New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-11
A STUDENTS BANQUET.
A MEMORY OF KARL I OF wURTEMBERG.

Unimp0rtance IN European diplomacy, ne WIS 0"'i
shed by the undergraduates OF his University oi
Tubingcn. When one Of the students wrote
play or poem and was lucky enough TO find
publisher the King was always prompt TO return
a medal or letter Of thanks for an authors copy
More than once he invited the students to BAN
auet at his hunting chateau of Bebenhausen-a
few miles distant from Tubingen, the site of the
Royal University. The young men often walk oil
an afternoon through the beech forests, or go
horseback along the smooth road that winds be-
tween the hills TO the castle. This property of the
late King was cloister in the days Of prosperous
monkdom and was afterward adapted to the tastes
Of ROYALTY To-day il stands restored in the
beauty of its early Gothic architecture, quiet ana
sombre in o miniature valley surrounded by wen
stocked preserves. A few houses cluster about the
walls OF the closter-chateau, and III the Mte
autumn, when the King and his friends hocKeo
10 Stuttgart, the place became still ana meiaohoS'
But in summer there was a gay contrast, when
the King and his suite were here holiday making.
II was at its gayest when he celebrated his twenty
fifth anniversary King. About month ai,er
the festivities at Stuttgart, where the halser the
Czarovitch, the Regent of Bavaria, the Ming Oh
Saxony and other princes and dignitaries asSehi-
bed to pay their respects to longevity ana harm-
lessness. the retreat of Bebenhausen had its gala
day.
The King came by train to Tubingen-the near
est approach by rail to the hunting castle. The
400 students of the university were formed IN
espalier on the street leading from the station, the
garrison was out, professors with becoming gray
ty had their position, plump, blue-eyed barmaids
leaned from the inn windows, and country yokes,
open-mouthed awaited as well the coming Of the
King. AS he approached at last, drawn slowly In
a carriage "vivas" were shouted Justify along the
line. He accepted the demonstration quietly ana
gratefully, and heard with especial pleasure the
cheering Of the students. He passed the length
of the line, crossed the old stone bridge over the
Neckar, and then out to Bebenhausen.
\ little of the zest that was infused in the
students greeting was doubtless owing to the fact
that most of them held in their breast-pockets
tickets of admission to a great jubilee banquet
that the King was to give in their honor at his
hunting chateau. Notice of this fete had been
made public couple of weeks before his arrival
Only 900 invitations issued to the students.
for the cloister, with other invited guests could
accommodate no more. AS there were severa!
hundred less cards than undergraduates, the dis
tribution was made by lot. The fellows who drew
blanks and felt especially sore over their il-luck
were mysteriousy supplied with tickets by pro-
fessors or by the plethoric beadle. So that in
the end nearly every student was prepared to do
Justice to royal hospitality.
The day set for the feast was warm, and the
sky of that soft blue that sheds such beauty
over the vineyards forests and glistening streams
of Wurtemberg. Excitement ran all through
the little provincial town of Tubingen. touching
students and philistines alike. When the
morning was well advanced the university
swells began TO leave their rooms and drop in at
the BARRIERS to be shaven and to have their hair
dressed This hair-dressing is q lavish work Of
the tonsorial art. The barber makes part from
the forehead over and down to the nape of the
neck after the hair has been copousy oiled and
perfumed Having been carefully barbered. the
student walks through the street with scarlet
or green or yellow corps cap cooked well on one
ear clad in skin-tght trousers and frock coat
with an ivory headed walking-stick in hand. In
this attire he saunters TO an inn to meet some or
his corps TO talk while drinking mug OF
Munchener, about the afternoons feast at Beben-
hansen The students are fitting about the town,
In the gOvers shop or sitting in the beer halls, or
all impatiently awaiting an event that will ever
be for them a proud memory. About O'Clock
carriages draw up at different houses and are
soon filled with students. One fellow, with head
swathed in bandages as result OF wounds re-
ceived in q sword duel the day before, cries, from
a fourth story, to a friend. "Du, Fuchs, if you
find cigars lying about don't forget me- All are
off at last Vehicles Of every description have
been called into service from the surrounding
country, and they rattle at a smart pace to the
scene of festivities. In crowds they enter the
old gateway in the closter wall through the
passages and up TO the main portal, where they
are met by massive chamberlain apparalled In
the full gorgeousness of his office They pass him
90 h. I'D,
to the ambulatory and the court with its garden
or fountain. The fellows walk about,
crack Jokes, look for their host, who
doesn't appear, make merry, considering that
it is a stag party to which they are invited and
the potentate whom they have host. Some
time passes and no one has seen the King. The
buffers finally begin to seat the students at tables
in the court, in the great dining-hall, about the
ambulatory, and in every available space. Each
corps has its individual table, well the Off
GERS of the garrison In view Of the large num-
Der of guests and the limitations of the chateau
kitchen, the food is served cold, but with all the
variety the circumstances permit and the in
genuity of stewards can devise. German dishes
in varying degrees of righteousness are heaped
on the tables and are made to disappear without
effort Servants run their legs off TO keep up to
the demand Liquid refreshment is dispensed
with unstinted hand. The optimist among the
students anticipated having champagne, and n
pessmist closter most, but the medium Is hit when
beer and red and white still wines from the Kings
cellars are brought to the table regardless OF
measure The army band is in the court playing
favorte student airs And when the substantial
part of the collation. is disposed Of and nothing
but bottles and boxes of cigars are on the tables
and the gayety has waxed high as to possess
a ring of artiHciality the King with halfdozen
courties appears suddenly amid the Hoch!
Hochl Hoch! of the students, who rise from
fleir seats and cheer Justify for their sovereign
and university patron.
very curious incident now occurs
amid all this rejoicing. The band strikes