Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-15
In THE GERMAN cAptfAI
holidays Made Happy by Bright suns-A
Royal Marriage Talked or


Correspondence of The Evening Star.
BERLIN, June 80, 1893.
The people forgot their political differences
Tor time when they devoted themselves 70
the celebration of that most Joyous and popular
of all German Acknowledgements, or whitsun-
tide. Its name is, OF course. corruption Of
the Greek word which we have abbreviated into
Pentecost, the ''fftieth" day after Easter.
As Pfngsten is movable feast" which
may occur on any day between May 10 and
June Is, its enjoyment depends largely on the
uncertain weather conditions Of that season II
the year, and the hopes Of the expectant cele-
brants are sometimes sadly disappointed The
Germans ideal 10 to spend his few days Of rest
from the tolls and burdens Of life by the sea-
shore, where he can drink In the cool ocean
breezes and fnd refreshment from the first
fervent foretastes Of the coming summer
In an occasional plunge into the salt
panied by his wife and children. he can
wander at will over the fields and through the
clear pine woods, roftly carpeted with the
fallen needles" Of former years, and amuse
himself and his family with picnic dinners
eaten In the shade Of some dense forest or on
the howery margin Of some gently flowing
stream. But this is not always possible. Two
years ago, for instance. though Whitsuntide
was bright and sunny, IL was SO cold that the
snow lay on the ground in many localities near
Berlin, and the mere thought Of plunge into
the surf, or OF an excursion to the mountains,
was enough TO give one chill. This year,
however, the Germans have been peculiarly
fortunate in their holidays. The kaiser's birth
day-the eth of January-was a mild and pleas
ant winters day, and the streets Of Berlin were
filled to Overlooking with gaiiy dressed crowds,
who had come out to witness the court psgesnts
Of thQ Aaxy and 10 l.
tions of the evening; the Easter season, at the
beginning of April, was charming, and the
weather at Phngsten was SO lovely that the
most hardened grumblers were reduced to
silence. The sun shone bright and warm
out ola deep blue sky, fecked with feecy
horse chestnuts displayed all the elories of
their white and red-purple clusters the great
ciumps OF hlacs in the public squares loaded the
air with their delicate fragrance, the lush foli-
age OF the lndens was enlivsned by the yellow
green envelopes Of the coming blossoms, the
court yards OF the houses in the residential
streets were filed with flowers in profuse vari-
ETY., and the 1hiergarten was a veritable dream
OF Eden. Beautiful Washington is in the
spring. there are quarters Of Berlin which ex-
coed it. Here the love Of flowers amounts 10
passion. The decoration Of the windows Is not
carried to the extent which is Observable in
London, for example, but every court yard and
almost every balcony is adorned with blooming
plants, often potted and so grouped 40 to pro-
duce the most striking effect OF color, and the
show windows Of the florists. Of which there are
often three or four on a single square, are mar
wells Of beauty and ingenuity. i know Of no
city where the floral cult is so fully dsvel-
opcd as in Berlin.
MINISTER'S AND AMBASSADORS.
Americans resident abroad cannot help view
ing with satisfaction the elevation Of certain Of
oar diplomatic representatives. to the rank of
ambassadors. The distinction between Q min
lister plenipotentiary and an ambassador doubt
less appears to many to consist only in the
name: but in Europe il is real and important.
The difference in rank. we may say, is relic Of
feudal times which a modern republic is not
bound to recognize; but il is nevertheless fact
which must be taken into consideration, for the
question of precedence is one which not only
affects social relations. but often plays an i'm
portant part in the dispatch OF business. Sup
pose, for example, that We were involved in .
difficulty with Turkey, in which We desired to
secure the good offices OF Germany; IL there
any conceivable reason why our envoy, because
he is only minister, should be compelled to
wait in Count Caprivi's ante-room while the
sultan's ambassador, who has arrived later, goes
in before him and obtains first access TO the
chancellors ear? This is but one of many illus-
trations which / might adduce. Diplomacy IL
often represented as out Of dste-superseded
and rendered unnecessary by the ease and di-
rectness Of telegraphic and other means Of COM
munication-and diplomatic education is con-
sidered superogatory. No patriotic American
who is personally familiar with European af-
fairs will subscribe to this view. Can any one
doubt the value of the services rendered to our
country by Charles Francis Adams, or James
Russell Lowell or whitelAw Reid, or William
Walter Phelps. Even when no opportunity is
presented for the display Of special diplomatic
ability, the maintenance of good understand
ing is often Of incalculable Importance
IrALy's FUTURE QUEEN PERHAps
1t is quite generally believed that the Prince
Of Naples. heir TO the throne Of Italy, il be-
trothed to the Princess Fedora Of Schleswie-
Holstein, youngest sister OF the German en-
press. She 10 a Protestant, while the prince.
Notwithstanding the strained relations between
the house Of Savoy and the pope, is an earnest
Catholic, but in the light Of history this can
hardly be regarded as a serious obstacle. The
Tsar Nicholas once piavfuliy objected to the
proposed unification Of Germsy, because, said
he. IF the principslities are eItinguished.
where are the Romanoffs to find their wives?"
The kaisers own sister is crown princess OF
Greece, aud has embraced the orthodox faith
Princess Fedora is charming girl Of nine
teen, with a long list Of names, ending rather
oddly with ''Aiice Jenny" the empress last
name is also Jenny. Prince Victor Emmanuel
is a fine sodierly young man in his twenty
fourth year. who bids fair to maintain the
glorious traditions of the house Of Savoy-tbe
oldest Of European reigning families-as his
fathers have done before him.. In view OF the
intimate and unmistakeable cordial friendship
between the German and italian sovereigns.
sealed almost two centuries ago. when the first
king OF Sardinia fastened to recognize the first
king Of Prussia, and twice confirmed through
successive generations, the match would seem
to be a suitable one in every respect. The re-
port Of the engagement Is denied, of course;
but. while rumors OF royal marriages are often
circulated without cause. the denials Of them
are apt to be quite as ENTHUSIASTICALLY. 1t is
hardly a month ago that the Westminster
Gazette. the new illustrated London evening
paper, was authorized to state" that the re-
port Of an engagement between Prince George
OF Wales, Duke of York. and the Princess Nav
OF Teck were destitute of all foundation in
fact and yet, ten days afterward. the engage
ment. which had long been an open secret, was
officially announced in the Court Circular. Il
is not wise. therefore, to lay too much stress on
official denials. The young couple whose fate
Is now In question seem personally in every
way suited to each other. and il would really be
difficult to imagine an alliance which would
offer greater political advantages. The Cath
oiic princesses of Europe have fought shy OF
the italian crown prince because Of the appar-
emily immediate breach between the quirinal
and the Vatican, but his union with q German
would strengthen the ties OF the dreibund and
form an additional security for the maintenance
of European peace. VERNON.