The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-27

Kaiser Wilhelm was opposed to resi-
dence in the Schloss. He had attended
the balcony scene in his disgraced
brothers suite and deeply felt the signifi-
canoe of the event, which Ferdinand
Freiligrath thus describes in his great
poem, ''The Dead's Appeal to the Living:
"Off came his hat-he erouched-
The royal puppet, who but yesterday appeared
as a comedian"
But that wasn't all. William had also
grave personal causes for disliking the
palace.
On March 20, 1s4S, he, then prince of
Prussia, was forced to hide in one of its
inner chambers TO elude the enraged pop
ulace, who stormed the castle gates to Sc
cure his person. The riotess failed to
find him and in their anger threw the
gates into the Spree, where they had in
tended to deposit the prince. Some years
later these gates were fshed out of the
river and re-erected, a standing reminder
of Hohenzollern's weakness. The pres
ent emperor caused them to be removed
and replaced by magnificent specimens of
the wroughter's art.
Not until the last trace of them had dis
appeared did the proud kaiser make his
entrance into his ancestral halls. where
inhabited by his late uncle, Frederick
Charles, the famous Red Prince and
conqueror of Metz. gentleman who
never cared rap for the historical and
revolutionary "reminiscences that made
the Schloss odious to the other members
of the royal family, but considered it a
good place to live in as long as he had no
palace of his own.
The building itself has undergone no
alterations since it became once more the
royal headquarters. Emperor William
has begun the construction OF an annex 10
the White hall, it is true, but as 1t will
not be finished for the next twelve months.
it must not be taken into consideration
here.
This hall is one of the most beautiful in
the world Like all state apartments OF
the Schloss its appointments and decora-
lions are of the first Frederlck's period,
when 100000 of down-trodden people
were reduced to abject poverty in order TO
equip the new-made kings new residence
with regal splendor.
On the White hall, especially, money
was spent with lavish hand, Tor dldn t
the king, during the course of its construc-
ton, secure the services OF Dominica Cae-
tano Conte de Ruggiers, the alchemist,
who claimed to have invented process of
making gold? What was the use of stint
ing oneself for the sake of few paltry
millions from ones peoples pockets) If
the Italian promised to create untold
oceans of gold at will?
When the White hall was finished and
his majesty confronted with national
bankruptcy, Caetano was adJudged
fraud and hanged on a giided gallows, to-
gether with his mistress, whom he had
recommended to the king mercy. treder-
lex thought it most magnanimous act
to allow her, q mere commoner, 10 Ole
on a gilded gallows. That was IN 1903.
Poor Caetano and his strangely ennooled
mistress are forgotten long ago, but his
great work, der Weisse Saal,' continues
as the ali-admired and far-famed banquet
hall of kings. Its ancient crystal and sill
yer chandeliers are now provided with
thousands of incandescent lights; there
are several modern paintings on the long
stretched walls and statues new"
in the marble inches. but its general
aspect has remained unchanged for nearly
two centuries.
A state banquet, held by the kaiser in
the White hall, is spectacle never to be
forgotten, even from the standpoint of
looker-on in the musicians gallery. That
was nv standpoint few evenings ago.
had been advised to climb up into the
loft about one hour before the ceremony
commenced, and the precaution was well
taken, for had but just seated myself in
the front row, when the army of privileged
officials with their kith and kin invaded
the limited precincts and completely filled
the rest of the available space. While
these ladies and gentlemen were quarrel
ing for precedence and muttering under
their breath, / looked through q narrow
window to catch glimpse of the approach
of state coaches driving up into the court
yard below.
There were the foreign ambassadors and
the nobility's old-time rocco" carriages