The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-08

Voltaire's room. He sent for the dec
orators and told them about a dream
he had. The decorators transferred the
dream ito the walls and furniture of
Voltaireis room. Voltaire returned and
nearly had a fit when he saw his room.
The ceiling and walls were all covered
with carved and painted figures, mon
keys, cranes. peacocks and parrots;
even the furniture was mixed up the
same way. 1t was all. said the merry
king, an innocent portrayal of Vol
taire's character. The latter's dislike
for cold water. even, was pictured by
a miniature chamber service. Then
Voltaire quit his Job.
The room is still shown just as Vol
taire wouldn't have 1t. A genial, fun
loving soul was Frederick the Great.
But you read all that. did you. years
ago in the Fourth reader? So did 1;
but Ii seemed like new tale to see
the room in all it's hideous reality.
And of course you are quite familiar
with the long-winded anecdote about
the Great Frederick and Obstreperous
Miller. OF course. But when 1 saw
the mill, / willingly let the guide think
he was overpowering me with won
derful revelation 1t is like some ma
tional beverage. of which you have
read. The sensation of actually imbib-
ing ii is slightly more realistic than
the most graphic description can con-
vey.
Well. about the miller. Just pretend
that he is entirely new. When the
guide recited his little piece about the
king and the miller we were standing
on top of the Orangery, an extensive
structure in the Florentine style, at
one end of the palace park. over a
quarter of mile long and very tall in
spots. This is what 1 made out of the
story:
Early in the 18th century, Frederick
William. the first. father of Frederick
the Great, granted Arnold, the miller,
the right to cut wood on the kings
estates, and also the privilege of main
tanning a mill. with full wind power,
on the present royal palace grounds
1t was a 999 years lease kind of con-
tract. The consideration was forty
thalers a year. and there were the
usual provisions found in that benign
nstrument of law unknown in the
United States) which has been styled
a cutthroat lease. When Frederick
William became an angel Frederick III.
succeeded TO the kings business, and
concluded that the mill was no orna-
ment to his front yard. So he offered
to buy the mill from Arnold; but the
miller liked his location. and didn't
mind having a king for a neighbor
even IL the latter was addicted to late
hours and had boisterous companions.
No: the mill wasn't on the market.
"All right" said the king. IF you
won't sell. TIL take the mill for nothing
and tear it down."
You'll take 1t not. Mr.. King. There's
my lease Touch but one single on
this mill. and I'll have the law on you!
TIL have you up before Richter Eichen-
steiner, in Berlin: you see If / don't!
Now, the king had been up before
Judge Eichensteiner before-it was a
disorderly charge. q Understandable
he knew what to expect. And withal
the king was a law-abiding citizen.
even IL he did see pink monkeys and
sea-green elephants at times, without
having to go into Voltaire's room-not
that he was a hard drinker. like his
pa. So he let the mill stand, but Fred
erick William the Second. who sue
ceeded Frederick the Great, also want
ed the mill out OF the way. and he
was a schemer. He had big trees
planted around the mill TO cut the
wind off. From the kings standpoint
it was an excellent plan. for soon after
the miller made an assignment.
However. German millers are a stub
born lot. Arnold's successors held their
ground. and their mill too. until 1886,
when Frederick William ". bought
the mill: and here 1t has remained ever
since as a sort of companion piece to
the Voltaire good Joke.
That there are nearly 10000 soldiers
in Potsdam Is due to the fact that this
is the official summer residence OF the
emperor and his family. There are
here four soldiers. am told. from each
regiment of the German army. these
forming a sort of Imeperial guard.
was fortunate enough to be present at