions Of true
Sisters of Charity Laden with gifts of food
and homfly comforts. they would make long eX
petitions foot to the dwellings of the sick and
the distressed, personally dispense their own and
their parents bounty, and succor and tend the
sufferers The Princess Victoria, although like
her brothers and sisters but sparingv, supplied
with pocket-monev frequently able, through
strict methodcal self-denial, to hand over to the
pastor at Christmas, a handsome sum in addition
TO her ordinary contributions.
Many anecdotes are related of the Princess Vic
toria'S graceful acts Of kindness to her humble
neighbors. Now we are told how she once en-
countered by the wayside a child. bitterly crying
because cruel thorn had entered the little I'M
protected foot The Princess knelt upon the
ground, examined the wound, extracted the thorn
with deft and tender skill and led the cbild re-
leved, consoled, and prattling gay1y, TO the home
which, but for her timely aid, it would hardly
have managed 10 reach.
Again we read of the sisters Victoria and Car
oline meeting with an old and feeble woman
who was making unavalng efforts to wheel a
heavy burden toward her little cottage In
oil simplicity, and with right good will, the
nrincesses lent each hand, the wheels moving
merrilv forward, and the journey, which had
threatened to overwhem the old creatures feeble
mowers, was specify ana cneefllS dtcoulpllSllpu
Another story tells how Victoria saved the life
of peasant-child, at the risk of her own, by
rushing to rescue it from being run over by a
carriage which, all UNDECIDED by the unconscious
little toddler. was approaching at full speed
momentous epoch in the Young Pnncess's
life was now drawing near, and as Ieutonic mag
ination and sentiment nave woven fairy legends,
manifold and marvellous, around the crcum-
stances attending the betrothal Of the
future Empress, it may perhaps be
best TO accept the simple fact, merely
mentioning that for years past, firm
end cordial friendship had subssted between the
Then Crown Prince, now known as the Inflated
Emperor Frederick, and Duke Frederick; who
with rare magnanimity. had bravely and Loyalty
fougbt on the Prussian side, nay, under the
Crown Princes own banner, in the great strug-
l. - 1ozn-,11 4 blood IelntiOnshin also eN-