Evening star., 1896-12-26

ILL., SENSE ulmlnlSQeS the importance
OF the New Year day solemnities, and If
Christmas has gradually become the annual
festival of the family, New Year day con-
t1nues to remain the principal feast of the
year at court, as we'll as in political, mill
tary and administrative service. Christ
mas day is spent by the monarchs within
their domestic circles, among their dearest
and nearest relatives, whereas Adams
birtf day, as the ancients were wont to call
the first day Of the year, is devoted to elab-
crate state and ecclesiastical functions.
1t speaks well for these monarchs of the
old world that with the solitary exception
OF KING Leopold, who holds religion in very
Snail esteem, there is not one of them that
does not commence the new year with an
appeal to the Almighty for strength, guild
ance and blessing. Emperor William at
Berlin, before ever he embarks upon any
OF those military ceremonies that consti-
tute SO characteristic feature of the day
makes a point of proceeding to church with
ms Wlfe and bairns-the service usually
taking place In the chapel Of the old castle
At herin, at about 10 o'clock His ally, the
Emperor Of Austria, attends high mass
with his entire court in the palace chanel
at vienna, his majesty occupying a throne
WITHIN the altar rails, In order to mark the
Iact that he Is the anointed of the Lord.
Even poor King. Humbert, who. owing to
the ban.of the church, is unable to tndnlee>
IN any such luxury as a high pontificsI
mass, gets his chaplain, Mgr Anciano. to
1eaa . humble little low mass in the chapel
V tnat mas been arranged at the Quirinal.
nIns Leopold, indeed, Is the only soyer-
eign who disdains to pay his respects +,
MS Maker on the first day of the wear. the
s1ie occasion on which he ever goes to
ihurcn bis , or attends divine service being on
ms hamesday. On that date, which is
treated as national holiday In Belgium,
ne proceeds to the Church of Saint Gndnls
hand h Srusseis e IN greatbstste. carrying in his
wh,o, do huse blue and silver mass book,
which cnly sees the light of day on those
Reception E. a t Berlin.
AS soon as ever divine service is over
at Berlin on New Year day the emperor
at the head of all the princes of the blood
ana escorted by his generals and star
marehes on foot to the main guard. which
turns out, of course, on his arrival. ard
is invariably composed of the very finest
nma ent smartest ma looking nfen Of the 7th Regi-
nent OF Guards, especially selected for the
occasion. Having received the customary
reports from the 6Hcsr in command he
gives the password of the day, and then
returns to the palace, where a reception of
all the principal personages of the realm,
lakes piace with great pomps aadY care
mohy. The first to BAY their good wishes
tor the new year to the emperor and en-
press. who stand on the dais, under a
canopy, just in front of their thrones in
the white hall of the old castle, are their
relatives' ' headed, as rule. by tEeir
The imperial couple always descend the
steps of the dais to greet the iIlustrious
widow, and then invite her as well as the
other princes and princesses of the blood,
to take their place beside them on the
estrade. Next come the foreign amtas-
sadors with their ladies and suites, the
dean or senior of the diplomatic corps re-
naming at the foot Of the throne to pre-
sent his colleagues as they pass before the
emperor. The latter usually addresses to
the heads of the various missions few
words which, while sometimes trivial are
often of such Importance as to disturb the
financial equilibrium Of the whole Of Europe
for the following week. Thus it was at a
New Year reception of the diplomatic
corps at Paris in 1859, that Emperor Ma
poleon III made use Of those memorable
words OF menace to the Austrian ambassa-
dor which led to the war between France
and Austria few weeks later-a war
which did not terminate before all the inde-
pendent sove-eignties Of northern Italy
had been wiEed out of existence and their
material welded into unity under the rule
OF King Humberts father. Victor Emman-
uel.
The ladies Of the diplomatic corps are
presented by the wife of the dean of the
latter. and for several years past these
duties have been performed by Madame
Herbette, whose husband, the French am
bassador. has. however. been withdrawn
ITOm 0eTlu III consequence Oh MS having
20 seriously Quarreled with the emperor
that the latter declined to hold any further
intercourse with him. f5t ..,J,
"A Brilliant Scene.
After the diplomatic corps come the great
'dignitaries Of the church, the army, the
navy, the judges Of the supreme court, the
rectors Of the universities. the ministers of
state and the heads Of their various depart
ments, and finally those who are possessed
of no Office. but merely form6part and par
eel of the court. The scene is brilliant in
the extreme, for, although the reception
takes place by day. the curtains and blinds
are drawn, and the vast state apartments
ore lighted by myriads Of wax candles and
electric globes; the ladies are all in court
dress with long trains, and the men In full
uniform, the gorgeously colored medieval
costume of the university rectors being es-
pecially picturesque. A grand banquet at
court brings the day to a conclusion.
In former years the Emperor William
was in the habit of taking part in the
popular Berlin diversion on New Year eve,
which consists in bonneting with a blow of
the fist every citizen who ventures to ap-
pear after dark in the streets with a high
silk hat. No one used to get much hurt.
but the damage done to the head gear OF
the population waSi something appalling
and from time tmmemorial the matters
have In consequence thereof been compelled
to keep open their shops on New Year day.
But Emperor William has abandoned this