The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-21
THE PRINCESS BISMARCK.
SIZE sHhRES THE SORROW or HER
HUSBANDS POLTTICAL DOWNFALL.
Bold Strategy by which the Future Cham
ceiior Won the Hard OF johanna Won
PuttL simmer Embtttered Latter Years.


BERLIN Aug. 4.-The bitterness displayed by
Prince Bismarck at the reception OF the news
confirming the triumph Of the Caprivi Minis
| try the result Of the general elections. and the
passing OF the Army bill. was intensified not
only by his accumulated rancor against the
| Government OF which he is no longer the head
and arm. and by his advanced age and unsatis-
factory physical condition. but also by his I'M
easiness about the health OF the Princess Bis
| marck. She has been seriously III. and al
| though the acute stage OF the attack Ia passed.
| enough suffering and chronic disturbance re-
| main to cause fear for the future and anxiety
in the present. Little as the Iron Chancellor
is prone to outward demonstrations OF an uXo-
rious nature. he is fond Of his family in the
fashion which has always made him prize
| what was his and condemn what was not.
Very little is generally known OF the inner life
OF the wives ofgreat IN en- : these women are. Tor
the most part. resigned to ayicarious. efTaced
kind Of existence. and oftener still to one OF
| constant self NAL The Princess Bismarck
| has never shown herself otherwise than salts
fed with the position circu N stances created
| for her. nor has she attempted to attain one
which would have raised her in her domestic
circle above that tacitly assigned to her: she
accepted life as consisting chiefly OF wifehood
and maternity.
Johanna Won Puttkammer was Just entering
her twenty-fourth year when she was courted
| by Otto Won Bismarck. Her parents were
| stanch Conservatives and inveteratc pie
lists" AS such they were strongly adverse
to any union with the avowed representative
OF other opinions. and forbade their daughter
to accept the advances of her sutton. But they
had to deal with a man who refused to be
thwarted in any Of his Intentions and they
found that opposition was useless and even dam
gerous Finding himself repulsed. Bismarck
adopted plan which. unconventional as it
was. met with full success. Having been told
that he would not be received IL he called. he
heard that the Puttkammers were to give q
large evening party to which naturally he had
not been invited. Nothing loath. no made his
appearance in the crowded drawing rooms. and
Offering his arm to Fraulein Won Puttkammer
he boldly passed with her from group to group,
and audibly informed all the other guests that
he was affanced to her. Startled and stunned
by this audacity the parents had not the pres
ence OF mind to deny the engagement on the
spot, and later on prudence and common sense
prevailed over wrath and prejudice. and they
agreed to give their formal consent rather
than brave what would have been public
scandal compromising their daughter
Princess Bismarck is OF the characteristic
Pomeranian type. She Is tall and somewhat
angular; her features which even in youth
advancing years: her hair ia now snowy white.
and. in II country where women Of all ages
dress their hair deliberately. she has always
worn hers plainly: now she has adopted the cap
affected by the wives of English c!ergymea.
She has never had recourse to any max up.
and her complexion is good even now.
She is a fluent and rapid taker. When at
dinner the conversation becomes animated
she soon gets excited, and then her raised
voice Is extremely voluble. She has large
fund Of anecdotes and "reminiscences which
she Is fond OF relating. Her great friend and
probably the only one she really cares about,
Is Baroness Willy do Rothschid whom she
meets at Homburg every season. She is n
good composer and when the two ladies are
together they indulge in interminable dis
cussions on music over the glasses OF mineral
water they religiously swallow every morning
Berlin society. which is at once critical and |
satirical. declares that the Princess is as ig-
norant OF music as the Prince. who hates |
the sound Of 1t, and that Wagner or the Italian |
maestri receive but scant Justca at her hands, !
whether she praises or condemns Them
As we'll as her husband. the Princess places
unlimited confidence in their Bavarian physi-
clan. Dr. Schweninger. who attended her in
her recent illness, and complains bitterly
that she does not follow his prescriptio ms
She refuses to renounce her favorite beverage
iced cham paene-whch he strictly forbids
and her obduracy and imprudence cause irri-
tation to her medical adviser and grief to her
faithful old companion. the Stifts- dame who
never leaves her.
The Princess has had three children. all liv-
ing. Her ONLY daughter. a great favorite of her
father. is married to Count Rantzau at pres
ent German Minister at the Hague Her
eldest son Is Herbert. well known as the aHe,.
e0O OF the Prince in opinion and politi cs
who last year crowned his mothers fondest
hopes by wedding the charming Countess
Marie Hoyos, Viennese young lady. He
for her sake celibacy which had
lasted too long but which had been diversified
by many ntaUes de crur. some OF them OF grave
import and not wholly to his credit. The
younger son. Wilhelm. is Landrath at Han
ovar. a function which has some resemblance
20 that OF the French Pr6fets and Sous Projects
He is much like his father in appea rance
while his elder brother resembles the m other
As to their moral characteristics. 1t is exactly
he reverse.
Although Princess Bismarck was never
Known to bewail the change in her fortunes.
'et there is no doubt that she was profoundly
Iffected by It: she has not consoled herself
or tho removal OF her husband from
political omnipotence. II she was SEEM
ngly not in the least elated at tho
ime Of his triumphant sovereignty. yet
he felt his abdication deeply and was
extremely wrath!ul thereat. No one has ever
'eard word against Emperor William H.
'ass her lips. nor criticism OF his attitude to-
yard the Prince: nevertheless. those who
now her best are perfectly aware OF the blow {
he received when the whole political future of
er house was wrecked and the helm of the
hip OF State passed into other hands. She :
watches jealousy each cloud that dark ems her
usbands heavy brow. each flash OF anger that
arts from under his bushy eyebrows: she
choes and sympathizes with all the express
ions OF rage into which he is BETRAYED. and I
oes not sock to alay what she considers his {
ust Indignation. :
While she was lying dangerously Ill with
harp attack Of her chronic gastric disturb
nee the Prince also was confined TO his bed
y recurrence of the symptoms of swelling OF
he veins, which. although not dangerous. are :
everthelcSs very distressing.
There is something pathetic. almost piteous, I
4 the spectacle of the couple remanded from !
heir high estate and immense popularity to
comparative obscurty and oblivion The bus-