Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-29


liam T.. and the story goes that he visited
~ daily on some unknown errand. IL IL
a fact that there hangs over against the
entrance-door a portrait OF beauthui
woman. the original unknown. so II Is
said Whether these tales are true or
not. certain II Is that the erection OF .he
tower Just where II is adds much TO the
landscape effect from both drive anu
river. and IL is very possible that tne
old Emperor built It simply TO grauiy
that love OF the picturesque and romantic
characteristic OF these Hohenzoherhs,
whose very NAM signifies high towers
The entire history OF Babslsberg IS IN
teresting because OF its very personal
and domestic character. In 1873 Prince
William Of Prussia had married Angus
ta daughter OF Carl August Grand Duke
OF SAKE Wemar Ohe friend or doetheI,
the clever daughter OF an accomplished
father The Prince first took his pride
to the old. plain palace In the inter den
Linden. In Berlin, where In later years
he was accustomed to greet as Emperor
the thousands who gathered near hia
window 10 receive his MONDAY salute
year after their marriage cholera proke
out in the city and they fled for safety
to the new palace at Potsdam, where IN
1881 Frederick III. was born. Later when
the Prince wished to build a home of his
own. the old King objected, saying,
Enough castles now; move into the
Marble Palace" TWO years later, how
ever, his consent was gained, and on
the fourth birthday Of "Unser Fritz"
October IS, 1885. the little princely family
moved into Nlat was known as The
Cottage on Bablesberg." 1t remained
cottage" until 1919. when the court ar
chitect, Strack, made most OF the addi-
which n
day.
BABELSBERG ARCHITECTURE.
The architecture Of Babelsberg Is CT the
Tudor style built Of yellow brick. grown
mellow with age, with turrets and tow
trs; long, lancet windows, and battle
mented roof In a way il strikes one as
a succession Of after-thoughts. it is the
one place In Potsdam which seems Ike
a home, all the others having about them
a different atmosphere. more stately and
OF the state, nothing personal. But here
one can easily imagine that a most in
formal home-life has been lived. The
entrance is long. narrow. and low, with
tiled walls OF blue and white. old me-
dallions, and richly-carved, high-backed
wooden benches. We almost expected to
see the old Emperor lettering down the
stairway. leaning on the favOrite cane,
which he cut in his park and used for
over forty years, doubtless grown far
dearer TO his simple heart than his great
golden sceptre. lie failed TO appear.
however, and we passed on through the
entry into the servants lobby. running
at right angles with it, There we met
q guide WHO led US up flight OF steps.
through q short hall. and into the audi
ence-chamher of the Empress Augusta.
wife ~ Emperor William l. From this
We passed on into her recepton-ro room,
through The library. concert-hall. dining
room. and apartments Of the daughter Of
le house. the Grand Duchess of Baden.
rooms are arranged IN no regular
nor according 10 any one style.
each rely different from the last in
shape size as well a furnishings.
From 90 apartments We ascen4ed
quaint. r.o. 81 nlght o. stairs 10 the rooms
of The crown Princess. now Empress.
widow az Frederick H. In order to- reach
the private apartments Of Emperor VIII
liam J.. also on the second floor. we were
obliged % cross the galleries Of the din
'ng-room and concert hall. the only pas
sag way provided. The gallery Of the
concert hall is so narrow as 10 admit Of
but single file, and the floor is tiled as
below i'm the main hall. From the En-
peror's rooms we descended a half story.
by very narrow, winding stairway. TO
the juncture OF two halls. and the head
OF another flight. broader and more mo-
dern by which we found our way back TO
our starting point, the quaint. low en-
trance.
AN HISTORIC TABLE.
The time allowed by the guide to each
room was anything but satisfactory. and
all that one could gather in such a hasty
passage was food TOT the more lingering
thoughts OF some leisure hour. How
many important meetings have been held
around this old table. 1t Is covered now,
as then. with such souvenirs as photo
graphs Of grandchildren and miniatures
Of the members Of the royal houses
among them daguerreotype Of his much
loved sister. Charlotte, the wife Of En-
peror Nicholas Of Russia. Near By. on
a bookcase. is a locked black box. and IN
it a likeness. so it is said, Of the lovely
Princess Radziwill. whom he renounced
20 marry Augusta. Princess OF SAKE
Wemar. The frequent presence OF the
c0rnhOwer among the belongings Of the
Emperor is explained when one learns
that the Princess Radziwill always wore
a bunch a her belt
1. In his bedroom stands a simple iron bed
plainly curtained, with a crucihx at the
foot-such a bed as any common soldier
foot, In the alcOve in which It stands
hang TWO water-colOrs, PAINTED by the
Empress. One represents an angel steer
Ing through rough seas u boat in which
stands a knight in Hohenzollern armor.
lady, and two children; the other shows
US an angel pilgrim with HIS stan, the
guardian spirit of the first. Under the
latter picture are the words. Fifty years
under the watchcare OF the Guardian An
gel. Augusta" A simple implanted wooden
chair stands near by made by Frederick
H., the masterpiece Of his apprenticeship.
for he, like all the princes. learned a
trade. The treasures indoors however,
are not sufficient TO keep ones atten-
ton exclusively when every window
frames in such beautiful sections Of land
scape without From the octagon recep-
tion-roon the views are charming. and
one realizes AZ once what a lover Of nature
the hostess must have bsen. Each window
reaches from floor 10 ceiling. and encloses
a view Of broad lawns. parterres gay with
flowers I'm summer bits Of forest and
river. and in the distance a town set
against the hills. The furniture and hang
ings OF this room are OF heavy silk. and
the pattern of flowers on pale back
ground lends a dainty womlnly air TO
the whole.
The strangers book, too. is here. where
in 1895 the modest couple registered them
selves as host and hostess OF Babesberg,
and in which the names Of princely visi-
tors were inscribed for more than nifty
wears. among them the Cars Alexander
III. and III, Victor Emanuel. the Kings
of Belgium and Holland. Kaiser Franz
Joseph, Queen Victoria, Louis Philippe,
and the Shah Of Persia. In the narrow
hal-lke library is an old bookcase, with
tiny diamoul-ShaDa names of ul4gs iu