The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
A COURT BALL IN BERLIN.
An American Lady's Picture of the
Brilliant Spectacle.

the DtUOlt fIee ETeSE.
A court ball-with polonaise led by the
emperor and empress. Do you wonder
that there is always a .gush for tickets
when the date Of the annual subscription
ball is announced? 1t is a time of sus-
pense. for everything is conducted in the
slow. thorough fashion so common with
Germans.
Application has to be made weeks be-
fore, and then its fate is known only a
short time previous to the great event,
for 1.-THE powers that be- investigate the
names presented most carefully, unless
they are handed in by member of the
army-then they pass muster without
question.
The size of the tickets corresponds with
the immensely Of the affair, for they are
rivals Of small handbills, but one would
not care if they were regular posters, for
he is so delighted to see his name on one
Having paid the princely sum OF S3.75. he
can now mingle with royalty itself. If he
goes clothed in dress suit, or party dress,
II the happy owner is of the gentler per-
suasion.
One cannot help heartily approving of
this court ball, instituted as IL was In the
beginning of the century by Queen Louise
and her husband, Frederick William the
people and royalty nearer to each other
Old Kaiser William revived the custom,
which had fallen into disuse at the time
of Frederick William the Fourth and used
to mingle freely with hepcople: chatting
now with Actor So-and-So-neXt with q
young artist-then. with a prominent au-
thor later, with an officer or some mem
Der of some diplomatic corps. The present
emperor does not initiate his grandfather's
actions, but Is much more reserved. He
carries himself with calm. dgnifed man
"a mon On mt t,rff
very composed and elegant
At y o'clock the royal pair enter the OPP
era house, the floor of which has been
punt Out from the royal boxes TO the
stage just opposite Music never ceases.
for in either end of the immense room Is
stationed a splendid orchestra. A little
commotion and the turning of air heads
10 the royal box, announce the arrival of
the distinguished couple and their court
a luxury which costs the nation about $500
a day.
The ball is opened by the polonaise or
march, led by the kaiser and kaiserine,
followed by princes and princesses, dukes
and duchesses and many others who claim
10 nave purple blood In place of the COM
mon red which courses through the veins
OF ordinary mortals.
The emperor makes a most agreeable
impression, and one can scarcely believe
that he has uttered many Of the pompous
sayings that are credited to him. for his
manner calls forth the admiration of
even loyal Americans He is about the
average hight, slight but well proper
toned; has a clear-cut face. fun Of
character, and wears his hair parted on
the side and brushed we'll off his fore
head. He is extremely fond of the army
and usually appears everywhere in uni
form. This evening he wore the brilliant
one of the Red Hussars which consists
of dark blue trousers with strip of
gold down the sides-high spurred boots
reaching TO the knee-and short red coat
scanned dn gold with collar and straps
also I'm gold. His left arm, which has
been useless since birth, is supported by
resting the hand on the hilt Of his long
sword. With the right he conducts the
empress through the serpent-like maze of
the stately march. IL seemed, however, as
If before doing so he must have led her
under rosebud and shaken from its
branches the evening dew, for she simply
sparkled with diamonds, as pure
and bright as drops of water
with the sunlight on them. In her fair.
blonde hair glittered a priceless diadem. A
necklace Of two rows of diamonds encir-
cled her throat. Pendant earrings flashed
defiance to the jewels which, as a band
adorned the top and front of her corsage,
while numerous rows of the same precious
stones played hide-and-seek around her
arms. The dainty shade of her long, blue
emperor's gorgeous coat She IL not a ra-
dainty lovely woman, but a gracious one,
without being patronizing Her face bears
the stamp of goodness deeper than that Of
beauty, and one would say that she was
lovable rather than lovely.
Many of the families present are entitled
ny biIAH " bt pItstuNtd at court anu 10
mix freely in the royal families at ali
times. but they have not the immense for
tunes necessary to maintain the splendor
of their positions, and cannot afford to
pay the taxes Qor everything from an in
come of s225 a year is assessed so they
live quietly in their castles in the coun,
try, coming to Berlin for a few weeks in
the season to give their daughters taste
of city life.
OF course, for these occasions all grand
mothers old laces and the family dia-
monds are brought from their secluson.
so the scene is indeed a brilliant one. The
evening suits of the men are commas
in this great play of human life, while
the blue and gold-trimmed uniforms are
semi colans.
Occasionally a Turk in his red fez, or
Jap much decorated serves as an inter-
rogation point in the living drama, bu,
the real pauses, the periods, are made
when the eye espiss some old war Veter.
an who has on his breast as many med
ais as he has years
Thus, the scene ever varies until the
midnight hour when royalty withdraws
and the ball comes to close.
TIER nnUnaU